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|Born: October 26, 1983
Height: 6'2″
Weight: 215
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Signed: International Free Agent, 2000 (Giants)
How Acquired: Free Agent
Country: Dominican Republic
Agent: Greg Genske
|Liriano has been one of the more erratic pitchers of recent years. He originally worked out for the Giants in the Dominican as an outfielder, but they quickly moved him to the mound. He established himself right away as one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in baseball, but missed most of his second full season with shoulder problems, an issue that's recurred from time to time. Once he got healthy again, and after a trade to Minnesota, he quickly made it to the majors and was spectacular in the first season that he opened in the majors, only to have his season cut short by elbow problems that resulted in Tommy John surgery. In the five seasons he's pitched since then, he pitched pretty well in one, extremely well in one, and badly in three.
Liriano has always had outstanding stuff, although his fastball velocity has fluctuated from roughly 95 on average before the surgery to anywhere from slightly below 91 to a little below 94 since then. He also has a good change and slider. His control has fluctuated even more wildly than his velocity. He has a career-long pattern of having much better xFIP numbers than ERAs. Normally, this would indicate that a pitcher has had some bad luck or been undermined by a bad defense. The disparity with Liriano, however, has been so large and so persistent that it's hard to write off as bad luck. He's generally been a groundball pitcher, although that also has fluctuated. He's been deadly against left-handed batters during his career, holding them to an OPS of .597. Right-handed hitters have a .744 OPS against him.
In December 2012, the Pirates and Liriano agreed to a two-year deal worth $12.75M. Finalization of the deal, however, was delayed when the Pirates discovered that Liriano had suffered a broken humerus in his non-throwing arm that will cause him to miss the beginning of 2013. In the end, the sides re-worked the deal as a rather complicated one that still potentially was worth $12.75M, including an option for 2014 that the Pirates ultimately exercised. Liriano became a free agent after the 2014 season, but the Pirates were able to re-sign him for three years and $39M.
Liriano put up impressive numbers in his debut, including high K rates. At this point he was sitting in the low 90s and reaching 96. Baseball America rated him the Giants' 14th best prospect.
Liriano had another strong season in low A, but went out in late July with shoulder problems. His fastball velocity increased to 93-94 and he showed a good slider and change. BA ranked him as the Giants' 4th best prospect.
Liriano made one disastrous start in the California League, then went out with continuing shoulder issues. He returned for four rehab starts in rookie ball at the end of the season. After the season, the Giants sent him, Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser to the Twins for A.J. Pierzynski in a trade that turned out very badly for San Francisco.
Liriano split his time between high A and AA. He fanned a lot of hitters at both levels without walking an alarming number, but he had more hits allowed than innings pitched at both levels, which you wouldn't expect with his stuff. BA was impressed enough with that stuff–a fastball that sat at 93-95, an outstanding change and a big curve–to rate him as the Twins' 5th best prospect.
Liriano pitched well in AA and then dominated AAA, earning a September callup. In four starts and two relief appearances with the Twins, he pitched much better than his ERA, as the WHIP and K/9 show. BA rated him the best prospect in the Twins' system and the Eastern League, and the second best (after Delmon Young) in the International League. His fastball was sitting at 94-96 and he'd returned to throwing a slider rather than a curve.
Liriano opened the season in the Minnesota bullpen, then moved to the rotation in late May. The results were spectacular, until he was sidelined in early August with elbow problems. He came back for one start in September, but ultimately had Tommy John surgery.
Liriano missed the entire season following Tommy John surgery.
Liriano made three starts in April and struggled badly, walking 13 in 10.1 IP. The Twins sent him to the minors and he pitched well in AAA. They brought him back up for 11 starts late in the year and he pitched very well in most of them.
Liriano struggled through the season, with his fastball averaging less than 92 mph after being close to 95 in 2005-06. He had a career-low groundball rate (40%), and had trouble both with walks and gopher balls. He allowed 21 of the latter, or 1.4 every nine innings. His xFIP of 4.48 did, however, suggest that he was hit with some bad luck.
Liriano turned things around with an outstanding season that got him some Cy Young votes. He cut his walks dramatically and his HR rate even more so, leading the majors by allowing just 0.4 per nine innings. His groundball rate jumped to 53% and his fastball velocity was back up close to 94. His xFIP of 2.95 suggests he pitched even better than his ERA indicates.
Liriano stumbled again due to control problems, despite throwing a no-hitter (with six walks) in May. His fastball velocity was back down by two mph from the previous year and his K rate hit a career low. He went out with a shoulder strain in late August and made no more starts, although he eventually made two relief appearances. Unlike other years, his xFIP (4.52) wasn't substantially better than his ERA.
In some ways, Liriano had about the same season he did in 2011. His ERA and WHIP remained about the same and he continued to walk five batters per nine innings. There were, however, some positive signs as his velocity rebounded to 93 on average and he fanned well over a batter an inning. His groundball rate dropped, though, to a little under 44%. Once again, his xFIP (4.14) was far better than his ERA. The Twins sent him to the White Sox in a deadline deal; he put up more or less the same numbers for both teams.
Liriano missed the start of the season due to the broken arm. He went on a minor league rehab in mid-April and started his first game for the Pirates on May 11. He pitched well right from the start, showing much better command than he had in 2011-12. The Pirates have attributed the improvement to Liriano having the time during his rehab, to rework his delivery. Liriano's fastball averaged about 93, just slightly below what it had been in his prime, and his change remained a very effective pitch. His slider, however was extraordinarily effective and he threw it over a third of the time. Liriano went 11-4, 2.16 in May through July. He slipped to 4-2, 3.62 in August and 1-2, 5.14 in September. His ERA those months was inflated by two games in which Clint Hurdle left him in to allow 17 total runs even though he clearly had nothing. (For some reason, Hurdle developed the habit late in the season of leaving starters in even after they clearly were struggling badly.) In the playoffs, he dominated Cincinnati in the wild card game and pitched decently in one start against St. Louis. Liriano's command problems occasionally resurfaced, but the problems didn't last.
For the season Liriano was absurdly tough on left-handed hitters, who managed only a pitiful 131/175/146 line against him, with just two extra base hits, both doubles. Even right-handed hitters had only a .689 OPS against him. He also had a big home/road split, going 8-1, 1.47 at PNC Park and 8-7, 4.33 on the road. He had the third highest groundball rate (50.5%) of his career.
Liriano had a rough season in some ways, but in the end he was once again the team's most effective pitcher. His control went back into a down cycle, with his walk rate jumping by one, but he also struck out more and his groundball rate went up again to 54.4%. The control problems impacted Liriano more early in the year; he had a BB/9 of 5.0 and ERA of 4.72 in the first half, and 4.1 and 2.20 in the second half. He was out from mid-June to mid-July with a strained oblique. Oddly, he allowed an OPS of .740 to left-handed hitters and .622 to right-handed hitters. The latter resulted in large part due to improvement in his change. His poor W/L record resulted from the Pirates averaging only 3.4 runs in his starts, compared to 4.2 overall. He had streaks of six and seven games in which the Pirates failed to score more than three runs.
Liriano became a free agent after the season and, once Russell Martin signed with Toronto, he became the team's top off-season priority. The Pirates probably helped their chances by extending a qualifying offer to Liriano, which meant that any team signing him would forfeit a draft pick. Even so, the task of bringing Liriano back seemed like a tough one, partly due to the fact that Liriano was a logical backup plan for teams failing to sign Jon Lester. It was widely expected that the market for starting pitchers would see little movement until after Lester signed, but instead the Pirates reached a deal with him before Lester signed. Liriano figures to join Gerrit Cole at the top of the 2015 rotation.
|Baseball Reference–Majors
Baseball Reference–Minors
|2006: $327,000
2007: $410,000
2009: $430,000
2010: $1,600,000
2011: $4,300,000
2012: $5,500,000
2013: $1,000,000
2014: $8,000,000 (team option)
2015: $11,000,000
2016: $13,000,000
|Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 2001
MLB Debut: 9/5/2005
MiLB FA Eligible: N/A
MLB FA Eligible: 2014
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Added to 40-Man: 11/18/04
Options Remaining: 0
MLB Service Time: 7.104
|September 9, 2000: Signed as an international free agent with the San Francisco Giants.
November 14, 2003: Traded by the San Francisco Giants with Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser to the Minnesota Twins for A.J. Pierzynski and cash.
November 18, 2004: Contract purchased by the Minnesota Twins.
July 28, 2012: Traded by the Minnesota Twins to the Chicago White Sox for Eduardo Escobar and Pedro Hernandez.
October 29, 2012: Became a free agent.
February 8, 2013: Signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
October 30, 2014: Became a free agent.
December 9, 2014: Signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.


text: Used the Penthouse accommodation in between house moves. Owner very helpful sorting out dog bowls and treats which was fab. The Penthouse has its own private garden which has decking and a good sized lawn all of which is secure for dogs. The living accommodation is very clean and has all mod cons with double bed and kids bed in... More

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2012-13 Lockout Discussion Part VII: The Last Waltz "Cut the sheet & drop the puck!"
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True Blue
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 15,647
vCash: 500
This is laughable.
They've been listening to Fehr for 2 months, you think it'll last 2 years?! You think the 90% of the PA that cant get a job overseas is going to go that long without an NHL paycheck? Again, laughable.
Yes, I think that the players are SO pi$$ed off at Bettman and the owners, that, yes they will. They lost a season, got bent over in the last negotiations, and are now being squezzed again with disengenous contracts. They hired Fehr for a reason. They will drink the kool-aide and, if necessary, they will loose two years. I do not think that they owners are willing to fold the NHL, which is what will happen if 2 years are lost.
