text:
Kotkin says that polling data shows that the majority of people would prefer to live in the suburbs over the city:
"Behind the condo bust is a simple error: people's stated preferences. Virtually every survey of opinion, including a 2004 poll co-sponsored by Smart Growth America, a group dedicated to promoting urban density, found that roughly 13% of Americans prefer to live in an urban environment while 33% prefer suburbs, and another 18% like exurbs. These patterns have been fairly consistent over the last several decades."
The WSJ requires a subscription to read the article, but it's available for free on the author's website:
Why is it so difficult for this guy (and his ilk) to understand that not everybody wants the same thing he does?
Yes, some people want to live in single-family houses, the majority of which are in SUBURBS. Modern society tells us that we're subhuman if we don't own a house, so a large group of our society subconsciously believes that they're worthless if they don't own a house, even if it means going broke to do it. Our entire lives we've all been taught to believe that we haven't accomplished anything until we own a stick-built house. And now we're surprised that people believe they want to live in houses? There's a lot of psychology at play here, not the free-market ideals Kotkin supposedly advocates.
However, some people want to live in cities, and in a lot of cases, would be perfectly happy with a condo. Are the over one and half million full-time Manhattanites really being held in their condos against their free will?
And still others want to live in the woods, or on forested mountains, or at the beach. Or on a farm.
Different people want different things, and as long as our governments tilt laws to favor one kind of development over another the free market won't be able to provide the kinds of places that real people want to live. Additionally, we presently have enough suburban and exurban housing stock to support home purchases for the next twenty years. If everybody really wants one, why do we need to force developers to keep building more, even now that we've had a crisis due in part to overconstruction?
Oh, that's right... because you need to have a new house ready and waiting in the next county over when your low suburban tax rates catch up with you, since eventually you and your neighbors have to pay the cost of maintaining all that urban infrastructure that had to be built to facilitate your suburban lifestyle. But that's only a problem for the people that can't afford to pay the toll to board the life raft when the ship starts sinking. I'm sure Mr. Kotkin won't have too much trouble affording the move out of town when his infrastructure bill comes due.
Ah, the American Dream: live cheaply and wastefully until you can't anymore, then move somewhere else where you can. Rinse and repeat.
Everybody wants something different. I grew up in the suburbs and would love a more rural place (5 - 10 acres); my wife grew up in Philly and hates the urban environment, although she loves mass transit. There is a move, however, as the author points out, that seems to say "we should all live in the urban environment". Outside of NYC, Chicago and such, most downtowns are not places that are dense. On the other hand, most suburbs where I reside (Florida) are dense(ish) - 7 or 8 units per the acre. Can I walk to a store? No, it is about a mile from my house and when it is 95 degrees, I would rather drive. On the otherhand, within 5 miles of my house I have three supermarkets, three Walmarts, two Targets, a Ross, TJ Maxx, Steinmart, about 15 chain restaurants and probably 30 smaller ones, plus a mall. Only work is a half hour commute. Suburban life is not what it was 30 years ago....
Paul Lewis is co-author of "The Complexity of Public Attitudes toward Compact Development: Survey Evidence from Five States" with Mark Balassare. In my brief e-mail exchange about the article, Lewis said, "it's true, the "d" word (density) scares off respondents, whereas they are much more willing to embrace mixed-use and a small home, short commute combination, as well as, infill development (which was only asked in the 2002 California survey)." The article was published in JAPA (April 2010) and includes analysis of respondents from four other states interviewed in 2007. These were Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.
The survey asked respondents to make tradeoffs between compact places and sprawling places. In these tradeoffs, the respondents tended to be more receptive to the idea of living in a mixed-use place over one described as having high density. The survey sought to discover consumer preferences involving four dimensions of "compactness" mixed use, commuting, and choice of residence, including infill development. Developers know that one does not occur without the other, but the perception of what density is varies greatly. In New York City, the average is close to 30,000 people per square mile and nearly all of its neighborhoods retain an extensive list of mixed uses in walkable convenience for both goods and services sector. The range runs from almost 90,000 people per square mile in Manhattan's Upper East Side to the 5,000 per square mile in Hollis, Queens.
Promoting an end game in urbanization that does not confront our responsibility to make the "d" word work promotes bad planning and poor judgement. Would not Kotkin recommend taking a step back from America's enslavement to market forces in housing? He should. This brief step would reveal the damage it will do to us all. This is a time to lead not follow, and it is people like Lewis and Balassare doing it.


text:
Recently unretired running back Tiki Barber told USA Today that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on his short list of preferred teams.
Playing in Tampa would team him up with his twin brother, Ronde, but the Tampa Tribune reports Tiki shouldn't plan on that happening.
According to the newspaper, Tampa "has no interest" in adding the former Pro Bowler to its backfield.
The main reason is because Tiki Barber doesn't fit with Tampa's youth movement. The young Bucs went 10-6 last year and finished third in the tough NFC South. It has added more pieces in the NFL Draft and appears to be on the verge of a breakthrough.
Plus, Tampa got great production last year from undrafted rookie LeGarrette Blount, who rushed for 1,0007 yards in 13 games.
Barber's agent said that financial interests will not play a significant role in Barber's destination.
"We're not looking to turn this into an auction," Mark Lepselter told USA Today. "There are only a handful of coaches he would want to play for."
Former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel also reached out to Barber to see if he would join the Las Vegas Locos of the United Football League this season. Fassel thinks Barber can contribute at the NFL level but also thinks an extended lockout will hurt his chances to make a team.
"Tiki always kept himself in great shape," Fassel says. "There will definitely be an adjustment period for him to get in the flow of things and getting his body used to being hit again. If they don't have as much time, starting players are going to get most of the reps. There is not going to be a lot of time for guys who need to prove themselves."
The Giants have said that once the lockout is over they will release Barber from the reserve/retired list, which will make him an unrestricted free agent.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
These individuals were arrested by the Wilson Police Department or the Wilson County Sheriff's Office and charged with a felony offense. Each defendant is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This information is public record. Each weekday, The Wilson Times will update this database based on public information from these law enforcement agencies.
October 2015
|1 / 30
Jarmon Alston
|Sex: M
|Age: 17
|Robbery with dangerous weapon
|Arrested at:
|700 block Black Creek Road S.
|October 8, 2015


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Thornton High School
9351 N. Washington, Thornton, CO 80229
Phone: (720) 972-4800 Web Site
Home | Roster | Alumni | Schedule | Season Bests | Relay | Records | Announcements | Articles | Fan Shop
|Royal Blue, White
CO 5A Outdoor
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State XC Teams - Boys 5A
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Bonni Hartman is part of a long list of returning Prairie View Thunderhawks who could spell trouble for the rest of the league in 2015. Photo by Alan Versaw.
Emmah Johannes set the early pace in the girls race and helped push Smoky Hill to twin regional titles. Photo by Bill Mills.
Cayli Hume's return to the course holds the potential to influence a thing or two about the team order of finish in 5A Region 1 Girls. Photo by Alan Versaw.
Joshua Joseph and Savanna Dalton both claimed big wins at their home invitationals this past weekend. Photos by Ron Eberhard, Alan Versaw.
Thornton's Joshua Joseph is the top returning state finisher among the fields for Thursday's running of the Cheyenne Mountain Stampede. Colorado Track XC file...
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Good Morning everyone and welcome to another Pub-sign Saturday
Todays pub continues my walk along the Thames North Bank at Wapping, although now were in Limehouse and in an ancient street called Narrow Street. Here is The Grapes and rather disappointingly also a pub once called The House they left behind - a truly great pub name! I had photographed this pub on my last visit to this quarter some 10 years ago and was horrified to discover that it had gone the way of many pubs recently and closed down, converted now into a very ordinary looking house a great shame. But at least the building still stands with its sign still on one wall!
Anyway back to todays pub which is The Grapes. It is believed to be the same pub that Charles Dickens refers to as the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters in Our Mutual Friend. It is known that Dickens drunk here regularly, as he did in many London pubs!
This is what he wrote:
The bar of the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters was a bar to soften the human breast. The available space in it was not much larger than a hackney-coach; but no one could have wished the bar bigger, that space was so girt in by corpulent little casks, and by cordial bottles radiant with fictitious grapes in bunches and by lemons in nets, and by biscuits in baskets, and by the polite beer-pull that made low bows when customers were served with beer, and by the cheese in a snug corner, and by the landladys own table in a snugger corner near the fire, with the cloth everlastingly laid for the rest, both the tap and the parlour gave upon the river.
He also wrote of the pub having a dropsicle appearance, with not a straight floor, and of the red curtains matching the customers noses! Today, as then, the great attraction of the pub is its wooden verandah hanging precariously over the river. However, the wooden ladder which descended from the verandah, so that waterman could reach the taproom from their boats, is no longer there.
Well worth a visit if you venture into this part of London! Their hot meals are highly recommended!
Thanks for looking as always!
|konica minolta dynax 5D
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|The Grapes
|13 Dec 2008 - 8:01 AM
|Architecture, Charles dickens, Humour / fun, Limehouse, London, Our mutual friend, Photo journalism, Pub sign, The grapes
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a very nice clear detailed image well captured kevin merry christmas to all
Nominating Constructive Critique
Extremely well-captured sign supported by detailed history and reference. I always find "The Grapes" an odd name for an English pub which is supposed to serve beer, ale, porter and stout in preference to wine
Of course the signs were originally landmarks for unlettered people, like the candy-striped barber's pole..........
Nominating Constructive Critique
I much prefer grapes to hops... Interesting story, and regarding the House they left behind, did you see The Money Programme last night on the current spate of pub closures?
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A sangoma is a practitioner of herbal medicine, divination and counselling in traditional Nguni (Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi) societies of Southern Africa (effectively an African shaman).
The philosophy is based on a belief in ancestral spirits. Both men and women can be called by the ancestors (a consequence of refusing the calling is usually ongoing physical or mental illness). A trainee sangoma (or twaza) trains under another sangoma, usually for a period of years, usually performing humbling service in the community.
At times in the training, and for the graduation, a ritual sacrifice of an animal is performed (usually a chicken, a goat or a cow). The spilling of this blood is meant to seal the bond between the ancestors and the sangoma.
- Source: Sangoma, Wikipedia. Last accessed Jan. 7, 2009
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24 review
24: 4:00am -- 5:00am/5:00am -- 6:00 am (season finale)
*Warning, spoilers from the last two hours of Jack Bauer's sixth bad day.*
(S06E23/S06E24) In honor of the two-hour, 24 season finale, we're going to do things a little differently. We're going to have a live chat during the show so you can post your snarky comments and reactions in real time. The full double-episode review will be posted in this space later.
Will we get the answers to our burning questions? Will there be a Star Wars-like father-son showdown between Jack and Phillip Bauer? We'll soon find out.
Click here to join the chat. Read the episode review below.
24: 3:00am -- 4:00am
(S06E22) *Warning, spoilers ahead from latest episode.*
If you're a fan of gunfire, dim lighting and foot chases through tunnels and dank warehouses, the latest installment of 24 was right up your alley. Sure, there were still campy moments. Like Jack Bauer's sister-in-law Marilyn sobbing and losing her composure, and Jack's "nephew" Josh being squinty and whiny. Again.
However the name of the game in hour 22 was action, shoehorned into nearly every tick of the 24 clock. And if there's one thing for which I was grateful, it was that there were no scenes with Chloe and Morris "Drill-Bit" O'Brian saying insipid things to one another.
24: 2:00am -- 3:00am
(S06E21) *Warning, spoilers ahead from the new episode ahead.*
In order to enjoy the 21st hour of Jack Bauer's sixth bad day, I had to suspend reality and stop myself from wondering:
a) How in the world CTU could possibly be so vulnerable, b) Why a presidential chief of staff would be hanging out in a surveillance van, c) How a confused looking teen with a mop of blond hair could suddenly take on such importance, and, d) Why on God's green earth should I care about the romantic bickerings of a divorced couple with no chemistry?
But, once I decided to stop asking the why's and the how's I was able to enjoy this hour for what it was: An odd 60 minutes with surprising moments and real, actual dramatic tension.
24: 1:00am -- 2:00am
(S06E20) *Warning, spoilers from the latest episode ahead.*
There were a number of unhinged people populating 24 in the 20th hour. There were tears. There was betrayal. Sex. Intrigue. An evil doctor. And, oh yeah, a potential U.S.-Russian military skirmish after CTU accidentally botched a plan to recover a Russian defense component from the Chinese that Jack Bauer had handed over.
Just your average day in 24-land.
Thankfully, there was a heck of a lot more of Jack in this episode as well as some action, albeit low-keyed action that was confined to darkened CTU corridors, though there was enough story during this hour to keep me entertained.
24: 12:00am -- 1:00am
(S06E19) *Warning, spoilers from the latest episode ahead.*
A dirty old man. A trigger-happy agent. A politically cut-throat spouse. Wildly inappropriate personal bickering in the workplace. Special guest star Jack Bauer.
What do those five things have in common? The 19th hour of 24.
Maybe I'm just growing more cynical, but this episode bummed me out on many fronts. Overall, it felt like filler to just inch the story forward to the final episodes. All I know is that throughout the hour, I wanted to see more Jack, much less of Chloe and Morris "Drill-Bit" O'Brian and felt nauseated by that scene with Acting President Noah Daniels. You know the one.
24: 11:00pm -- 12:00am
(S06E18) *Warning, spoilers from the latest episode ahead.*
Who among us did not see this turn of events coming?
I mean, come on, when has life ever been easy for a Palmer politician? And who didn't expect another Jack-Bauer's-gone-rogue story line to surface, particularly when the love of his life's safety hangs in the balance?
Not that seeing these predictable plot twists play out lessened my enjoyment of this 24 episode, but I found the White House and CTU politics a bit too abrupt for a single episode.
24: 3:00pm -- 4:00pm
(S06E10) *Warning, spoilers ahead*
A President's Day gift awaited viewers at the end of the tenth hour of 24.
In fact the extremely brief scene involving a famously evil 24 president -- who is now sporting a beard that rivals Jack Bauer's when he was released from Chinese custody some 10 hours ago -- was my favorite part of the latest episode of 24.
That, and the scene where the chief of staff was lying on the dingy floor of another, non-descript boiler room with duct tape over his mouth. Those two scenes made up for the others, like Milo bein' a hero, Morris spitting out the drink and inappropriate flirting in a stairwell.
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Lenigod's blog
on 11.18.2013
Playstation windows Vista. Something something Vita.
I've had a vita for about half a year now, and I was gonna do some sort of, review? of the vita...but I couldn't put it to words without sounding lame and pretentious soooooo....this isn't a review or like a first look. here's just some thoughts about the vita.
The playstation vita is a game system that plays games. Made by Sony, this is their second whack at the handheld market and boy is it awesome. Like waffles after a night of drinking the Vita is something I constantly find my self reaching for day after day. With the Wii U and 3Ds both in my grasps I've found my self still gravitating to this device above the others. But Why?
First is the hardware. More powerful then the 3DS and it shows. It's so fast. It's sooooo fast. While playing a game, you press home and you're there instantly and can navigate to the store lightning fast, back to a game, put to sleep, wake up, play a game, press home, and so on. It's real subtle, but it makes all the difference compared to the relative sluggishness of the 3DS. The dual sticks , responsive touch pads and save for the shoulder buttons, clicky and all around good-feeling buttons, the Vita's hardware is possibly it's strongest suit.
I also love how simple the psn integration is, and how incorporated the vita is into the PSN system. My friends and trophies and the like are all synced up automatically as soon as I sign into psn. which is great. There's no hassle or work around to get things going, they just work. �It's nothing deal breaking if it wasn't so, but it's just a nice nod from sony, to those of us who can afford both the ps3 and vita.
Along the same lines is the games you get with ps+, but i'll focus on the games wipeout, uncharted and gravity rush which are the 'instant collection' games offered. So as soon as you get ps+ you get them and boy do they rock.�
Side note: Is any one else really surprised they offered such quality games? These seem like games people would totally be ok with buying outside of plus.�
Wipeout 2048
; a game I recently platinum-ed, is a standout to me. The controls are perfect and precise. The level design rewards aggressive combat play while simultaneously rewarding those who are focused on racing. The online is set up brilliantly too. Each level in the online mode has a set number of nodes, and each node has objectives. You get match made into a group, and to 'win' you just have to complete the objectives of the node. This means a guy at level 40, might need to win a race to complete the node, while you at level 1 just need to play. This system let's the well versed and rookies both progress their online campaigns without restricting the people in the lobby. So finding a match online is fast, and you can always feel accomplished afterwards, even if your mis-matched with better players.
Uncharted Golden Abyss
; It's pretty good. It looks at least on par with uncharted 1, which is quite a feat. It's really impressive when you first load it up. Sadly that's probably the best thing I can say about it. The collection aspect of the series is ramped up to an extreme and it's where a lot of replay-ability comes from. They do this stupid random drop thing from enemies and I found my self farming certain sections of certain levels just to get one or two things to complete a set of collectibles. The chapters are set up in convenient 10 minute bits, which is good for an on-the-go romp, but the game play is pretty bland waves of enemies, and the platforming kind of took a step back from Uncharted 2 and 3, where there it felt more organic, here it feels like it's always a set path to follow.
Gravity rush
; I'm sure people have heard it before but it's a big surprise. It's an open world fantasy game, where you change your characters gravity around you in a sort of sphere of influence, from there you can fling things, or yourself towards another location. The setting is pretty cool, like a steam punk Jetsons, a city above the clouds in a wash of destopian browns and greys, and the game play satisfy. The characters are pretty bland, hoenstly besides Kat, the leading lady, I don't remember any one elses name. There's a bunch of mini games too, collect all the objects in a certain time, kill as many enemies as you can within this time limit, or race through these gates with your gravity powers. They offer a decent distraction from the main story, and I never felt they took too long or were too difficult while hunting the platinum. There's some RPG bits, where you use points to level up your atk power or hp, so the side quests reward you with more points to spend, but the games not difficult so I don't know how needed they are.
Basically the system is awesome. The hardware is standout, the connectivity to psn is simple and hassle free, the games you get for ps+ are all good and wipeout was fan-freaking-tastic. I've also completed Assassins creed liberation. It was good, but a little buggy and I felt the overworld was too small and that the game was a bit lacking without sailing. They tease it by showing boats and hell it's gotta be the same engine as 3, sure looks it...