Several of the owners operate at a loss - these guys are actually saving money by having no hockey played.
Sure, but they have sold tickets. Once the fixed costs continue and the rent needs to be paid, and not a single ticket is sold, that is quite a big difference. And your statement was definetly true in 2004. But not as much now.
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E_E.Andrus, A.Beltre. LOB_Seattle 8, Texas 7. 2B_K.Seager 2, B.Ryan, E.Andrus, A.Beltre. HR_J.Jaso (2) off S.Feldman, J.Hamilton (21) off J.Vargas. SF_I.Suzuki. SB_D.Ackley (6), B.Ryan (3), C.Gentry (7). GIDP_J.Jaso, I.Kinsler. DP_Seattle 1 (B.Ryan, D.Ackley and J.Smoak); Texas 2 (R.Ross, E.Andrus and M.Napoli), (N.Cruz and E.Andrus).
R.Ross pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. A.Ogando pitched to 3 batters in the 8th. M.Adams pitched to 4 batters in the 8th.
IBB_off S.Feldman (I.Suzuki).
WP_J.Vargas, M.Lowe.
Umpires_Home,D.J. Reyburn; First, Jim Wolf; Second, Derryl Cousins; Third, Ron Kulpa.


text: Clinical Trials Search Results Initial search results include only NCI-sponsored clinical trials. To search all trials, click the "REFINE SEARCH" button, scroll down to the Trial ID/Sponsor section and select the "All" check box in the Sponsor of Trial section. View Content for: Patients Health Professionals Display: Title Description with: Locations Eligibility Full Trial Description Custom ? Hide Search Criteria Show Search Criteria Drug: ropivacaine hydrochlorideFind trials that include: Any drugs shownTrial Status: Closed Results 1-11 of 11 for your search: Start Over Select All on Page Sort by: Phase of Trial Title Type of Trial Status of Trial Age Range Sponsor of Trial Protocol IDs Show 10 25 50 100 200 Results per Page 1. Chlorhydrate of Ropivacaine and Breast Cancer Surgery Phase: Phase IVType: Supportive careStatus: CompletedAge: 18 to 85Sponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: (CRH 05353A), EudraCT 2005-005691-32, NCT00370240 2. Prevention of Post-Mastectomy Breast Pain Using Ambulatory Continuous Paravertebral Blocks Phase: Phase IVType: Supportive careStatus: ClosedAge: 18 and overSponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: PVB Catheter Study, NCT01231204 3. Comparison of the Analgesic Effect Between Intrathecal Morphine and IV-fentanyl Patient Controlled Analgesia (ITM-IVPCA) and Epidural PCA (PCEA) in Patients Undergoing Gastrectomy -Randomized Allocation Study- Phase: Phase IVType: Supportive careStatus: CompletedAge: 20 and overSponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: 4-2010-0368, NCT01234272 4. The Effect of Combined General/Epidural Anesthesia Versus General Anesthesia on Diaphragmatic Function Phase: Phase IVType: Supportive care, TreatmentStatus: CompletedAge: Over 18Sponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: 4-2007-0344, NCT01547416 5. Evaluate the Use of Paravertebral Block in Reconstructive Breast Surgery Phase: Phase IIIType: Supportive care, TreatmentStatus: CompletedAge: 18 and overSponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: 2006-0961, NCI-2012-01557, NCT00542542 6. Paravertebral Block, an Adjunct to General Anaesthesia for Breast Surgery? Phase: Phase IIIType: Supportive care, TreatmentStatus: CompletedAge: 18 and overSponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: MEC 05-105.5, NCT00547989 7. Intraperitoneal Ropivacaine Nebulization for Pain Control After Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery Phase: Phase IIIType: Supportive careStatus: CompletedAge: 18 to 65Sponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: AR HSG 02 2010 Ovarian Cyst, NCT01142622 8. Effects of Anesthetic Technique on Immune and Inflammatory Systems Following Radical Prostatectomy Phase: Phase IIIType: Biomarker/Laboratory analysis, Supportive careStatus: CompletedAge: 50 to 75Sponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: 20110601, NCT01367418 9. Analgesic Efficacy of Inter Pleural Ropivacaine Road in Post Thoracotomy Pain for Oncologic Surgery Phase: Phase IIType: Supportive careStatus: CompletedAge: 18 and overSponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: IB2003-23, ROPAL 1, NCT00210132 10. Epidural Analgesia or Patient-Controlled Analgesia in Treating Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery for Gynecologic Cancer Phase: No phase specifiedType: Supportive careStatus: CompletedAge: Not specifiedSponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: CDR0000459963, UCSF-03423, UCSF-H10588-24197-02, NCT00295945 11. Effect of Adding Sufentanil to Epidural Ropivacaine on Perioperative Metabolic and Stress Responses in Combined General/Epidural Anaesthesia for Geriatric Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy Phase: No phase specifiedType: Supportive careStatus: CompletedAge: 65 and overSponsor: OtherProtocol IDs: 4-2008-0319, NCT01086956 Select All on Page Start Over


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ACNielsen HCI Team Joins Kantar Health's Marketing Insights Group
NEW YORK, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ — Kantar Health, a leading healthcare-focused consultancy, announced today that ACNielsen HCI, a promotion research organization focused on healthcare, has joined Kantar Health's Marketing Insights practice.
Founded in 1982, HCI has studied nearly 8,000 pharmaceutical campaigns to develop a systematic process to improve a campaign's development and promotion from prelaunch promotional budget planning to measuring sales performance. HCI's Professional Health Communication Measurement services deliver actionable research about the media usage tactics that impact the healthcare market.
The addition of HCI's campaign tracking solutions will augment Kantar Health's portfolio of complementary solutions for pharmaceutical marketers. In addition, their combined physician panels will provide clients with greater research coverage across physician specialties.
"Kantar Health has a strong presence in prelaunch branch messaging and positioning, and HCI provides a logical solution extension via its post-launch messaging and campaign tracking," said John Tapper, Ph.D., President of Kantar Health's Marketing Insights Practice. "For clients, it means we now have an opportunity to help them seamlessly and holistically develop, assess, and adjust their brand and communication messaging."
"I'm confident this change will offer exciting new growth opportunities for Kantar Health's business," said Les Leathem, Senior Vice President, Kantar Health. "I'm also confident that Kantar Health is receiving a terrific new capability and a highly talented and seasoned team of healthcare research professionals."
About Kantar Health
Kantar Health is a leading healthcare-focused global consultancy, specializing in portfolio optimization, market access, safety and outcomes, and brand and customer insights Formed by uniting Consumer Health Sciences, MattsonJack, TNS Healthcare and Ziment, it is the next-generation decision support partner to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, delivering evidence-based guidance to support clients' global and local success.
With 40+ offices throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, Kantar Health provides the broadest global footprint, coupled with the strongest local knowledge to help drive clients' maximum performance in every geography. Market-leading solutions ensure optimal decisions and actions across the brand life cycle, from assessing opportunities and sizing markets… to developing products and building access strategies… to positioning brands and creating messaging… to managing stakeholder relationships and monitoring treatment outcomes.
SOURCE Kantar Health


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1:53 PM on 10.28.2014
You raise up your head
And you ask, "Is it why I'm here?"
And somebody points to you and says
"It's fear"
And you say, "What's near?"
And somebody else says, "Where's beer?"
And you say, "Oh my God,
Am I here all alone?"
Because something is happening here,
And you don't know what it is...
You know what's happenin' and I'm sure as hell aware of why ya stumbling 'round here. You 'ere for some hate, right, partner? Also, to find out why your fave game sucks. Easy, easy, hold your horses! We're civilized fellas... Let's settle this quarrel (which I'm gonna win, without any doubt) by the way of pleasant, old-fashioned showdown debate. Whatcha say? The one to lose is cleaning Uncle Otis' shittin' store, deal? I know it's gonna be you, but well... a man's gotta take his chances, right? So here we go, you 'ungry for dysentery weasels!
H8 (Absolutely True and Completely Undeniable)
Reasons Your Favourite Game Sucks! ♥
1) It completely ruined the beloved franchise (a.k.a. "Jump that shark, boyo!")
A shark's gotta do what a shark's gotta do.
(Presented extracts are courtesy of Crapcom's "Leon's Fishing Simulator Deluxe" ©)
Remember those sweet times when that one franchise was prosperous and utterly original? The time before that game you love and adore came out and ruined everything? Before it turned the series into a "boring shooter" or "hipster-driven stylish malarkey"? I bet you do! Well, changes are horrible. That's why those games are literal manifests of everything wrong with the world. It's like when you go to your favourite cafe to taste yourself some fried toasts (like usual), only to find out how they shove them damn churros down your throat! That's like... totally sick, ain't it?!
2) It is just a rip-off (a.k.a. "What is rip-off? Baby, don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more...")
Rip-off? I hardly know off.
Everything is a rip-off in its own way. God of War is a Rygar rip-off. Candy Crash Saga is a Banner Saga rip-off. Dead Space is a Space rip-off. List could go on and on, and on. And, given how much of our universe left uncharted, there just could be another you somewhere along the way, so even you might be a rip-off. You might think that I don't even understand a definition of a word "rip-off". Well, lemme say you something, fella. I know what a rip-off is, and you don't. Also, I know that there's only one outhouse you'll need million of light years to clean and it's Uncle Otis' one. So, you betta stop being an ignorant smarty-pants and grab the darn shovel!
3) It looks plain stupid (a.k.a. "Look in the mirror")
This looks stupid.
And this.
As well as this.
Choose the right videogames.