So there's some thoughts about a thing.....I really should do these way more often then like once every 2 years.
on 06.21.2013
What every xbox 360 owner is thinking right now
I made this for dtoid!
In serious,
It's been such an exciting week for fans of microsofts xbox 360
. The return of much wanted features, used games, never online consoles, being able to �give your game to a friend with out worry of if he could play it or not, a lot �in the proverbial console war has changed over the last few days. And at the �bottom of it all is a super congealed pit of excitement on all sides.
Microsoft has done a terrible terrible job at representing what their intentions �have been all along. It's no surprise people are up in arms about losing so much when in reality they've just sort of forced you to drive in the fast lane. Used games still sort of existed �in the old world, just now you would be "restricted" to trade your games to your 10 closest friends. It was a silver lining among all the complaints.
And now it's gone. The family system is out, and the old school eb games/ gamestop
slash w.e store you are concerned about it still alive in relation to MS products.
Microsoft is the best?
Xbox one wins!?!?!
XBOX WINS!!!! [b]XBOOOXXXX WINNNNSNSSSSSSSS�XBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOX YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ARRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR[/b]
fuck MS really has bad pr, even in the light of all the good news
on 03.24.2013
Snesberry pi. Emulation done right!
In the digital age, it can be a hassle, and inconvenient to pull out the ol' SNES, dust off a couple games, and gamble on if they well work or not, let alone still have the battery left to keep your save file from 10 years ago. The solution to this first world problem usually is emulation, but even; who wants to use a keyboard sitting at your computer, and cheat with save states. That ruins that pure experience you got from the original system.
So enter the raspberry pi. A little credit card sized, 35 dollar linux computer that with a bit of tweaking, we can get exactly what we need. For those of us who don't know, the raspberry pi is an educational devices intended to help students learn the basics of programming at a dirt cheap price. The community surrounding the device however has exploded with content and enthusiasm, as a result we have awesome library of things we can install on the computer. One of those things is an SNES emulator.
So what we want here is for the pi to boot into a list of roms that when we select one, will boot the emulator up. We don't want to use a keyboard so we need it to accept Snes controllers. There needs to be a way to get back to the rom list with the controller after launching a game, and finally we want to run all of it off hdmi, which the pi just does, so let's just scratch that off the list now.
Through the use of a tutorial we can get half way there pretty easily. After installing whats called '
' on the pi, we get it to boot into a list of roms, get the emulator to boot on selecting a rom, and we have a reset function too.
To get futher along, we need it to use snes controllers. Now for the purist, there is ways to get regular ol' snes controllers to connect to the device via soldering and complex driver set up. For those less worried about it, there are snes usb controllers available on amazon, ebay, ect. And through a little bit more coding and set up of configuration files, we can get the controllers to play just like snes controllers, and flash back to the rom screen after launching a game with the press of start and select at the same time.
The controller (retrolink snes controller) is alright. It's kinda '
' and feels a little bit less solid then a snes controller. I could confidently chuck a snes controller across a room in a fit of rage, but this one....ehn I dunno. I wouldn't do it without fear of breaking it. The shoulder buttons are particularly squared off and feel the most different from the original. The dpad is also rather '
' and doesn't feel like you are pressing it enough.
The emulation itself is pretty good. There's unfortunately some slow down in a few more graphics heavy games. Super Mario world 2, star fox, run really slow to the point of being unplayable. Some stuff is middle of the road. Super Castlevania 4 runs great, but slows down when there's a lot of water on screen. Super Mario kart is a tad slow, but it's almost unnoticeable. But the vast majority of games run fine. The only other problem is the pi's power. It takes a low amount, and some t.v's pull more power then it can handle, and the device well lose sound, or freeze, or completely crash.
But yeah, this was a cool hobby project I decided to do. I got genesis games going too with a separate setup for those controllers. And it's still a computer after all, so connect a keyboard, press f4, and boot up a linux desktop complete with all the things you'd expect on a linux machine.
on 02.08.2013
Mechanically Masterful: Mirror's Edge
Going through my backlog at the start of the year before some of the Major releases come out has been quite the exciting expedition in entertainment. A true trudge through past pieces of particular software has led me to one title that piqued my interest intensively enough to stand out among most of the monotonous mediocre mishaps that I call stupid mistakes. Or what the average adult calls them, 'Games'. While the mundane menace of yet another moba, or the fast furious in-your-face action of an fps might satisfy some... the sultry, seductive simple solution to my satisfaction was supplied by software known as Mirror's Edge.
Mirror's Edge; made by Dice, better known to beguile boys with the business of the BattleField games, have creatively crafted a convincingly unique and utterly astounding usage of the medium, by throwing the pleasure of parkour platforming, into first person. Intertwined with the stylish visuals vivaciously popping with basic bold colors, the player is placed in a gorgeous metropolis. Simply put; The graphics of the game garner great expectations as you gallop gaily in the first few moments of the game.
Awesome application of alliteration aside, Mirrors Edge shines in the simplicity of it's gameplay, and how it rewards and punishes the player through it's own mechanics. Preforming a long chain of successful parkour moves keeps the player moving quickly through the level. It feels great, you move fast, and it gives the player a really fantastic sense of skill. Ultimately you are rewarded in the end with a short time through the level, which is the crux of the game, getting from point A to point B really fast.
And the perfect dichotomy to this is that the game punishes you with gameplay mechanics if you fail at the parkour. Say you are trying to jump over a fence and on top of a roof, you jump short and and at the base of the fence. The flow of your platforming is immediately thrown off. You have to reset your self, regain all your speed, and try again. It sucks, but it's awesome. It makes you feel slow and the overall time for the level increases, but it's awesome because it's directly because of the gameplay that you are punished, and you are punished in a contextual sense with gameplay. In this way it's brilliant. I love it.
The story isn't the strongest point of the game. It starts interesting with some hard look at privacy and the transfer of information, but it deviates from that pretty quick, and never really elevates beyond a passing interest. The gunplay in the game is there, it works, it feels a little out of place but you're never really forced to pick up a gun until one point in the game. Other then that, the music is fantastic, the character design is great, the voice acting is well done too.
Like I mentioned, i've been going through a lot of games in my backlog, and so far, out of everything, Mirror's Edge has really stood out as one of the best. Or if not the best, at least the most unique and interesting.
on 12.24.2012
3 Games you need to play: Part 3: XCOM Enemy Unknown
In the previous 2 entries we looked at some pretty unique games. One was an indie effort called
Kerbal Space Program
. The other was a more well known indie effort called
Don't Starve
. Today we'll take a gander at a glorious gift of gaming.
Xcom: Enemy Unkown
This reboot to the classic Strategy game, comes from Developers Fraxis Is the greatest AAA game to come out this year without a doubt. There are no games more worthy of praise and spotlight then Xcom. No Skinner box fps (BorderLands 2), No poor conclusions to epic tales (Mass Effect 3), No pathetic attempts at a Bioshock (Dishonored). Honestly, the high budget games this year sucked. Xcom is the standout among them all.
First, let's talk about art. The art in Xcom is outstanding and directly impacts how the player is involved in determining strategy, and how menu systems are presented in the game. For example, let's say you have 2 soldiers with a new weapon, the plasma type weapons, and 2 without. You are in the middle of a game. How can you tell? A lesser game would force you to look at a menu, see the stats of your gun, and then continue playing. What Xcom does brilliantly is reflect your load out in the art. Your Weapon looks strikingly different from a regular one.
This is reflected in Enemy design, Cover, Your characters class, body Armour, extra weapons. Everything that is important to your game is easily readable from a quick glance on the game screen. It's done properly, and it's done really, really,
Gushing aside, the game play of Xcom is streamlined and fast, fun, difficult, and rewarding. It feels streamlined compared to other Strategy rpg games, you'll move as expected on a grid, snap to cover when available, and fire. Skills are laid out in the bottom of the screen and when you attack an enemy, easy to read big percentages appear on how much damage you can do and the likely percentage you'll hit them at. Things like Cover, Flanking, Weapon type, Distance all play into these values. What might seem simple becomes increasingly involved and complex as the game throws more enemies at you, and higher difficulty ones as well.
Executing a successful raid on an wrecked alien ship is fun too. Sending out a platoon of 6 of your best soldiers, planning each move perfectly and making it out without a scratch is a blast. Dealing with an excruciatingly difficult scenario, where the enemies flank you on all sides and you can't make it out of the round with anything but one critically wounded soldier is a painful thing. But making it out is still a rewarding experience.
Compound everything about the battles in Xcom on top of the base management system, and you'll start to understand the breadth of experience at hand here. You'll build ships to take down ufos, train soldiers for battle, study alien tech and build facilities to house satellites. All while looking at a world map and defending aliens where ever they land. The base stuff, and the battles feel completely separate. But yet they intertwine with each other perfectly, and you have to quickly rely on what you do in battle, for what you do in your time back at base, and vice versa.
Honestly. I could go on, and on about Xcom. It's the best experience from a
game (god I hate that phrase) I've had all year. I've put a ton of time into it, and I've lost campaigns, and i've got continuing campaigns, and so on. Hopefully, this all sounds like I'm gushing about a game I really like, because that's my goal here. I love Xcom. And I would strongly suggest you do two things. 1) Play the games I've recommended over the past month, Kerbal space program, Don't starve, and this here Xcom. And 2)...
Have a safe, and happy holiday
on 12.18.2012
3 Games you need to play: Part 2: Don't Starve
Last time, we talked about a great indie game still in Alpha called
Kerbal Space Program
. Progressing logically foward, we are going to talk about a Slightly less indie, slightly more developed game still in Beta.
Don't Starve
Don't Starve is the sum of it's part. One part rouge like, One part Tim Burton, One part Mine craft, one part
survival. Don't starve takes the best elements from each of these things and blends them together to make something both interesting, and compelling. You are thrown into an programmatically generated map, in which you collect resources to build structures and survive the night. Chopping trees and using flint to build a fire. Using a science station to refine lumber into blocks to build a chest. All while feeding yourself. The game has three basic lose conditions. Losing your health, Starving, and being in complete darkness. So as you go about your daily activities, you have to keep track of your stomach and feed yourself. As you explore, you'll encounter danger that would attack you. And compounded on top of everything, is the day night cycle, where if you would be in complete darkness, you'll get killed by....something.
The thing that truly stands out is art style. The Art in the game is truly, truly unique. Your character bounces out against the drab depressing background. The animals and insects look gloomy, the sound design complements the art style perfectly. Really It's brilliant. There's a central theme and mood of the entire game and it's never overstated, but it's always prevalent. I could go on, but pictures are worth a thousand words, and the art cries out to be admired.
The theme extends to one central point that I want to put forth. There are only lose conditions. You cannot complete this game, there is no end. You just survive until you don't. Again it's complemented by the Art design as well as the music. As you trudge through the forests, chopping trees, cooking rabbit meat, mining rock and so on, there is the seed in the back of your mind where you know, that this'll end at some point. That you cannot survive forever and eventually, you do starve.
The game, as I mentioned is still in beta. Updates are constantly happening slowly, but the mechanics of the game feel really solid. The controls, the feel, it's all spot on, so fear not. For 12 dollars on Steam you can pick it up, my copy came with a free second version to give to a friend. I don't know if that is still a thing that happens, so it would be worth looking into. Right now there's no co-op, but who knows what the future hold.
on 12.10.2012
3 Games you need to play: Part 1: Kerbal Space Program
In a puddle of tears and confusion, I've come to grasp with the fact that I can't recommend one single game above 2 others in my mind. After trying to stuff all 3 games in one blog, I've found instead of presenting a wall of text comparable to a masters thesis I'd break it up over the month of December. SO! In this short 3 part series, I'd like to go over those 3 games, each coming with a glowing recommendation from myself, and try and convince you that these games are worth your hard earned loonies.
But I digress, Here are my favorite games this year. (In no particular order)
Kerbal Space Program.
An effort in quick building, simple game play, easy controls, all on top of a robust and complex
physics simulator. In KSP(Kerbal Space Program) You are tasked with assembling a rocket, and blasting off to what ever destination you feel fit. Assembling a rocket is quick and rewarding. In a few short minutes you can have a multiple stage ship, blasting off into the orbit around Kerbin. (The games "earth"). W,A,S,D,Q,E control your ships direction, space changes ship's stages, ctrl and shift affect throttle. There a computers you can attach to your ship to help with this. It's all very simple, which
is half the strength of the game.
The other half, is the brilliantly complex and compelling physics system. It adds difficulty and challenge to the simple ship building. Sure it's easy to snap a solid rocket booster to a capsule and get a few hundred feet in the air, but the real-world esque physics demand more from your mind, and your rocket. Getting to orbit around the planet is a task and a half. Getting to mun (ksp's version of the moon) is one thing. Properly constructing a lander module to safely land and get back is another task all together. Since version 0.17 came out, they've added a substantial amount of planets and celestial bodies to explore. The recent release 0.18.1, has added ship docking (so you can build an international space station!) and the possibilities and challenges keep on growing.
Here is a quick little video I did when I first got the game. This is one of my first flights ever.
And after some progress, I finally managed to land on Mun. It was one of my most satisfying attachments in gaming. Because it's all on you. No hand holding, just your ingenuity, and skill. (also maybe a lot of luck.)
You can check it here
Lastly here, I'd like to give a shout out to the sub reddit for the game. They have a great friendly community, with lots of information and can be found
right here.
A simple ship building game, with impressive physics. Incredibly low barrier of entry, with a seemingly endless skill roof. KSP is a simply amazing game, made by dedicated developers, who are set on not releasing the full version until everything is ironed out. Get it while it's still cheap! The developers have indicated they are going to raise the price once more before retail release.
on 11.26.2012
Mechanically Masterful: Chivalry
No game I�ve played this year has nailed it�s core game mechanics like Chivalry Medieval warfare has.
In previous entries in this November series, I�ve highlighted games that have a lot going for them. Guildwars 2 has brilliant art direction and pleasant music, Battlefield has lagless net code, great sound design, and obviously the graphics are awesome. Chivalry has none of that. I�m not going to get into what game mechanics are again,
please see my last two posts for
more detail of what I would define game mechanics to be.
The sound design at the best of times barely breaks the barrier of bad. The Graphical assets in the game hardly inspire. The net code can get pretty bad, and the game has it�s share of bugs. But none of that matters. Not a thing. The gameplay mechanics are so great, and are executed so well, that the game is still, after all that is said, still brilliant.
Honestly, it�s the best example that I can think of to showcase how a bad game, can be made amazing by having a solid foundation of core game mechanics to base itself around. The level design is bland, but because what you are doing is so awesome, it makes a castle setting, or an arena setting really come to life. �A fight in an arena� seems so clich�. Even typing it out was boring. But god dam the arena level in Chivalry is such a fuck tonne of fun.
The fighting in the game is played out in 3 basic parts, all of which are simple when separated out, but piled on top of eachother in the heat of battle, things get complex fast, and you�ll have to think on your feet to stay alive.
Part 1. Positioning
The first step of any battle in Chivalry is position. Position is key. You�ll have to pick where you fight your enemy in an area that isn�t advantageous to your enemy, and gives you a clear stricking path. This means, looking at hills (there are a lot of mounds and raised platforms in the game), looking for obstructions so your swings aren�t obstructed. Fighting in and around buildings. Picking where you fight is paramount to survival.
Part 2. Timing
The fight mechanics in chivalry are built around timing your attacks and block. You have 3 types of attacks, overhead, stab, and slash. Each to my knowledge to the same amount of damage, but all have different timings. Much like in a street fighter game, where you have heavy, medium, and light attacks for different purposes, Stab, slash, and overhead are used for different things. Stab gives you a quick lunge with a long reach, slash sweeps wide hitting a large area in front of you, and overhead is a long slow hit. Each can be used to throw off the timing of your opponent. If the block in time and parry you, you stagger and are exposed to a direct attack. So timing of your attacks, mixing up the range between you and your enemy, and changing from stabs to slashes, to overheads is key.
Part 3. Mind games
Mind games in Chivalry, just like any other fighting game you've played, play a paramount part when you partake in battle. Running forward to feint a charge, just to back up at the last second and let your opponent swing at the air, thus exposing himself for a quick lunge to the chest, is how you start to rack up a kill count. Wildly slashing at your opponent pushing him close to a ledge, to all of a sudden switch to a kick, propelling him to his doom? Changing strategies, doing different things, tricking your opponent with different things�.just�.ugh�.fucking love this game.
Seriously Chivalry is awesome. It�s not a perfect game as I noted early in this blog thing, but the game mechanics are so solid you are going to have fun no matter what. Even if you play it for a few hours and put it down, you�ll have a blast for those few hours.
PS: Bought a wii-u, add me @Lenigod
on 11.06.2012
Mechanically Masterful: Guild Wars 2
In the world of mmo's game mechanics often take the passenger seat to a skinner-box theory of game design. The notion that you have to do one repetitive task over and over until you eventually get a reward. Kill 100 mobs to get a level, Collect 1000 pieces of iron to get a new sword, get gear, get better gear, get even better gear. Anything to keep the player invested for a long period of time, with little reward actually given, yet tons of incentive to keep going. If you just level up twice more, you can use that sweet new shield. So you do, and you use it, and your happy. If you just kill that one last boss, it might drop that last piece of gear you need to complete the set. It does, and you move on to getting a whole new set of gear. It's an endless cycle of tedium. Often called the gear treadmill, it's constantly running forward without getting anywhere.
Generally mmo's find a lot of people wanting more, which is because the game design of them has been purposefully warped in such a way that it keeps people playing for thousands of hours, and keeps people paying thousands of dollars. Because of this, a lot of mmos take a hit in other areas to support that monetization model. Things that don't lend themselves to that golden chalice of continued support.
Guild wars 2 changes all that.
At it's core. Guildwars 2 well seem very familiar to world of Warcraft, or Everquest 2, or Final fantasy 14, or any other mmo. The art style is somewhat reminiscent of WoW(World of warcraft), there is that grand scale of things like in EQ2(Everquest 2) and to me the story and theme of the game feels a lot like FF14(Final Fantasy 14). But what GW2(Guild wars 2) does that WoW, or FF14 doesn't, is nail game mechanics.