4) It's overhyped as shit (a.k.a. "It's overhyped as shit")
Have you ever played "Watch Dawgs"? Well, nobody have. Every single gamer in this galaxy was so disappointed by the game's overall quality that it was massively ignored by the community and sold roughly 8 mil. copies (that's like diaper money). The worst thing is... people never learn. I never believed in Destiny, but some darn fatalists did! And most of them were let down by the end result.
You wanna know why those so-called "overhyped" games weren't as good as we wanted them to be, in the first place? I have an answer why.
Them damn commies.
Commies are like complete opposites of Santa Claus' elves. They don't help make stuff, they help make it as sucky as one could. They might look like some outgoing, "let's partaaaay" chaps, but when the sun goes down, those magnificent bastards run like a lightning to the nearest videogame companies and break your most anticipated titles. The worst thing is... you don't know who they are. It might as well be you, me or my best buddy, Cletus. There could be one standing right behind you as you're reading this text.
They pretend to eat.
They pretend to sleep.
They pretend to know you.
The only natural desire they have is breaking your would-be favourite game.
And they'll never stop until there's no "overhyped" game left untouched.
#commies #lookout #truth
5) It got less than 8,5 from those guys next door (a.k.a. "Metacritic is the best critic!")
It should, you silly billy goose you.
8,5 is at least an adequate justification for mediocority. But even less than that? That's some horse poo-poo, if you ask me. Playing the game like this is not only a waste of time, but a disservice to community. It's also utterly disgusting. It's a digital equivalent of holding an ejaculating elephant trunk in your hands. It may be fun at first, but in the end, it feels nothing but messy.
6) It was made by a woman (a.k.a. "Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?")
When I first stumbled upon a gut-bustingly hilarious thought thata woman could be something of a help outside of the kitchen, I heard a blob of two year old moonshine bursting from laughing somewhere down ma belly. It was so absurd and abnormal, that even my old girl, Muriel, got a good chuckle outta this one.
Then, our most respected local drunk, Billy Bob, came to the town with the disgusting news that some strange beasts called "feminists" were indeed roaming around our parts. We were so shittin' scared, that our local doctor, Billy Bob Jr., declared quarantine (the biggest one, since when some fancy city folks told us that masturbate isn't used to catch large fish). Worst of all, it happened during our annal tradition of celebrating Pelvis' anniversary (sadly, he doesn't get as much love as his cousin).
So, Billy Bob gathered up a posse of deadly possums, they buckled up and drove into sunset on a big hunt. We never heard a word from them since then. Ever.
Why I told ya all this? Well, to show you how stupid it is to even consider a thought that woman could make a game, let alone try to get out of its natural habitat. Makes absolutely no sense, right?
7) It's exclusive (a.k.a. "It's in the game, sucka!")
EA loves and respects everyone.
You know why some developers release their games on a particular system? Wha? Cause of some utterly ridiculous devil pacts with the publishers? Sorry, I couldn't hear you cause the air is too damped by the bullshit flowing around. No. The answer is barer than your mom on the day you was born (I know it, I was there). It's because they're greedy bastards.
WiiU? Moar like FkU!
Let's take Bayonetta 2, for example. Why WiiU? Everybody knows WiiU is a console for little kids, right? And what little, pesky, obnoxious (and, probably too fat and too virgin) kids like more than watching the plumber (?) fail to get the princess everytime? Long-legged sexy witches, of course! So what do the greedy bastards do? They make their game exclusive to sell more copies (and consoles, obviously). Voila! Simple as that.
Now take a look at Electronic Arts. These lavish fellas release their games on every available console (damn sure there are even some on the toasters). Why so? Because, unlike Nintendo, Microsoft and that other greedy corporation giant, they care about us. They treat us like people, not costumers. They are like that good-natured Midas fella. Generous, sincere and outgoing chaps they are. Anyway, they could poo gold, and you couldn't. So, go get a life and stop being an envious jerk.
8) Most importantly, it sucks because...
a.k.a. "You are a worthless pansy-ass who is now weeping and slobbering all over your gameset like a nine year old girl!
Your life sucks. Your pets hate you. Your girlfriend/boyfriend/mom is probably cheating on you with your best bud (who's smelling of elderberries, by the way).
I don't even want to talk to you no more. I fart in your general direction!"
I know what you mighta thinking. An angry, old cracker. Well, guess what, you darn muthas? I AM old, and so happens that I rounded up a lot of them cattles back in the day. And sometimes... I get a little angry. So suck a dick!
And remember: you're always entitled to your wrong opinion.
Good Night, and Good Luck, you pondering sloths!
See ya at Uncle Otis' outhouse meditation parlour!
11:42 AM on 10.07.2014
But first, a few classy tunes to keep you in the mood for some delicious food. Also, don't worry, everything is spoiler-free, so don't be afraid to read a little too much words ;)
It's official, fellas! Twin Peaks will return on Showtime with a new nine-episode season. Show's creators, David Lynch and Mark Frost are both heavily involved as writers and producers, with Lynch also being the director of the whole season. It was also confirmed that it's the sequel we should be waiting for (not prequel or spin-off, which is the usual deal with everything nowadays). Which fittingly means that phrase "I'll see you again in 25 years", said in the final episode, should now be interpreted literally (and that's damn ambitious, to say the least).
A special picture for all those who still can't decide, whether or not the show worth a look.
For those, who haven't experienced the cult adorable fest of dementia and wicked humor called "Twin Peaks" yet, it's a detective story about an investigation of the brutal murder of young homecoming queen, led by an FBI Special Agent Francis... ehem!... Dale Bartholomew Cooper with a little help from local police force, which takes place in a small, quiet town of Twin Peaks, Washington.
The premise may sound a little too dry, like a usual one for detective stories nowadays, but Twin Peaks took it to the whole new level back in the day (it still holds up greatly, by the way). Everything looks interesting and thoroughly detailed in the series and everyone has got his own fair share of skeletons in the closet. Writing is top-notch and could easily transcend relaxing (borderline meditating) sequences into thrill rides so tense, that your heart will be begging for mercy.
All in all, if you are a fan of anything mysterious and captivating, check out the series. I have no idea where this will lead you, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.
Without a doubt, Twin Peaks significantly influenced our lives. Videogames included. And that's why it's so darn wonderful! Without Twin Peaks, there wouldn't be that amazing "peaceful town full of mysteries" kind of stories. For me, it's the best kind. Because if you've ever lived in a quiet, small town in the middle of nowhere, you would agree that the most needful thing out there is some unexpected, inexplicable stuff visiting your backyard.
[size=14] Enough of the chit-chat! It's gaming blog, for Pac-Man's sake! So, 'ere some games to keep you, starving for coffee and pancakes nerds, satisfied. Or, in case you aren't familiar with the series, justify my overly nostalgic piece of malarkey. Here we go!
Deadly Premonition
You've won one ticket to the "I said so"-land, if you thought that Swery's irresistible showcase of weirdness and b-movie references would get another mention somewhere down the road. And, why the heck wouldn't it? The man was clearly a fan of Twin Peaks. Savage murder of local beauty? Check. FBI Agent with some quirky habits and overwhelming lust for hot coffee? Check. Quiet town with creepy beliefs? A lady obsessing over a inanimate object like it's her own child? Check. Check. Hell, there even were midgets and the red room included in the game (instead of little kids), when first trailer came out. Some may call it a rip-off. I call it a lovingly-made homage. After all, it's a game that captured quirkiness more naturally than any other game before. Sincerety. It's a rare thing in our world, you know.
Alan Wake
Remedy. Them adorable sons of a gun! They not only managed to emerge a gem right under the Microsoft's prickly noses, but also did it with grace and style. Alan Wake is fueled by great narrative, funny dialogues, insanely cool soundtrack by Poets of the Fall, lovely throwbacks to your favourite movies and books... oh, the list goes on and on. There are so many details, packed so nealty in the core story, that you couldn't help but wonder how the heck it all could fit there. It's like Pandora's box, only instead of evils it contains all the awesomeness of the world. They even had enough time and inspiration to create goofy Twilight Zone-esque episodes of fictional "Night Springs" TV show and put them inside the game. How utterly crazy does it sound? You could clearly see guys were having fun with it. I hope more developers could learn a thing or two from them.
Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent
And finally, a game less recognisable and acclaimed than the ones above, yet the one that deserves special attention for trying to be different. Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent. Made by Telltale Games in collaboration with Graham Annable, it tells us a story of Nelson Tethers, the one and only member of FBI's Puzzle Research Division, who was sent on the special assignment to solve the mystery of Scoggins Eraser Factory. The erasers produced there were used by White House, so it's chance for our hero to shine! Soon enough, you learn that nothing's so simple in this calm, frosty town. Woods are swarmed with Hidden People, puzzles become more and more dangerous as you proceed and guy in a spacesuit starting to appear out of nowhere. Usual stuff in Minnesota, ya know!
As you could see, there are enough lovingly-crafted gems out there worth playing (and replaying), in anticipation for that "gum you like that's coming back in style". So, please, give 'em a try or just remind their creators how much you adore these quirky attractions. Because each and every one of them deserve it.
That's all for today, folks. Keep it classy, Dtoid! Terror is out.
8:00 AM on 10.05.2014
Funky time? You betcha!
Uncle's Weekly Yackety-Yak
Thank you all for that sweet support you've cheered up me with! "Weekly Dtoid" is building up to be a regular thing and I hope to continue making it as informative and entertaining as possible. Although, there will be a pattern, I will not be using the same formulaic structure over and over again. So expect some unexpected changes from time to time ;)
Last week, I stumbled upon new Gravity Falls episode "Soos and the Real Girl" (Disclaimer: I'm totally not advertising this overly genius artistic piece of a show). It was about a local sidekick, Soos, a sweet lovable manchild buffoon, who has a heart of gold and a great sense of humor, yet quite insecure about his relationships (he almost married a cute girl once, while pig was being trapped in his body). So, main heroes of the show decided to help him find "that special one" and make his adorable "your life is my soap opera" latino grandpa proud. It may sound like a cliche trope about somebody's road to maturation and taking responsibility, but Gravity Falls is extremely aware of any cliches and always takes a thoughtful (and gut-bustingly hilarious) approach to any problem.
"But I'm about to meet her parents! Her dad is an octopus-man!"
So, our heroes thought it would be a good idea to rent a date sim from a local videogames store... The one that previous owners returned with the words "destroy at all costs" carved on the cover. Yep, that's Gravity Falls for you, folks. I won't spoil it any further, because it deserves to be seen (it ends not as predictable as one may think and there's a secondary plot concerning living animatronics).
"Hello, friends. Hoo Ha the owl is dead."
What stuck with me, however, was Soos' attitude when he was playing the game.
*chooses option "I am impatient! Date me now!"*
- "Ah, I messed up!"
- "That's okay. Try again!"
- "Wow, I'm learning! And games are making it fun."
That reminded me to add one more thing to the list of reasons why we love videogames so much. They're not only fun, but also value our mistakes much less than they would cost in real lives. Games create such situations where we are forced to decide what to do and how to do it, but if we fail there's always a chance to undo our faults. Yet, I don't think it's a bad thing. In a sense, game could be a good teacher. The one that cares about you and shows that there are different approaches to every situation. The one that doesn't blame you for making a step forward. The gentle kind... with enough waifus to keep you interesting.
Uncle's jabber has come to an end. Next stop: waifus and narwhals.
Some rules, concerning the list:
1. No "Early Access" stuff. Only finished products (and yes, swarmed-with-bugs chef-d'oeuvres destined to be patched kinda count, too).
2. No DLCs, unless they could be considered "addons". So, yep – no Dead or Alive costume coverages, you adorable fapping nerds you.
3. Last week's games only. That way, we could have some time to weigh in on our experiences and let the hype train rush past our station.
4. No Japan releases, sadly. For two reasons: firstly, Japanese isn't one of my strong suits; and secondly – you wouldn't want to get teased by funky games that we may get but probably wouldn't (for various reasons, including "Eff' you, West!"), right?
5. Underlooked stuff is top priority. I'm not completely unbiased, but I do know when some game gets a lot of attention and when it doesn't. However, that doesn't mean I will skip big releases. Just not gloss over them so intensively.
Onto the waif...I meant, video games then!
Uncle's Personal Picks
Forza Horizon 2 (Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Developer: Playground Games (Xbox One), Sumo Digital (Xbox 360)
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Reviewed by Brett Zeidler
I never was a Forza fan. I've never bought an Xbox. I've never planned on getting One. But after seeing Horizon 2's gorgeously uplifting hip intro and incredibly captivating backgrounds, all played to the sounds of strangely relaxing euro-beats, I was initially sold. It indeed looks and plays like a sumptuous catharsis-inducing carnival. Fun, flashy, quick and breathtakingly amusing (especially when you're riding your Rover with Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" banging from the inside), Forza Horizon 2 deserves all the hype it got and then some more. Just play it and relax. Life Is Beautiful, you see?
The Notable Stuff
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (PS3, Xbox 360)
Developer: Arc System Works, Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
Reviewed by Kyle MacGregor
While everybody here went crazy calling dibs on Smash characters, someone out there captured all your favourite waifus. Now you're the only one who could bring them back, Black-Dynamiting your way through. Just kidding, it's not the official premise (but hell, it'd make a day-one buy for me). Though, the game is one of the best among this year's fighthings. Made by genre vets (Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series' creators), for fans all over the world, it's a match made in waifu heaven. You can watch waifus fighting, you can play as a waifu, you can even beat the shit out the waifus you don't like while playing as another waifus. Give the game some tough love already!
By the way, if anyone's interested, Mitsuru-senpai is already dibbed :P
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
Developer: Sora Ltd., Bandai Namco Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Reviewed by Chris Carter
Super Smash Bros. returns! Many things had been said about the game, so here's a picture of Kirby Palutena! Ooooh, baby, you're so royal!
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
Developer: Frogwares
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Taking the best from Sherlock Holmes adaptations, old and new, Frogwares managed to create their own vision of legendary detective in their most slick game to date. Crimes and Punishments (nod to Dostoevsky, y'all!) presents an interesting take on Holmes' mysterious personality by branching narrative into a couple of stories from different periods of his life. Fans of narrative-driven adventures won't be dissapointed.
Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day (PS3)
Developer: Crispy, Inc., Grasshopper Manufacture
Publisher: Bandai Namco Games
Companion piece to Sunrise's Short Peace project (four anime shorts + one video game), Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day is a side-scrolling platform game that follows the titular heroine, a schoolgirl-assassin who is tasked with killing her own father. And yes, her weapon of choice is a sniper rifle that fires bullets when played like a violin. That's Suda51 story for you, folks.
Starwhal: Just the Tip (PC)
Developer: Breakfall
Publisher: Breakfall
"The local multi-player space narwhal fighting game...! The heart-piercing action...! Starwhal: Just the Tip is a simulation of dreams in an ocean of the mind." - if these quotes from Steam Store don't get you excited for the game (or at least, put a stupid grin on your face), then you just don't like fun. Or narwhals. In which case, beware. Cause they're so awesome... and deadly.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
Developer: Monolith Productions
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Reviewed by Chris Carter
Nice God of War-style story supported by its revolutionary stealth mechanics borrowed straight from Assassin's Creed and universally-aclaimed Arkham-style brawling. Would be a great title if it didn't look so unispired and repetitive. The atmosphere and cleverly-told story are definite highlights, though. And music is epic enough to make battles seem even more brutal.
Natural Doctrine (PS3, PS4, Vita)
Developer: Kadokawa Games
Publisher: NIS America
As unique take on tactical RPGs, Natural Doctrine isn't beautiful nor user-friendly enough to bring new players into the mix. Hardcore fans of Japanese strategies and those seeking for a game soundtrack to feed their ears upon, should definitely pay attention to the title. To those, curious about mechanics - here's a gameplay "guide" trailer (in Japanese, cause it's way more accessible that way, am I right?).
Also, on this week:
Wrack - pure indie-shooter fun following the best traditions of Doom, combined with Borderlands' visual flair. May surprise you, if you're fan of stuff like that. On Steam;
Chariot - cute platformer rolling out on Xbox One and PS4, premise is morbidly fun and gameplay seems like a amusing time-waster;
Futuridium EP - high-octane old-school shooter with 3D graphics is being remastered for PS4 and Vita;
Skylanders: Trap Team - the return of toy figures-oriented action-platformer, including a sharkcreature with fonny accent. Available everywhere (except PC, yep);
Outland - Housemarque's stylish platformer finally lands on Steam;
while Second Chance Heroes, co-op action-arcade about historical figures dealing with the end of the world, makes its way onto PSN;
Pier Solar and the Great Architects - turn-based RPG, inspired by classics and made exclusively for Sega Genesis in 2010, is now coming to Steam and PSN. It may not be the prettiest, but you've gotta give the fellas credit for being ambitious (there's even Dreamcast version planned!).
And... that's all for now, boys and girls! If you have any critique, words of advice or if you just want to tell us your opinion and have a nice chat, you're more than welcome! And if you'd like to delve into dispute about any given stuff, I'll hear you out and gladly accept the challenge. It's not like I'm some kind of Spanish inquisition...
8:36 AM on 09.28.2014
[ This article is powered by Cinemaphonic Quadrovision.
Cinemaphonic Quadrovision. When Tres just isn't enough, sucka! ]
Uncle's Weekly Yackety-Yak
First of all, I'm much obliged to each and every one of you, who gave any kind of feedback on the first issue. Now, I'm feeling more confident on bringing the weekly piece while not being afraid to spit a thing or two from my harum-scarum head. Huge thank you for that!
While many gamers out there are beyond-hyped for the new Smash Bros., I can't feel anything but sympathetic with them (had a blast with Brawl myself, back in the day). However, there's another sweet darling I'm deeply anticipating next week. Gone Girl by David Fincher. Yes, I'm both a cinephile and a gamer. Crazy, right? This isn't about me being such a cool cat, by the way. It's all about the ill-fated hype. You may think you've heard this one before and predict that I'll end on the "fellas, be good to each other and don't follow the hype" note. If so, you're pretty much off the road.
Hype is one strange beast, yes. It could be sweet, cruel or just plain misleading. However, what I find particularly strange about it is its nature. People love to get hyped, that's obvious. But as we're hopping from one stuff to another without ever looking back, I wonder why we give it so much attention. It just looks like we stopped living the day and always wait for that sweet, better tomorrow now. That's a good feeling, a feeling of having a goal somewhere along the line, yet it prevents us from truly enjoying something. Some of us don't even play the games, they just wait and wait some more. Hype becomes even more enjoyable than actually experiencing something you've craved for a long time. Is it an issue? I guess it's just a logical progression of our childish habits projected onto the digital age. Remember that feeling of anxiety when you're week away from Christmas? Or when you're waiting for them heartwarming summer holidays at your grandpa's place?
The thing is, hype isn't so bad. People make it look bad. It's all because of our uncontrollable desire to experience something as soon as one can. It fullfills our emotional needs, but you've gotta tame the beast and not let it control you. Otherwise, it could become some sort of addiction. And that's not a good thing to have, trust me.
Anyway, what you think about the hype and its nature? If you have anything interesting to say, shoot them thoughts in the comments and let's have a genuine discussion!
Some rules, concerning the list:
1. No "Early Access" stuff. Only finished products (and yes, swarmed-with-bugs games destined to be patched kinda count, too).