What are game mechanics though? There is a popular misconception that game mechanics are rules. For example and since we are talking about it, how much damage you gun does to an enemy per bullet. That is a rule of the game. It take 3 bullets to kill some one for example. You can fire 10 bullets a second, that's a rule. You can have 32 people per team, that's a rule. What a game mechanic is, is the underlying architecture of the game. That is, it's what makes the game feel a certain way. How fast you can run, what your sprint animation looks like, the sound of your laboured breath, and the vulnerability as you put your gun to your side while you go full bore across an open field. All these things are the game mechanic of sprinting. Sprinting makes you feel fast, vulnerable, it has an intense tone to it, like this is something difficult to do, yet it's easily done, simply by holding shift.
So by my definition, rules of a game are small simple things. You jump only this high. You run only this fast. It takes 10 seconds to re-spawn. These are rules. Where as mechanics of a game, are large broad strokes. It feels like this to sprint, and you get this reaction from sprinting. Those big ideas, those are what I consider game mechanics, and Battlefield 3 nails game mechanics.
The main thing that is different, and what becomes immediately apparent, is the combat in the game. Movement, positioning, and dodging take precedence over the standard all out dps(Damage per second) fire fights of other mmos. (*Note. When I say other mmo's, let's just assume I'm talking about WoW, because I have the most time investment in that mmo) The way the game is played, at a fundamental level, is completely different. You are not spamming spells, over and over, just to kill a boss. In GW2, the game is more about, dodging enemy attacks, healing yourself, putting on some buffs, getting a few attacks in, and then repeating that process.
Almost all attacks require no target, rather, they are cast when you press them, and need to be aimed. Again, the emphasis in all this is on position. You need to be free of obstacles, need a line of sight, need to be the right distance. It's all daunting at first, but the battle mechanics in GW2 are brilliant. Add on top of all that how fast paced the game is. Where in other mmos you'd fight a boss who might have a few phases, each with a unique 'twist' to them, in GW2 those bosses are similar, but because the combat is so loose, fluid, and fast, the 'twists' come up a lot more often.
For example, there is one ogre-like boss, who has a giant mouth where his belly should be. You fight him in a giant arena, and he vomits fire balls at you that you have to dodge (The fire targets you so you must dodge, or take a lot of damage). Then he'll send a shock wave out in front of him (you'll have to be in a position to avoid that). Finally he well start to suck in air from his belly-mouth. You have to pick up the vomit fire balls, and throw them into his mouth to stop him, else he'll do a large area of effect attack (you'll have to be near the front of him to get a good throwing angle, see the pattern emerging here?). These 'twists' happen a lot. It's a lot of fun, it keeps you on your toes, and most importantly, the game mechanic of a regular mmo, where you are concerned about damage metres, is subtlety shifted to an area, where you are having more fun fighting bosses and enemies because the fights are more engaging, because of the mechanics of the game. It's not a focus on damage, it's a focus on fun boss fights. It's brilliant.
The other piece of the puzzle here is the platforming mechanics. Jumping, probably one of the most important things in an mmo, Is implemented extremely well in GW2. So much so that the game has jumping puzzles built right into it, with rewards at the end. Arena net really knew they hit something special, and it shows.
The problem other mmo's, and platforming games have, is either a lack of control, or too much control when you jump. The jump might feel off compared to the tone of the game. For a game like Killzone, The jump feels laboured, heavy, you don't jump very high or far. It's spot on for the game, and the mechanics for jumping in Killzone are great. For a game like Jak and Daxter, the jumping feels tight, not floaty, but nice and high, and very predictable, which is exactly what you want in a fantasy platformer. Where a game like Limbo, you can never quite tell if a high jump is going to end in a fall-death. It wasn't quite high or fast enough, or maybe it wasn't low and slow enough. It's hard to tell, but while limbo might be a fantastic puzzle game and amazing visual experience, it's platforming was lackluster. That right mix is a difficult thing to get, but GW2 nails it.
The jumping in the game is nice and high compared to your character. It feels like you can jump really high, but not unrealistically so. There's no double jump, or extra height mechanic, because even with the game being a fantasy one, its built in such a way that it's grounded in a realistic way. Gravity, jump height, speed and length of jumps feel spot on. You have a decent amount of control in the air (You can juke right, and left in the air, and then back again, think megaman). The platforming mechanics in the game are spot on, and it's a ton of fun to do platforming sections.
There is a lot to say about any mmo. The design choices are what people usually talk about. What the world looks like, the type of content, the basic design principles of the game, to the over arching design through the entire thing. How parties work, or how dungeons work, and in an mmo, more then any other game, these are extremely important things. GW2 has a lot of excellent design choices, some maybe aren't as strong as others, but GW2 has such strong game mechanics, and ones I enjoy so much, that I don't think I'll stop playing it for a long time to come.
on 10.29.2012
Mechanically Masterful: Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3 has long since struck a chord in the long time series fans. Often praised for it's sleek animation sets, stunning visuals, and vast open maps, the other side of the argument abhors it's simple 'consolised' approach to what was supposed to be a return to form in the vein of battlefield 2. Complaints are often raised about the similarity between every gun, the battle log, and the obsession with blue tinting everything.
But what are these things rooted in but aesthetic changes? The animations of a game don't make Rayman origins better then super Mario world. The graphics of Gran Turismo 5 don't make it a better game then the original Forza game. Certainly poor design choices, bad audio, sloppy graphics are detrimental to a game, but those are only pecies that fit around one thing.
Game Mechanics.
What are game mechanics though? There is a popular misconception that game mechanics are rules. For example and since we are talking about it, how much damage you gun does to an enemy per bullet. That is a rule of the game. It take 3 bullets to kill some one for example. You can fire 10 bullets a second, that's a rule. You can have 32 people per team, that's a rule. What a game mechanic is, is the underlying architecture of the game. That is, it's what makes the game feel a certain way. How fast you can run, what your sprint animation looks like, the sound of your laboured breath, and the vulnerability as you put your gun to your side while you go full bore across an open field. All these things are the game mechanic of sprinting. Sprinting makes you feel fast, vulnerable, it has an intense tone to it, like this is something difficult to do, yet it's easily done, simply by holding shift.
So by my definition, rules of a game are small simple things. You jump only this high. You run only this fast. It takes 10 seconds to re-spawn. These are rules. Where as mechanics of a game, are large broad strokes. It feels like this to sprint, and you get this reaction from sprinting. Those big ideas, those are what I consider game mechanics, and Battlefield 3 nails game mechanics.
First and foremost of BF3(Battlefield 3) successes, is movement. Standard walking is at a brisk un-frustrating pace. You can move in all directions, without any hamper to your speed, and you can jump, go prone or otherwise without any frustration. It seems like such a simple thing, but the speed in which you can do things, is incredibly lack lustre in a lot of other games. Killzone 3 for example, while a great game, with a good sprint mechanic, left the normal movement, laggy and slow. There was an odd dichotomy of that game where you could sprint like a gazelle for minutes, but slowed down to the pace of paint drying as soon as you stop sprinting.
Compound this with the animation sets in BF3. Jumping over obstacles, while at first disorienting, is actually used as a sort of 'skip' It's fast, and while it might not actually be faster then a standard jump in the game, that simple mechanic of 'vaulting' over things, feels fast, it looks fast, levels are designed in such a way that there are lots of things to vault over, and you don't feel like an idiot, and vulnerable for vaulting over something. You get a cool animation, a reward, for doing so. It keeps the game visually pleasing. Other animation sets are similar. Reloading doesn't seem overly contrived, and feels fast. First person driving animations don't look obtuse, while still feeling necessary. All the animation sets in the game, add credence to their respective game mechanics underneath.
*Note. I'll give you the stupid death hand animation. While it's there to make the respawn time see less then it actually is, it's kinda dumb after just a few games, and most people i know agree, those extra couple seconds would be better spent in the load out screen waiting for the respawn timer.
Shooting, the most import thing in an fps, feels great. In every great fps game, each gun has a satisfactory feeling to firing it. The anticipation as you pull the trigger, the roar of metal and gunpowder as bullets fly out of the chamber, and the satisfaction of your smoking muzzle after the bullet is fired. The 'weight' of the guns feel proper. They look great, sound great, the recoil feels fair, yet difficult to manage. Every aspect of the shooting in bf3 is near perfect.
Honestly. There is nothing inherently wrong with BF3 at all. The shooting is great, the movement is superb, the animations in the game are spectacular, driving vehicles is immensely fun, getting kills brings a satisfying feeling, winning games feels rewarding, the experience system in the game is well implemented and keeps players yearning for more.
And since the mechanics of the game are so solid, the developers can do anything they want with the dlc. As has been the status quo' for the first 3 packs. They can make more of the same game (karkand), they can do a fast paced, quick mode, small level dlc pack (conquest), and they can do vast open huge worlds, filled with vehicles and explosions and ac130's (Armoured Kill) And it's always going to be fun. Even if there is nothing to destroy, even if there are no vehicles, even if the map was just a completely flat grid and it was only 1v1, it would still be fun. The mechanics of BF3 are so strong, that even if the game mode was don't kill any one, you'd still have a good time playing it.
Even if the game has at times poor level design. Even if it has unbalanced or 'too-same' weapons. Even with some of the more in-depth broken things with the games design, BF3 still comes out on top with the basics. There isn't a FPS that I can think of that feels better. It's that perfect blend of Chocolate and Caramel. While clearly not for everyone, I fucking love me some chocolate.
on 10.23.2012
Sony wins?
I'm back
on 02.05.2012
Vanquish review!
This game is the best! It even has a feature that is similar to when metal gear soild shook your ps1 controller while battleing mantis, in that it kills your ps3! It was so cool I never saw it coming!