2. No DLCs, unless they could be considered "addons". So, yep – no Dead or Alive costume coverages, you adorable fapping nerds you.
3. Last week's games only. That way, we could have some time to weigh in on our experiences and let the hype train rush past our station.
4. No Japan releases, sadly. For two reasons: firstly, Japanese isn't one of my strong suits; and secondly – you wouldn't want to get teased by funky games that we may get but probably wouldn't (for various reasons, including "Eff' you, West!"), right?
5. Underlooked stuff is top priority. I'm not completely unbiased, but I do know when some game gets a lot of attention and when it doesn't. However, that doesn't mean I will skip big releases. Just not gloss over them so intensively.
Onto the games then! The gems we deserve and the ones we need right now.
Uncle's Personal Picks
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (PC, later on PS4)
Developer: The Astronauts
Publisher: The Astronauts
When I first heard that the people involved in creating Painkiller and Bulletstorm were developing first-person adventure in the same vein as Dear Esther, I remember it looked... strange, at the very least. Back to the now, they not only managed to succeed, but, according to reviews (both critics' and users'), also outdid themselves by making an immersive Lovecraftian detective story with wonderful photo-realistic views, nice investigating mechanics and amazing story to back it all up. There are even some tentacles in the trailer (that's ancient gods for you, dawg!).
The Notable Stuff
Hyrule Warriors (WiiU)
Developer: Omega Force, Team Ninja, Nintendo
Publisher: Tecmo Koei, Nintendo
Reviewed by Chris Carter
From the guys who gifted the world with a "man of peerless might", comes a great tornado-fueled action in The Legend of Zelda universe. To be frankly, it's a combination of Zelda's charm and Musou games' unabashed enthusiasm. That's a win-win for me. If you're not a fan of both (blasphemy!) and still feeling mixed about it, check out Destructoid's piece by our review machine, Chris Carter.
Neverending Nightmares (PC)
Developer: Infinitap Games
Publisher: Infinitap Games
As with Murasaki Baby last week, we've got a bleak, thoughtful game about personal struggles more than nightmarish creatures (though, there must be some, of course). Heavily inspired by the art works of Edward Gorey, it takes a minimalist approach to guide your through one's depression. It's an interesting premise, realized beautifully.
Gauntlet (PC)
Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Reviewed by Chris Carter
Fun times return! Gauntlet, top-down hack 'n' slash from the 80's, is back in action. It may be simple in terms of graphics and mechanics, but you know what they say - sometimes the simple way is the best way. There's also co-op (online and local) up to four players. So, what are you waiting for? Grab some buds and go mow them goblins!
Defense Grid 2 (PC)
Developer: Hidden Path Entertainment
Publisher: 505 Games
Tower-defense reinvented. That's what many people have said about the first game. If you don't buy the whole "revolution" thing, don't worry. Defense Grid 2 could be a fun time-waster that you wouldn't be ashamed to play. It's slick, gorgeous and have insanely addictive mechanics. Some may say sequel is a step-left from a previous one, though.
Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star (PS3)
Developer: Gust Co. Ltd.
Publisher: Tecmo Koei
Your weekly dose of JRPG is here! Ar nosurge, a prequel to Ar tonelico series is going to please you with its cute visuals (and girls in bikinis, cause Japan!), lovely music and not-so-simple battle mechanics. If you're still not interested, here's some hawt art to soften your heart (and heart only).
Frozen Synapse Prime (Vita)
Developer: Mode 7
Publisher: Mode 7
Reimagining of 2011's indie hit, Frozen Synapse Prime is a thinking man's fast-paced action. It may look strange and complicated at first, but if you dig deeper, you would find an incredibly creative combination of turn-based strategy and Rainbow Six type of strategic planning. Either way, descriptions don't do the game justice. But once you've embraced its spirit, it's addictive gameplay and amazing soundtrack (fusion of new age, trance and classic RTS music) that'll keep you immersed.
Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, WiiU, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
Developer: Avalanche Software, Ninja Theory
Publisher: Disney Interactive
Reviewed by Chris Carter
Update of a kids-friendly Disney adventure experiment. Now with your favourite super heroes (and villains), Samuel L. Jackson's badass charisma and Black Widow that looks suspiciously similar to Kim Possible.
Stronghold: Crusader II (PC)
Developer: Firefly Studios
Publisher: Firefly Studios
Long-awaited, not-so-glorious return to form from Stronghold franchise. It may not be the best one at that, but everything's better than Stronghold 3, right?
Also, on this week:
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - get them nanomachines, son! Now on Mac.
Fenix Rage - cute platformer in the vein of Super Meat Boy. Nothing revolutionary but fun. On Steam.
Arcana Heart 3: LOVE MAX!!!! - an adequate remaster of an adequate 2D fighting. Adequate! On PS3.
Counter-Strike Nexon: Zombies - free-to-play MMOFPS based on original Counter-Strike. Now with 100% more zombies! If you need it, you've probably played it already. On Steam.
FIFA 15 - well, it's FIFA. Available everywhere.
Flockers - Team17's unnecessary remake of "Lemmings" with sheeps. If you could get past similarity, you're in for a treat.
Grid 2 Reloaded Edition - another Grid this week. Only with cars instead of towers. On Mac.
Slender: The Arrival - Slender erm... arrived on PSN and XBLA.
Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL World Duel Carnival - card battling game in Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. On 3DS. Without online multiplayer. Yep.
And another week has passed, folks! As always, any critique and other sorts of feedback will be highly appreciated. I want to be sure that a project like this is a welcoming addition to Destructoid cblogs. So, feel free to speak your mind. We'll meet again next Sunday.
Until that... So long, kiddos!
1:35 PM on 09.23.2014
Let's begin with some introductory malarkey. Yay!
I've decided to do this weekly recap series after the good-ol' talking with Barry Kelly. He had a fair share of points to the whole "journalists should take initiatve in covering less-known games" topic. So, I thought, if the site needs them moneys for covering AAA-projects to get by, then why we, community, couldn't help managing some of the game coverage by ourselves? Destructoid has wonderful community and no matter what you think about the site itself, these guys get their share of gratitude for making all this happen. So, let's celebrate video games, Destructoid and you, pimps and playas, by helping each other finding great games and making it one swell tradition.
Some rules, concerning the list:
1. No "Early Access" stuff. Only finished products (and yes, broken-on-release games destined to be patched kinda count, too).
2. No DLCs, unless they could be considered "addons". So, yep – no Dead or Alive costumes coverages, you adorable fapping nerds you.
3. Previous week's games only. That way, we could have some time to weight on our experiences and let the hype train rush past our station.
4. No Japan releases, sadly. For two reasons: firstly, Japanese isn't one of my strong suits; and secondly – you wouldn't want to get teased by funky games that we may get but probably wouldn't (for various reasons, including "Eff' you, West!"), right?
5. Underlooked stuff is top priority. I'm not completely unbiased, but I do know when some game gets a lot of attention and when it doesn't. However, that doesn't mean I will skip big releases. Just not gloss over them so intensively.
So, without further ado, hop on and ride along!
Uncle's Personal Picks
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die (Xbox One)
Developer: Access Games
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Hidetaka Suehiro aka "Swery65", creator of cult mind-bending hit Deadly Premonition, is back in business with this tense Kinect-friendly episodic adventure that involves time-travelling, deliciously bad puns and fights with your local catgirl. Destructoid's own Chris Carter wrote a d-licious review about it, praising the game's weird yet incredibly comforting and captivating nature. Long story short, look for the D. It really worth it.
Roundabout (PC)
Developer: No Goblin
Publisher: No Goblin
Follow the adventures of Georgio Manos, arguably the world's most famous revolving chauffeur, in this self-published, Kuru Kuru Kururin-inspired driving-puzzle b-movie fest from the people who know everything about cheesiness and fun (new-born studio is founded by designers of such gems, as Destroy All Humans! and The Gunstringer).
Endless Legend (PC)
Developer: AMPLITUDE Studios
Publisher: AMPLITUDE Studios
Gorgeous 4X-styled turn-based strategy game (think of Civilization for fantasy buffs, only with slightly enchanced mechanics) from the creators of Endless Space. Achieved with Unity engine and powered by amazingly beautiful art-style, game runs smoothly and looks magnificent. It may sound like your typical fantasy, but even if it is, it's one of a kind spirit-wise.
The Notable Stuff
Wasteland 2 (PC)
Developer: inXile Entertainment
Publisher: inXile Entertainment
The official sequel to 1988's post-apocalyptic RPG Wasteland (legendary Fallout was its spiritual successor) under direction of its original creator, Brian Fargo. Kickstarter darling, rough around the edges, yet lovingly crafted tactical RPG. They rarely do them like that these days, so if you're into deep role-playing experiences, you shouldn't even think about missing it.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call (3DS)
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Reviewed by Chris Carter
Final Fantasy's beats return to your handheld! Met with huge both critical and gamers' acclaim, the latest entry in Theatrhythm series masterfully plays on your nostalgia notes. It's sweet, it's tender, it's a must-have for fans.
Murasaki Baby (Vita)
Developer: Ovosonico
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
This lovely short tale, set in the world of fantasies and fears, may not be the best reason to buy Vita, but with Akira Yamaoka's song to boot, this somewhat short, yet strangely cute gothic-styled platformer could keep you satisfied for a few hours.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Developer: CyberConnect2
Publisher: Bandai Namco Games
Another entry in ever-growing Naruto franchise. CyberConnect may missed their mark this time, but it's still serviceable and enjoyable fighting, nonetheless. Studio Pierrot once again helms animated cutscenes, so it will be beautiful to look at, at the very least.
Fairy Fencer F (PS3)
Developer: Compile Heart
Publisher: NIS America
If you crave for a new JRPG, Nippon Ichi got you covered. Fairy Fencer F (from developers of Hyperdimension Neptunia) is perfectly adequate addition to your library.
ArcheAge (PC)
Developer: XL Games
Publisher: Trion Worlds
Korean MMORPG brought to you by the former developer of Lineage. I don't really know what to make of it. It sure looks good on MMO terms, but servers are currently crying with agony, so feedback is mostly negative. Here's some gameplay, though.
Also, on this week:
Final Fantasy IV (remake) - get it now on Steam, it's classic, dawg!
Total War: Rome II - enjoy more AI-stupidity (seriously though, they're trying to fix it), now on Mac;
Goat Simulator on iOS, Android - people sure like goats;
Tropico 5 - become nation's favourite dictator, now on Mac and Linux;
Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appetit! - another Cooking Mama on 3DS;
Elminage Gothic - port of Japanese Wizardy-style dungeon crawler from PSP to PC;
Age of Empires: Castle Siege - your personal Free-to-play AoE (if you ever needed one) on PC and iPhones.
That's all for this week, folks! If you enjoyed this weekly piece or have some interesting critique in its address, please feel free to give me feedback. I'll vastly appreciate it, as I want to know if weekly project like this is needed to be continued.
10:12 AM on 09.15.2014
Okay, not so humane, but still sincere in its intentions, right? Wrong. This is the game that takes some sadisticly delicious pleasure in frustrating your self-esteem and confusing your brain more succesfully than any confuse-a-cat before.
You have probably heard all those songs of praise and symphonies of cacophonic horror Deadly Premonition has received. And, despite what your favourite game-critic / friend / mom said, it's all ephemeral until you experience it on your own.
So, here it is, my personal experience with DP. Not a review, not a "been there-shat pants", but an opinion. A subjective piece of intimate malarkey.
When you meet a strange sort of fella, it's highly doubtable you'll remember him/her as more than a "phew, that was one fancy block I saw" after the first meeting. Yet, you feel that inexplicable desire to get together later and learn more. Mysterious things always attract. That's like, some private ancient law.
However, as you find more about the stuff you previously considered inconceivable, your look at it changes. It ain't so incomprehensible anymore. Furthermore, as you keep trying to reason with it, your looking also affects it, even changes it at some point. Looking at something changes it. Them fancy folks call it "The Uncertainty Principle". So why did I smarty-pants about it?
Well, Deadly Premonition always was quite a polarizing experience. For some, it was a work of genius, for others – utter crapfest. As persons, each with different experiences and opinions, we cannot be "objective" in any true sense of this word. Ever. But that's why I love Deadly Premonition. It just doesn't give two roughly-edged (yet delicately spiced) shits about what you think.
Deadly Premonition lives its own life (as close as someone could say that about any videogame). Every NPC even has his own week schedule. You could stay under their windows for hours, peeping as they cook dinner, watch TV, drink beer and workout. Why on Earth would one even do that? Hell, if I know, but it certainly ups the game's independent spirit.
And while it doesn't really care about your opinion, it strangely wouldn't mind becoming your friend. Even more, it quite actively longs to be closer to you. From the first moments and until the very end of the game, main protagonist is speaking with someone named Zach. You know you aren't Zach, right? (in case, you are, remember: I deeply envy you) So why does he keep adressing you? These whole between-missions rides feel like hanging out with your little nutty (though, incredibly lovable) grandpa. He may be implausibly awkward for most of the times, yet you don't mind spending an hour or two just listening to his amazingly weird stories (and oh, boy, he sure does have a couple!).
Here lies a beauty of Deadly Premonition: regardless of its loony antics and demented nature, it's natural. It may look oh-so-wacky on the outside, but dig deeper and you could find a story about lost souls seeking for a way out of their torturous daily lives. Or a schizophrenically bizzare tale of friendship and retribution. It's not because the game is ingenious in its storytelling techniques or innovative message (*spoilers* it isn't). No. Deadly Premonition is natural, because it appreciates its insanity.
You may judge its clunky controls, as you ride to the other end of town listening to the sweet, ear-bursting sounds of your car's never-shuttin-up engine. You may drop a huge criticizing bomb on its shooting mechanics and bland level designs. But it can't be different, it can't be easier or "more comfortable". Your usual blockbusters may treat you like a favourite customer, but not Deadly Premonition.
Deadly Premonition respects you not only as a player, but as a person. It doesn't run itself into an infinite mystery-solving circle to the point when you're forced to believe that Scooby-Doo did it; it's not going to fool you like Heavy Rain did. In fact, you would be pleasantly surprised, when you'll watch its "whodunit" carefully unfolding. It's unpredictable, yet totally sane in its twisted logic. And surprisingly confident at that. Like an old clown, whom nobody takes seriously, may astonish you with all the knowledge he collected for years of getting his face hit with a cake.
That said, I can't recommend it to you. Neither can I advise you to totally dismiss it. In the end, it all comes to an old, worn-out question, "Why do we play videogames?"
For addictive gameplay? Story? Unique worlds created by somebody's wild imagination? Or for making us appreciate every single moment of our lives spent with people close to our hearts?
There's no right answer. The same goes for Deadly Premonition.
Hate it.
Love it.
Be dazed. Be confused.
Isn't it the joy of life?
3:10 PM on 09.11.2014
But seriously, there's no much mystery to that. We love commercials because sometimes they're honestly trying to sell us ordinary products by using extraordinary means. And when they also attempt to be creative while doing it, you can't help but feel sympathetic.
"Then what is the purpose of the topic?", one could ask. Stop asking for purpose everywhere, you existential creep! Enjoy the ride with good-ol' fashioned fun! Just imagine like you're watching TV, and then bam! -
Here goes this thing!
Or that other... stuff!
Here's your personal Dr. Pepper for appropriate scenery!
We'll begin our wonderful voyage into the depths of this mad, mad, mad, mad (and totally bonkers!) world of commercial tomfoolery by counting down "Top 10 (and beyond!) of the most wacky and affecting TV videogame ads to ever hit the small screen!"
Number 10. SEGA Being Jerks.
What's more healthy way to win the competition than sleazy crushing your opponent right there, on TV? By doing it in style, of course. Clockwork Orange style!
Number 9. That Moment COD Was Being Suddenly Cool.
Bombastic commercial done right. The weird part: it has elegantly captured the sheer joy of playing games for fun; just fooling around and blowing stuff up, you know. Plus, there's Jonah Hill and AC/DC. What's not to like?
Number 8. It's a Sony.
It's only does everything. Especially, scaring you shitless. On a serious note, you could find something mysteriously captivating in this PS2 commercial created by Bjork's collaborator, Chris Cunningham. Just don't look her in the eyes. Seriously, I warned you.
Number 7. Nintendo Being Nintendo.
You probably have already seen these ones, as they're widely popular. So here's a quick rundown. There are sights of Mario beating the living crap outta Yoshi; Link dancing to the sounds of funky 90's j-pop; and Kirby being fingered around. You know, the usual.
Number 6. Sweet, sweet memories.
Nintendo loves going nuts now and then. But sometimes, they show their soft side. And it's as soft as Robin Williams' bushy beard. His magical personality and his daughter's irresistable cuteness both works wonderfully in this ad. May his soul rest in peace for all those enchanting moments he endowed us with his presence.
Number 5. The Hero We Deserve.
Have you ever wondered how Sony came up with an idea for Kevin Butler, a man of infinite confidence (you can't deny his badassery). Then send your regards to the Main Man - Segata Sanshiro! Being Sega Saturn's mascot, he not only had enough charisma to handle the ad campaign, but also managed to become the legend in the meantime.
Number 4. Island of Broken Dreams.
Yep. As a huge fan of LOST, I had improbable hopes for Dead Island after I've seen this trailer. It was emotional. It was masterfully crafted. With music as the definite highlight, it had me anticipating this game so blindly, I didn't even noticed how hard it punched me in the guts after it came out. It still hurts (thank God they went with more believable tone in another great trailer, though).
Number 3. Nintendo vs. Sega. Round Two!
Personally, I am torn amidst these two. It's like choosing between unapologetically loony and equally delicious perverted cakes. Shame Sega hid their marketing division deep down their arse after Dreamcast's failure.
Number 2. An Angel with Gun in Her Hand.
Perfect synthesis of form and sound. Twisted black humor. Lovely (and somewhat melodramatic) song. It's an original way to sell any game, right? And, of course, it didn't help to increase the sales. But as I look at that guy's delighted grin, I understand one important thing - a true love can blew anyone away.
Number 1. I have lived...
Just watch it. Then you'll see I had absolutely fair reasons to put it way up here. It's gracefully balancing the line between being too ambitious for its own good and just plain flatulent. And it feels natural. A sincere "Ode to Joy" for gamers. For any person, for that matter, as it helps us to identify ourselves and understand that "no matter who we are, we are closer to each other than you could possibly think". The true joy of gaming.
Thank you all for reading thus far. Be well and love games.
10:44 AM on 09.06.2014
"Because that's how I like it!"
– my friend exclaimed once, when I was acting suspiciously curious about why he spends an enormous amount of time in Dota 2.
Why did I even ask him that? I knew the guy. We grew up together. I always was aware he had a thing for multiplayer, tactics and, apparently, role-playing experiences. A simple math kinda explains why he loved the darn thing, doesn't it? So, why on Earth did I come up with this question? To tease? Nah, it would be a cruel thing for me to do, knowing how much it's close to his heart. However, I couldn't find a perfectly reasonable explanation at that moment. Though, I knew I would. Eventually, I would...
For my friend, this wonderful view was (and always will be) an orgasmic eye candy.