Watch the video to find out more about vanquish?
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text:
House Republicans said Thursday that the Obama administration has left a giant loophole in its own individual mandate requiring all Americans to obtain health care coverage, saying a vaguely worded "hardship" exception announced last week will let millions of Americans duck the law.
The administration brushed aside the criticism, saying there has always been a hardship exemption for people who can show they cannot afford health care plans.
But Republicans said the provision, one of a number of exemptions listed on the application Americans must fill out to be insulated from the mandate's penalties, could end up wrecking the economics underlying the Affordable Care Act.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Health Care Reform
"The president's always claimed that getting rid of the individual mandate is tantamount to gutting Obamacare, yet the White House quietly added a new hardship exemption — for essentially everyone — and it seems that they're hoping that no one will notice," said House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican. "This is a huge public policy decision that could affect millions of Americans."
Republicans said it was particularly stunning that the administration created such a broad exemption at a time when President Obama has vowed to veto a House bill that would cancel the individual mandate altogether. That bill is due for a vote Friday.
Exemption 14 reads: "You experienced another hardship in obtaining health insurance." The form urges applicants to "please submit documentation if possible."
The exemption apparently was added late last year, but critics noticed it just this week.
The Health and Human Services Department said it included the category on its form to account for "unique circumstances" that were not anticipated by other categories.
"The Affordable Care Act requires people who can afford insurance to buy it, so that their medical bills are not passed on to the rest of us, which drives up health care costs for everyone," HHS spokeswoman Joanne Peters said. "This form, which was published last December, allows a limited number of individuals who are facing hardship to apply for an exception. This exception also makes it easier to find insurance by allowing those individuals to access catastrophic-level plans."
The individual mandate was put into place to try to force those without insurance to get coverage — particularly younger, healthier adults who often think they don't need it.
The designers of Obamacare are counting on those Americans to pay into the system, thus subsidizing the costs for older, sicker patients who cannot be denied coverage under the law.
The Supreme Court in 2012 upheld the individual mandate as an appropriate use of Congress' taxing power.
Those who don't prove they have coverage by March 31 will face a penalty in the first year of either $95 or 1 percent of their applicable income. The penalty is scheduled to rise in subsequent years.
All sides are waiting to see how many have enrolled in Obamacare exchanges by the March 31 deadline.
Republicans say the ambiguity of the new exemption allows millions of Americans to duck the law and the penalty.
"The Obama administration once again tried to sneak through a unilateral change to Obamacare which essentially allows anyone who has experienced a hardship in obtaining health insurance to opt out of the individual mandate tax without requiring documentation," said House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican.
Also this month, the Obama administration let Americans extend their bare-bones health care plans through 2016, even if the policies do not comply with the law's standards.
The move built on a one-year extension that the White House announced in November as it tried to quell a political backlash from Americans who received cancellation notices from their insurers.
However, the rule lets state insurance commissioners decide whether to allow the option, and policyholders must submit their cancellation notices with their hardship applications.


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Do you have any restaurant pet peeves?
When you go on a road trip through the heartland, you get a new appreciation for the food-and-wine paradise that is Sonoma County. My husband and I spent Labor Day weekend driving two, grueling days to get to a wedding in Bozeman, MT, and some of the places we stopped along the way were pretty interesting, including a bordello-owned coffee shop in Wells, NV. Even when we were able to find decent food – West Coast sushi in Elko, NV; Greek gyros in Pocatello,… Read More »


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- Filed Under
New best-practice guidelines should help reduce the prescription of psychotropic medications to children, especially those in foster care who receive anti-psychotic medications at nearly nine times the rate of other children receiving Medicaid.
BEACON, or Best Evidence Advancing Child health in Ohio Now! - a coalition of Ohio's Department of Job and Family Services, Department of Mental Health and Department of Health officials - launched guidelines Tuesday for medical professionals who administer prescriptions that affect the central nervous system and brain function.
In ...


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January 18th, 2012 by WCBC Radio
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Prices may vary by location and are subject to change.
From hand-breaded classics to homemade favorites, our delicious appetizers are large enough to share and taste as good as they sound.
Chips & Homemade Queso – 4.29
Rich and creamy queso dip served with freshly made tortilla chips and our own fresh salsa. For heartier flavor, add seasoned ground beef at no charge!
Santa Fe Spinach Dip – 5.29
Mix of spinach, sour cream, Southwestern spices and four cheeses. Served with homemade salsa and crispy tortilla chips.
Homemade Onion Rings – 4.29
Generous portion of our hand-battered, thin cut made fresh onion rings, served with homemade creamy ranch dressing and our own Cajun dipping sauce.
Edamame – 4.29
A healthy helping of Edamame (soybeans in pod) served with ginger soy sauce and a mixture of toasted spices for seasoning.
Texas Cheese Fries – 6.99
A large portion of our crispy golden french fries, loaded with melted cheddar and jack cheeses and crispy bacon with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing.
Triple Treat Sampler – 8.99
A combination of beef, bean and cheese nachos plus your choice of two others: loaded potato skins, crispy chicken tenders or Wisconsin cheese bites.
Chicken Tender Basket – 6.49
These juicy all-white-meat tenders are hand-breaded, cooked till golden and served on a bed of fries with dipping sauce. Try them Buffalo-style!
Loaded Potato Skins – 6.99
Crispy potato skins with cheese and bacon, and then served with fresh sour cream and our own buttermilk ranch dressing.
Wisconsin Cheese Bites – 6.99
Hand-battered, lightly fried to order. Served with a side of marinara sauce.
Grilled Chicken Quesadilla – 8.29
Grilled chicken, jack & cheddar cheeses, and bacon on tortillas and grilled. Served with our fresh pico de gallo.
Ultimate Nachos – 8.49
Crispy tortilla chips with fajita chicken or seasoned ground beef, refried beans, jack & cheddar cheeses, homemade queso, jalapeños and fresh pico de gallo.
Tortilla Chips & Salsa – 3.49
Freshly made tortilla chips and our own fresh salsa.
Add a freshly baked honey butter croissant to any salad at no extra charge.
DRESSINGS: Homemade Buttermilk Ranch • Honey Lime • Original Honey Mustard • Chunky Bleu Cheese • Balsamic Vinaigrette • Vermont Honey French • Fat-Free Ranch • Lite Italian • Thousand Island
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad – 7.99
Grilled chicken breast and penne pasta with crisp romaine lettuce in a creamy Caesar dressing, with croutons and grated Parmesan cheese.
Asian Chicken & Shrimp Salad – 7.99
Chicken and shrimp top fresh salad greens, crispy Asian noodles, crunchy cabbage, mandarin oranges, and tomatoes, with a sesame ginger dressing.
Roasted Pear Spring Salad – 6.99
Roasted pear slices, almond slivers, tomatoes and shaved Parmesan served on spring mix with a maple cider vinaigrette.
Roasted Pear Spring Salad with Chicken – 7.99
Hawaiian Chicken Salad – 7.99
Sliced grilled chicken breast with island flavors, served on a bed of fresh salad greens with pineapple, pico de gallo, tortilla strips and honey lime dressing.
Crispy Chicken Salad – 7.99
Hand-breaded crispy chicken tenders served on salad greens with shredded cheese, fresh tomatoes and carrots with honey mustard dressing.
Grilled Chicken Pecan Salad – 7.99
Grilled chicken breast tops a mix of fresh salad greens, tomatoes and carrots with cheddar cheese and sweet honey roasted pecans.
BBQ Chicken Salad – 7.99
BBQ chicken, fresh greens, roasted corn, grape tomatoes, two cheeses, bacon and onion straws. Tossed with BBQ ranch.
Ultimate Lunch Combo: choose two – 6.29
Bowl of Soup • House Salad • Loaded Baked Potato • Half of Double Decker Club • Caesar Salad
Ultimate Lunch Combo: choose three – 7.29
Bowl of Soup • House Salad • Loaded Baked Potato • Half of Double Decker Club • Caesar Salad
Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup – Cup – 2.99
Grilled all-white-meat chicken, tomatoes and onions with Southwestern spices, cheddar cheese and tortilla strips.
Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup – Bowl – 3.99
Grilled all-white-meat chicken, tomatoes and onions with Southwestern spices, cheddar cheese and tortilla strips.
Homemade Baked Potato Soup – Cup – 2.99
Signature soup made from select potatoes, celery, onions and spices. Topped with cheddar and bacon.
Homemade Baked Potato Soup – Bowl – 3.99
Signature soup made from select potatoes, celery, onions and spices. Topped with cheddar and bacon.
Try one of our hearty handmade sandwiches. Served with any one side.
Tuscan Chicken Sandwich – 7.99
Grilled chicken breast, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, Fontina cheese, pesto mayo on rosemary focaccia bread.
World Class Chicken – 7.49
Grilled chicken breast topped with peppered brown sugar bacon, melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and honey lime dressing on a bun.
Buffalo Chicken Wrapper – 7.99
Buffalo-style chicken tenders, cheddar cheese, fresh coleslaw, pickles and homemade buttermilk ranch all rolled up in a flour tortilla. Also available with regular chicken tenders.
Cheddar's Club – 7.49
Two layers of toasted potato bread loaded with smoked ham, smoked turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and seasoned mayo.