[Three months later] I finally sat up to experience a game I was longing to play for a long time, Deadly Premonition. I was looking out for it ever since it was called Rainy Woods. Maybe because I adore Naomi Watts, I dunno. Jim Sterling's complimentary review only warmed my anticipation. And I knew I loved it from the first moments I've spent in. Somehow, I fancied everything about this irresistible beast: its clunkiness, surprisingly weird nature, annoying but utterly entrancing music. But that's also when I started questioning my love, "Why have I been enjoying it so much?" I knew that was a bad sign.
Me too, mate. Me too...
My journey to understand Deadly Premonition's charm ended nowhere. I loved the game for what it was. That's it. End of story. But I wasn't satisfied. The answer was found too easy, it certainly wasn't the one I expected. In the meantime, I experienced some frustration with my brother. He kept playing Guild Wars 2 all day long for a whole month straight. Guild Wars 2. I had nothing against the particular game. I heard it was great MMO, and my brother always adored RPGs. However, as he kept spending more and more time on the game alone, it was extremely hard to go through without any answers.
"Why do you spend so much time on this stuff?", I asked him, craving for a reasonable explanation.
"Because that's how I like it," I heard in response.
This sentence stuck with me like a sense of dampness on a rainy day. And then, the lightning stroke; I knew I heard it somewhere before! And I knew where. For a weird reason, I remembered DP (not that one). You know that messed-up type of thinking, when you hear "Sirat" and start imagining how great it would be to live in a world full of cybernetic, sociopathic, saber-wielding rats? (seriously, though, I had a dream about it once)
But seriously... You don't wanna know how this ended up here.
So, I started backtracking which games I genuinely adored before.
2012. Lollipop Chainsaw. 2011. Shadows of the Damned. 2010. Undead Nightmare. 2009. House of the Dead: Overkill. I went deeper. 2005. Resident Evil 4. Destroy All Humans! Stubbs the Zombie. 2004. Wait. Does it really matter? I know where this is going. I know I love games with b-movie feel to them. But when did it begin? There is always a beginning, isn't it? So, it does matter, after all...
Back to 2004. My brother is buying our second console, Playstation 2. The game that's coming with it, our first PS2 game, is Monster Attack. I played it. I adored it. I loved it.
I guess, I have no need to explain why it was so freaking awesome.
2000. I'm just a little kid, sneaking early morning to sweep the dust off my dear-old Mega Drive and have a good time. Ecco the Dolphin. General Chaos. Beyond Oasis. But there was one game I never touched that morning. The one game I was always putting deep inside my heart, but far, far away on the shelf. Zombies Ate My Neighbors. I played it with my brother through 30 levels or so. We both loved it, we both played the hell outta of it, we both never finished it.
Well, this one kinda speaks for itself, too. Right?
Nah, I wasn't afraid of the game. It sure was creepy, but campy at the same time. No, I was afraid to finally complete it. They say, love can be a blessing, as well as a curse. In my case, it was a bit of both. I finally found a source of my love. I got tired. I needed to distract myself, so I started developing thought I came up with earlier. What b-movie games could I have possibly missed? There sure were some. I started digging. Google. Wikipedia. Related links. It became my obsession.
Obsession... What an interesting word. We love to use it, when we couldn't find an explanation for our actions. So, I started my research. I searched for hours, days, weeks maybe. I squeezed every little bit of information I could find from different websites. I slept 4 hours a day. I rarely went to hang out with friends. I didn't need to sleep. I didn't need no strolls. I didn't need friends.
I wasn't even playing games at that time. It wasn't necessary. As time was flowing by, went a month since I began. I felt weaker, exhausted even. Soon enough, I reached a point of no return. I searched through everything twice at least, I saw the same games on the same lists, gathered information I didn't even need to know. Shadow Warrior was coming out soon. I knew I wanted to play it. I needed to play it. But I could't. It wasn't about games anymore. My obsession absorbed me.
That was me, basically. Miserably going through.
I finally forced myself to turn off the laptop. My eyes froze on Deadly Premonition's cover laying near. Suddenly, irresistible desire to play it came over me. I loaded the last save and spent some time just fooling around town. At some point, main hero said, "We are going to leave, but you're welcome to stay, if you need anything." He didn't really try to pace me. But he did acknowledged that everything ends at some point. Somehow, this thought comforted me.
I embraced the fact that I didn't finish Zombies. I downloaded an emulator, then the game. It wasn't a tough find, after all. My brother saw me playing and joyfully jumped in. It was a delight to play. Like we are those same little fellas again. That bittersweet moment of reflection.
We never finished it, of course. But that didn't matter to me anymore. I had fun. Fun distracted me from my obsession. It made me realise how I turned my hobby into a crucial procedure. Fun cured me. I still like searching for "grindhouse games" sometimes. Though, not as compulsive as before. As I stay late at night, sometimes I keep recalling "b-movie games" I liked and imagining those I might have missed. All that, until I become tired and lose myself in a sweet feverish dream.
Because that's how I like it.
8:07 AM on 08.27.2014
7:06 AM on 08.20.2014


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Atea Cave
A selection of articles related to atea cave.
Original articles from our library related to the Atea Cave. See Table of Contents for further available material (downloadable resources) on Atea Cave.
- Hyperspace Reality
- Despite the fact that the 'new' physics, a godchild of the Einsteinian revolution has taught us that the Universe we perceive is a mere shadow of a vastly more unpredictable one, most of us still view the world in a distinctly materialistic way. A world where...
Modern Science >> New Physics
- King James Bible: Genesis, Chapter 23
- Chapter 23 23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. 23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. 23:3...
Old Testament >> Genesis
- King James Bible: Genesis, Chapter 49
- Chapter 49 49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. 49:2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. 49:3...
Old Testament >> Genesis
- King James Bible: John, Chapter 11
- Chapter 11 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 11:3 Therefore his...
New Testament >> John
- Everyday Fire
- It is around us every day. We see it, touch it; we are sometimes burned by it. It is the warmth of a comfortable place to sit, and the roaring blaze that devastates an entire village. It burns within every beat of our heart. Fire. Fire is Change Fire is...
The Elements >> Fire
- Loki
- Norse God of Mischief, Trickery. Divine Catalyst, Breaker of Stagnation, Force for change. Giant brother of Odin. Loki wavers between a weal-bringing culture-hero/trickster and a woe-bringing destroyer. He is responsible for getting the gods most of their...
Deities & Heros >> Nordic & Germanic
- What are the Different Types of Magick?
- These is high and low, black and white, tantric, and chaos magick, there are candle, herb, sympathetic, representational, symbolic, color, crystal, knot, moon, and elemental magick. Now this is not a complete list, there are many more such as fairy, tree,...
Mystic Sciences >> Magick
Atea Cave is described in multiple online sources, as addition to our editors' articles, see section below for printable documents, Atea Cave books and related discussion.
Suggested Pdf Resources
- Neighboring San Antonio-Area Caves Team-Up to Celebrate
- Aug 23, 2011 512-327-9721 x25. Neighboring San Antonio-Area Caves Team-Up to Celebrate International Bat Night.
- www.batcon.org
- Giant dolines of the Muller Plateau, Papua New Guinea
- the products of collapse of the upper Darai. Limestone beds not being removed by rivers with very large flows.
- www.speleogenesis.info
- The Town of Cave Creek (Arizona) is located in northern Maricopa
- Conservation Area, Cave Creek Recreation Area, and. Gateway Desert Awareness Park. The 2000 population of Cave Creek is 3728 persons.
- www.cavecreek.org
- Dragonflies and Damselflies of Dunbar Cave State Natural Area and
- Cannot be modified or reproduced except by written permission of ATBI. Updated July 2010. DUNBAR CAVE STATE NATURAL.
- tn.gov
Suggested Web Resources
- Atea Cave - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- The Atea Cave is a very large cave at the base of a 300m deep doline in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. It is the second longest cave on the island.
- en.wikipedia.org
- speleogenesis.info :: Giant dolines of the Muller Plateau, Papua
- The Atea Doline is the focus of the Atea area (Fig. 9). It is where the Yu Atea sinks into the cave of Atea Kananda, with its 35 km of known passages.
- www.speleogenesis.info
- Caves of Papua New Guinea: Atea Kananda
- Apr 2, 2011 Atea Kananda Papua New Guinea Caves showcaves.com.
- www.showcaves.com
- Area cave enthusiasts take exploring to the limit
- Mar 13, 2011 BLOOMINGTON -- Operating room nurse Todd McCartney likes to get down and dirty during his time off. He's a member.
- www.pantagraph.com
- Atiu Island :: Caves
- Pau Atea cave is long and has many passages. There are many other caves in the area and these are thought to interconnected.
- www.atiu.info
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Clouded and Orange Sulphurs can be difficult to distignuish from one another, but I think that the butterfly above is the Orange variety of Sulphur.
More to come.
Greg Dodge is a professional naturalist as well as a writer, videographer and producer of natural history DVDs. His images have been used in various TV productions, museum displays, and corporate videos. Above all, he has a fascination and passion for all things natural.
He can be found Tuesday thru Saturday in Explore the Wild, Catch the Wind, or on the Dinosaur Trail. Ask him what's new in the wild!


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I'm really confused about whether to get the Iphone 5 or the Lumia 920. I'm not really concerned with the features of each phone, but mainly care about the games on each OS. The Iphone 5 must have more games, but Windows phones have some Xbox games, so is the gaming better on the Windows phone? I do own an Xbox 360 so perhaps its better I get the Windows phone? I won't consider Android phones cause Android games suck. I have used a Lumia 920 and do like the feel of the OS, but don't wanna buy it if the games suck on it. So which phone should I get?
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Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool signings under the spotlight: Hit or Miss?