Monte Cristo – 7.99
Smoked turkey and ham, and two cheeses on fresh bread. Then battered and cooked until golden, served with a side of raspberry preserves.
Philly Cheesesteak – 7.79
Grilled, shaved ribeye steak, topped with sautéed fresh mushrooms, peppers and onions, smothered in melted cheese and served on a hoagie roll.
Grilled Portobello Ciabatta – 6.99
Grilled portobello seasoned and topped with pesto mayo, spring mix, roasted tomatoes and Fontina cheese.
Add a house or Caesar salad to your meal for 1.99, with a freshly baked honey butter croissant available upon request.
Lemon Pepper Chicken – 8.69
Two chicken breasts seasoned with lemon pepper spices and grilled. Served on a bed of rice with two sides.
Dijon Chicken & Mushrooms – 9.49
Grilled chicken breasts basted with our honey Dijon sauce and covered with sautéed mushrooms. Served on a bed of seasoned rice with two sides.
Homemade Chicken Pot Pie – 6.99
Handmade pie with all-white-meat chicken and garden vegetables in a savory sauce, topped with a light flaky crust. Served with a house salad.
Chicken Fried Steak – 8.49
Hand-breaded fork tender steak fried and covered with a blanket of our country gravy. Served with Texas toast and two sides.
Chicken Tender Platter – 8.69
Dinner portion of famous hand-breaded fried tenders served with a sweet & tangy honey mustard sauce and two sides. Try Buffalo-style.
Grilled Chicken Alfredo – 8.79
Rich homemade Alfredo sauce tossed with grilled chicken breast, garden vegetables and pasta, served with toasted garlic bread.
Hickory Smoked Baby Back Ribs – Half Rack – 9.99
Homemade rub, hickory smoked, and grilled with a tangy BBQ sauce. Served with two sides.
Hickory Smoked Baby Back Ribs – Full Rack – 13.99
Key West Chicken & Shrimp – 9.79
Grilled chicken breast topped with grilled shrimp and pineapple pico de gallo. Served on a bed of seasoned rice with two sides.
New Orleans Pasta – 9.99
Shrimp, chicken, smoked sausage and penne pasta are tossed in our homemade creamy Cajun Alfredo sauce and served with garlic bread.
Baked Spasagna® – 8.99
Spaghetti layered with cheeses and spices, baked and then topped with homemade meat or marinara sauce. Served with garlic bread.
Grilled Salmon – 10.49
Choose grilled, blackened or bourbon glazed salmon. Served on a bed of rice with two sides.
Grilled Salmon Lunch Portion – 8.99
Grilled Catfish – 8.99
Freshwater catfish fillets with Cajun spices or lemon pepper seasoning, grilled and served with seasoned rice and two sides.
Grilled Catfish Lunch Portion – 7.49
Grilled Tilapia With Mango Salsa – 9.49
Grilled seasoned shrimp and handmade mango salsa top a fillet of grilled tilapia. Served with seasoned rice and two sides.
Cornmeal Catfish – 8.99
Fried cornmeal breaded catfish, served with tartar sauce and a choice of two sides.
Cornmeal Catfish Lunch Portion – 7.49
Beer Battered Fried Shrimp – 9.99
Shrimp hand dipped in beer batter and golden fried. Served with homemade spicy cocktail sauce and two sides.
Fish Tacos – 7.29
Hand breaded, fried white fish in flour tortillas, with roasted corn slaw and cajun tartar sauce. Two tacos served with a choice of one side. Fresh off the Grill – also available.
For full flavor and variety. Served with your choice of two sides.
Aged USDA Choice Steaks. These bold flavored, tender and juicy steaks are grilled to order and served on a bed of homemade onion straws.
8 oz. Center Cut Top Sirloin Steak – 9.99
12 oz. Aged Ribeye – 14.49
Steak & Shrimp – 13.99
Center cut top sirloin steak grilled to your liking and your choice of seasoned grilled shrimp or hand-battered fried shrimp.
Steak & Chicken Tenders – 12.99
Center cut top sirloin grilled to your liking, served on a bed of homemade onion straws with our hand-breaded chicken tenders.
Steak & Baby Back Ribs – 13.99
Center cut top sirloin steak grilled to your liking and a half rack of homemade hickory smoked baby back ribs.
Chicken Tenders & Shrimp – 10.29
A serving of our homemade chicken tenders and your choice of seasoned grilled shrimp or hand-battered fried shrimp.
Baby Back Ribs & Chicken Tenders – 12.99
A half rack of baby back ribs and our famous chicken tenders.
Baby Back Ribs & Shrimp – 13.99
Half rack of hickory-smoked baby back ribs with your choice of seasoned grilled shrimp or hand-battered fried shrimp.
Our big half-pound burgers are grilled medium well or well done. Add golden fries, fresh coleslaw, or homemade red beans & rice for just 1.99
Original Burger – 5.29
Lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, Cheddar's Dressing. Add cheese .50
Jalapeno Burger – 5.69
Fried jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, chipotle mayo, onion, tomato.
Three Cheese Hickory Burger – 5.99
Three cheeses, our hickory BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato and pickles on our half-pound burger.
Bacon Cheeseburger – 5.49
Four slices of bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, Cheddar's Dressing.
Mushroom Cheeseburger – 5.99
Sautéed mushrooms, American cheese, onion, Cheddar's Dressing.
Smokehouse Burger – 5.99
Bacon, cheddar, BBQ sauce, tomato, pickles, onion straws.
Add a side to any order for 1.99. Freshly baked honey butter croissants – 3 for 1.99
Add a house or Caesar salad to your meal for 1.99,
with a freshly baked honey butter croissant available upon request.
Steamed Fresh Broccoli | Seasoned Rice | Buttered Off-The-Cob Corn | Sweet Baby Carrots | Freshly Made Coleslaw | Mac & Cheese | French Fries | Idaho Mashed | Potatoes | Loaded Baked Potato | Broccoli Cheese Casserole | Southern Green Beans | Homemade Red Beans & Rice
Save room for dessert! Our incredible desserts are freshly prepared and large enough to share!
Apple Pie A La Mode – 4.79
A large slice of freshly baked deep dish apple pie topped with premium vanilla ice cream and hot caramel sauce.
Hot Fudge Cake Sundae – 5.49
A huge piece of homemade fudge cake and vanilla ice cream covered with hot fudge, whipped cream, nuts and a cherry.
Cheddar's Legendary Monster Cookie – 4.79
A colossal homemade chocolate chip cookie baked in a skillet, topped with premium vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, chopped nuts and a cherry. Baked fresh just for you, please allow a few minutes.
Homemade Key Lime Pie – 4.79
Our key lime pie is made from scratch with 100% Key Lime juice from the Florida Keys.
For children 12 and under, please. Children's beverage included with free refills.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich – 4.49
Made with American cheese and grilled until golden. Served with your choice of french fries, fresh steamed vegetables or edamame.
Chicken Tenders – 4.99
A small portion of our famous handbreaded chicken tenders served with your choice of french fries, fresh steamed vegetables or edamame.
Junior Burger – 4.79
A quarter-pound burger served plain with your choice of french fries, fresh steamed vegetables or edamame.
Grilled Chicken Breast & Veggies – 5.49
Grilled marinated chicken breast or BBQ chicken breast served with steamed vegetables.
Penne Pasta Marinara – 4.49
A bowl of penne pasta with our mild marinara sauce and served with warm garlic bread.
Mac & Cheese – 4.49
A traditional favorite with two creamy cheeses. Served with warm garlic bread.


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Although it has been over one and a half years that Microsoft launched Windows 8, the operating system hasn't still been able to fully satisfy the customers. It is a fact that Windows 8 offers a new computing experience to the users with its most modern and sophisticated features. These include Charms bar, a modern UI interface, live tiles replacing icons, etc. Microsoft thus projected Windows 8 as the perfect OS for all the devices.
However, according to the Windows technical support, most users who did the Windows 8 upgrade complained about the usability of this OS on their non touch-based devices. Some users who were using Windows XP and 7 earlier were getting confused with the advanced options available in Windows 8. Some even complained about the inability to perform basic functions such as booting up their system due to the absence of Start button in Windows 8. This reflected in the market share of the Windows 8 devices. According to reports, Windows 7 along with XP still remains the top used versions of the Windows OS, leaving Windows 8 far behind. Microsoft has thus launched an extended version of Windows 8, naming it as Windows 8.1. The latest version comprises of more basic features such as Start button and also a plethora of user-friendly apps.
The latest Windows 8.1 update proves to be a relief for the users who had done the Windows 8 upgrade earlier and were finding it difficult. As mentioned earlier, the Start button returns to the desktop in 8.1 and once the user pushes it, it would bring up a hovering version of the Modern UI. Here, a customizable menu of tiles to start applications and services would be present. Similarly, it includes many applications such as the food and drink app that utilizes your computer's camera for touch-free navigation. It would help you to operate your Windows 8.1 computer while you are cooking or having food. All you require is to simply wave your food-stained hand in front of the computer's camera to navigate using 8.1's built-in gesture control. There is also an advanced snap view feature that makes multitasking much simpler on Windows 8.1. With this feature, you can manage several applications or windows on the screen as well as use multiple monitors.
Hence, with Windows 8.1, Microsoft is all set to regain its supremacy and the customers, which the software company lost due to the Windows 8 debacle.