Brendan Rodgers is reported to be meeting Liverpool's owners this week in order to convince them he should remain manager after a calamitous finish to a disappointing season.
It's doubtful his transfer record will be prominent in his defence, but from the outside looking in, it seems unfair that Mike Gordon -- a man partly responsible for the club's transfer business --gets to decide on Rodgers' future.
That is the way of the corporate world and modern football.
Rodgers' case relies on convincing...


text:
I thought it might be fun to get people's thoughts about some different teams, and what their line ups might look like next year. I will try to post something about a different team somewhat regularly. I certainly don't mean to offend anybody, so I apologize ahead of time if I leave your team off the list. To mix things up a bit how about we start with a team we don't really ever talk about. They had a very solid recruiting class in 2013; a feat they could not duplicate in 2014. Any thoughts on Pitt?
125 ?
133 ?
141 Edgar Bright (lost to Retherford 3-2 and 3-0, lost to Carter 6-1 in ACC finals, only freshman in ACC to go undefeated in dual meets)
149 Mike Racciato (pinned Josh Kindig and James English, made it to the finals in ACC tournament)
157 ?
165 possibly Wiercioch?
174 Wilps (returning All-American)
184 Thomusseit (returning All-American)
197 Bonaccorsi (returning round of 12) or Soloman?
285 ?
Any comments?


text:
Chris Slone
PDT Sports Editor
At the beginning of each year, every team has playoff aspirations and as the weeks dwindle away, those aspirations become a distant memory for most squads.
The Portsmouth Trojans enter the final week of the regular season with a 3-6 record, which still gives them a fighting chance to secure a spot in the Division V, Region 17 playoffs.
The first task Friday will be knocking off an 8-1 Chillicothe team that blanked Lees Creek East Clinton last week and gave coach Ron Hinton his 300th career coaching victory, making him the 14th coach in Ohio high school football history to reach the feat. The Cavaliers are ranked ninth in the latest Associated Press Division III poll.
"It's going to be a really good test," Portsmouth coach Jason Sparks said. "They are an awesome team, no question about it. There's a lot riding on the line as far as playoffs and things like that."
The Ironton Fighting Tigers currently occupy the eighth and final playoff spot, with the Trojans sitting in 13th spot heading into the final week.
"This is our first playoff game," Sparks said. "If we don't win, we're done.
"If we do win, we've got a chance to play next week. So, this is round one of the playoffs for us."
Portsmouth recorded its third win of the season a week ago with a 26-12 road victory at Warren.
"Our kids played really hard, really well," Sparks said. "That was the best defensive performance as far as total execution."
With Chillicothe coming to town, Sparks knows his team is in for a different kind of fight.
"They match us pretty athletically," Sparks said. "They can match up with us, which is not something we have seen.
"… They've got a ton of speed and they've got two linebackers who are really aggressive and good. They have two running backs that can flat out fly. That is something we have to contain."
Sky Oliver will be making in sixth-consecutive start at quarterback after replacing injured starter Brandon Wedebrook, who hurt his lower back in Week 4 home loss to Minford.
"(Oliver's) done some really good things for us as far as throwing," Sparks said. "He's progressed really well. He's progressed well and he's been able to progress because the people around him have gotten better."
Oliver isn't the only player flourishing in his new role. Since returning to the field, Wedebrook has become the utility man for the Trojans.
"Brandon has jumped into his role feet first," Sparks said. "He just likes to be on the field and knows he can make plays."
Wedebrook scored three touchdowns for Portsmouth a week ago.
"It's not a shocker to us as coaches or to our team," Sparks said. "We knew when he came back, wherever he lined up, he was going to be good. That's what kind of kid he is and what kind of player he is."
Sparks acknowledged his team's need for consistency but he likes the direction they are headed.
"It's obvious on the filled and when you see the tape, we've gotten better every week at some different aspect," Sparks said. "It's just a matter of putting it all together."
No unit has come further from earlier in the season than the defense. After allowing back-to-back games of 50-plus points, the Trojan defense has improved their play over the last two contest, allowing 26 points in a loss at Jackson before holding the Warriors to 12 points.
"I hope (the defensive momentum) carries over into the game," Sparks said. "It has in practice this week."
Sparks knows the keys to the game will revolve around execution.
"Pass protection, we've got to protect our quarterback," Sparks said. "We've got to have a solid run defense, which is all up front with reading keys. And open field tackling, we have to make one-on-one tackles in the open field."
Chris Slone can be reached at 353-3101, ext 298, or firstname.lastname@example.com. For breaking sports news, follow Chris on Twitter @crslone.


text:
26 Christmas Craft Ideas: Ornaments, Decorations, and Homemade Gifts for Christmas
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Spark-a-Doodle Wreath
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Here are the craft instructions for a great project from Red Heart Yarn. This Spark-a-Doodle Wreath will make a wonderful addition to any household this year...best of all, you don't need to know how to knit or crochet! This simple yarn craft can be done by anyone, and this wreath is a great addition to your holiday decor. You could even add a "Merry Christmas" sign to make it even more festive. This fun Spark-a-Doodle yarn can be found in several craft stores around the holiday season.
- 2 balls Red Heart "Spark-A-Doodle" Yarn in Shamrock (A)
- 1 ball Red Heart "Spark-A-Doodle" Yarn in Reddy (B)
- 12" Styrofoam® wreath form
- Straight pins
Cut a length of A that is 10 yards long (to ease in wrapping).
Attach the first pompom to the wreath with a straight pin.
Then wrap the yarn around wreath, pinning pompoms as necessary to cover strands creating a solid covering.
Pin end of yarn to wreath. Continue in this manner until the entire wreath is covered.
Cut a length of B. Attach to wreath with pin.
- Wrap tightly around wreath to mimic berries, using pompoms from A to cover the strands. Pin end to wreath.
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Melissa Ryan
Nov 01, 2012
Isn't this a cute idea? How would you better "personalize" this wreath?
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One of LA's Most Troubled Neighborhoods is Getting a Transit-Oriented Development and "Green Streets"
Fifty years after famously being besieged by devastating, deadly riots that gripped the nation, the long-neglected Watts neighborhood in South Los Angeles is moving forward with an exciting new revitalization partnership that envisions a transformed "Main Street," transit-oriented development, and state-of-the-art "green streets", among other features.[read more]
Indoor Hydroponic Farming in Cities Means Organic Local Food
A conference to discuss the potential of indoor farming in cities will see Pierre Sleiman, founder and CEO of Go Green Agriculture, an innovative company that grows local, premium quality leafy greens inside high-tech greenhouses using hydroponics, talk about "The Local Food Potential of Indoor Farming in Cities".[read more]
The "Real Question" for Baltimore and the American City
For a city's future to be bright, the brick and mortar must take the form of quality affordable housing, workplaces where employed people make and create things, and bright centers of the community like schools, rec centers and libraries, not prisons. Every neighborhood must be safe enough that children can play without fear of being gunned down in broad daylight.[read more]
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Scared Straight cycling safety campaigns teach little about bicycle safety and make the actions of the motorist seem blameless. This account of a real 'educational' stunt-riding show for Japanese kids will certainly raise your eyebrows.[read more]
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This short, brilliant video is a manifesto featuring Alain de Botton, the founder of London's The School of Life, who explains how to make attractive cities with six fundamental rules. Botton explains that city planners should identify more scientifically the principles that determine how a city gets to become ugly or pretty.[read more]
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China's HSR system presents an opportunity for transit-oriented development (TOD) around new stations. However, this has often failed to occur in a controlled or compact manner. A more coordinated strategy for TOD around HSR stations could help Chinese cities develop in more compact and sustainable ways.[read more]
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Central governments are not leading by example in reducing energy use in their buildings, to save public money even in the age of austerity, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to tackle climate change. At the same time they are exhorting the public and businesses to do the same, according to analysis by the Coalition for Energy Savings.[read more]
How Economically Viable Small Farms Can Benefit Local Urban Communities
Across Southern California, a new breed of small farmer is emerging to not only take advantage of the growing demand for local food, but also to connect urban communities to their food. These farmers are often working on backyard plots within or on the outskirts of cities that are less than 1-acre in size.[read more]
What Equity and Real Estate Investors Need to Know About Sustainability
Over the past 10 years, leading equity investors have become increasingly interested in the sustainability features of their real estate investments – often described with respect to environmental, social, governance (ESG) attributes and performance.[read more]
Everything You Wanted to Know About Tactical Urbanism
Tactical Urbanism: Short-term Action for Long-term Change, a new book by urban planners Mike Lydon and Anthony Garcia is the first book to really organize all the small fixes that seem to have spontaneously sprung up in so many communities in a way that everyone can understand: a lack of safe sidewalks or crosswalks; the absence of clear signage; the dearth of neighborhood parks and plazas, and the lack of community connection and solidarity.[read more]
How Would You Know If Your City or Community Was Resilient?
How do you measure resilience in cities? How would you know if your city or your community was resilient? A selection of answers from ecologists and other specialists and experts from around the world.[read more]
How Detroit's Degrowth Plan Pits Sustainability Against Austerity, Blazing a Path for Other Cities In Crisis to Follow (2)
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Elegance By Carbonneau Earrings - Style E801-silverblack
Price: $52.00 $40.00 Saving: 23% In stock
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Elegance By Carbonneau Wedding Accessories, Spring 2010. Exquisite Silver & Black Chandelier Earrings E 801: These earrings are a truly exquisite accessory to your special day. Glistening black rhinestones line the lower half of two silver plated loops. A larger dewdrop rhinestone hangs in the center of the larger loop. Ideal for your vintage or modern wedding. The earrings are 1 wide at the largest loop and fall to 3 1/4.