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Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
A Forest of Stars (Saga of Seven Suns) (edition 2004)
by Kevin J. Anderson
Work details
A Forest of Stars by Kevin J. Anderson
No current Talk conversations about this book.
Quite a saga.
The plot got a little better compared to the first book in the series, but other than that it is still very repetitive and at times boring. It also manages to introduce even more loose ends. Anyway I'm dropping the series, I will just read the summary for the rest somewhere if I can find it.
In my review of the first in this sequence I said that I might read the sequel in a library copy or buy it very cheap. I seem to have done both: I bought this one cheap, and I was more than halfway through before I realized that I had actually read it before. Like the first volume: plot not bad, some of the scenery great, some nice pieces of imagination; but clunky characterization, repetitious explanation, too much development that occurs in narration rather than action or dialogue, and no intention or motive is ever left ambiguous.
And what is this obsession with dynastic arranged marriage? And why do the ordinary people not realize that the King of the Hansa is a ceremonial figurehead? It's hardly a new idea: the British have been developing it for a couple of hundred years already.
MB 19-xi-2012
Couldn't engage with this one and the idea that there were still five more after this - had to abort.
Kevin J. Anderson set all his toy soldiers out in the first book, a tedious if necessary procedure. In this second volume, he gets to pick them up by the fistful and smash them against each other, which is much more fun. Besides the familiar cast from the first book, a couple of more alien players take the stage as well, promising some epic battles in the coming books. This one definitely kept me turning the pages.
The book is a bit less repetitive in its descriptions this time around, although you will still find yourself reading passages, especially exposition about character's motivations, that you already read earlier in the book, and in the book before that.
One complaint: The whole Klikiss robot conspiracy is painfully obvious: how can the humans not see this coming? And didn't Anderson do this already in the Dune prequels?
References to this work on external resources.
Wikipedia in English (1)
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0743430662, Paperback)It has been five years since humanity's heady expansion among the stars came to an abrupt, and violent, halt. The emergence of the Hydrogues, an immensely powerful alien race dwelling within gas-giant planets, has placed the scattered colonies of the Terran Hanseatic League in jeopardy. With space travel heavily curtailed, and supplies of fuel dwindling, young King Peter and Chairman Basil Wenceslas, the harsh power behind the throne, have no choice but to impose strict rationing. But the Hydrogues are not the only enemies of humanity. The scheming Mage-Imperator, leader of the ancient Ildiran Empire, attempts to forge tangled alliances among all combatants in order to protect his failing civilization. The mysterious Klikiss robots, only remnants of an extinct race, continue to work their sinister plans while pretending to be friends and advisors to the Hanseatic League. And archaeologists Margaret and Louis Colicos -- whose discovery of an ancient alien weapon accidentally triggered the Hydrogue conflict -- have vanished on the abandoned world of Rheindic Co. Rlinda Kett and Davlin Lotze, sent to investigate the disappearance, soon realise that the Colicos' discoveries may lead to an incredible new way to travel between worlds...or to the awakening of enemies even more fearsome than the Hydrogues. Something of inestimable power must have been required to destroy the Klikiss race. Will humanity be next?
(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 12 Mar 2015 18:17:49 -0400)
The bestselling and award-winning author continues his stunning epic series: a vast panorama of galactic civilization and apocalyptic war. "A rip-roaring space opera full of mystery, adventure, and suspense."--"Science Fiction Chronicle."
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News releases
Are protected areas in Africa harbouring invasive species?
Protected areas, long thought of as safe refuges for animals and plants, are under increasing threats from invasive species which not only affect biodiversity but also people's livelihoods. Protected areas can have huge social and economic value, particularly in Africa, where national parks are a major tourist attraction and a significant source of income. But according to the Global Invasive Species Programme, of which IUCN and CABI are partners, many managers of protected areas in Africa are not aware of the severity of the problem which is on their doorsteps nor how to address it. …
20 May 2010 | International news release
New prescription needed for medicinal plants
Medicinal plants are valuable species: they provide income and healthcare to thousands of people around the world. Greater numbers of people rely on traditional medicine, mostly based on herbs, for their primary healthcare than 'conventional' or western medicine. But 15,000 species of medicinal plants are globally threatened from, amongst others, loss of habitat, overexploitation, invasive species and pollution. …
18 May 2010 | International news release
Saving biodiversity isn't rocket science
The best possible science needs to be available to governments and policy makers as they strive to find solutions to the biodiversity crisis. Independent, credible scientific advice delivered in a relevant and readily usable way for decision making is the key to effective policies. …
17 May 2010 | International news release
Governments to debate planet "bailout"
Never has the world faced a more pressing crisis than the current loss of biodiversity, which affects every man, woman and child. The gap between the pressure on our natural resources and governments' response to the deterioration is widening. IUCN is calling for governments to come up with a "bailout plan," a 10-year strategy that will help countries halt and reverse this loss. …
06 May 2010 | International news release
Science needn't cost the earth
Background: Key decisions which could help to reverse the current extinction crisis will be decided at the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice or SBSTTA, which takes place in Nairobi, Kenya from 10 to 21 May 2010. Decisions taken in Nairobi will provide a scientific basis for discussions that will take place in October in Nagoya, Japan, at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. …
04 May 2010 | Media advisory
World governments fail to deliver on 2010 biodiversity target
Background: World leaders have failed to deliver commitments made in 2002 to reduce the global rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, and have instead overseen alarming biodiversity declines. These findings are the result of a new paper published in the journal Science and represent the first comprehensive assessment of how the targets made through the 2002 Convention on Biological Diversity have not been met. …
29 Apr 2010 | Media advisory
Mangrove forests in worldwide decline
More than one in six mangrove species worldwide are in danger of extinction due to coastal development and other factors, including climate change, logging and agriculture, according to the first-ever global assessment on the conservation status of mangroves for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. …
09 Apr 2010 | International news release
Scientists call for biodiversity barometer
For the first time scientists have put a figure on how much it would cost to learn about the conservation status of millions of species, some of which have yet to be identified. The price tag is US$60 million, according to a team of scientists, including those from IUCN and Conservation International, who presented their case in this week's Science magazine in an article called "The Barometer of Life." … | Spanish
08 Apr 2010 | International news release
Nouveau partenariat marin pour l'UICN à Monaco
La Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, et l'UICN, Union internationale pour la conservation de la nature, en présence de l'Institut Océanographique Fondation Albert 1er, Prince de Monaco, décident d'allier leurs forces pour la réalisation de leurs objectifs communs. …
01 Apr 2010 | International news release
Time for closer collaboration on wildlife trade
Doha, Qatar, Thursday 25 March 2010 (IUCN) – It's time for joint action and for regulatory bodies to work together to ensure the continued survival of species threatened by wildlife trade, says IUCN at the end of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP15) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), in Doha, Qatar. …
25 Mar 2010 | International news release


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RIP CURL Men's Classic Corp Long-Sleeve Rashguard
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Product Details
This super-soft RIP CURL® Classic Corp long-sleeve rashguard for men provides essential comfort in and out of the water. An ergonomic fit with stitchless underarms provides maximum flexibility and resistance against abrasions, while 50+ UPF protection offers added safety throughout the day.
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- 91% nylon, 9% spandex
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A massive manhunt for a missing FBI agent, the surprise departure of the city's chief executive, a National Teacher of the Year, tragic suicide and long-sought closure for the family of a murdered Burbank police officer.
The year 2012 was full of twists and turns, surprise and tragedy. Here's a look back at some of the top stories that reverberated throughout the community, and far beyond.
Woman electrocuted trying to help motorist
A 40-year-old Burbank woman was one of two Good Samaritans who were electrocuted Aug. 22 after trying to help a motorist trapped inside his vehicle after a crash in Valley Village.
Irma Zamora and Stacey Schreiber, 39, of Valley Village were electrocuted when they tried to render aid to 19-year-old Arman Samsonian, who crashed into a light pole and fire hydrant, officials said.
Samsonian was allegedly driving at a high rate of speed on Magnolia Boulevard when he lost control of his SUV and crashed into the pole and hydrant at Ben Avenue in Valley Village, officials said.
Schreiber and Zamora stepped into the spewing hydrant water that had been energized with 4,800 volts of electricity from fallen power lines and were electrocuted. Rescue crews had to use a 6-foot pole with hooks and a handle to retrieve the women.
In all, six people, including a Los Angeles police officer and the driver, were injured from electrical shock.
Samsonian pleaded not guilty in November to two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence for the women's death. Zamora's son, meanwhile, described her as brave, heroic and "always trying to help someone."
"The fact that my mom died being a hero, I am just so proud of her," the son, David Aguilar, said.
Bob Hope Airport hits financial turbulence
The Bob Hope Airport struggled throughout the year with declining passenger numbers and parking revenues following the unexpected departure of American Airlines in February.
Airfield officials were caught by surprise in October when the number of passengers for September tumbled by 10% compared to the year prior and parking revenues declined 9.7%, dropping to $1.5 million from the $1.67 million logged in September 2011.
For fiscal year 2012, the airport managed to squeak ahead of expectations, taking in just $4,677 more than what was projected, according to a report released in October.
The report, though, showed that parking revenues, which traditionally make up about 40% of the airfield's total revenues, came in at $732,196 under budget — a 3.8% decrease from what was projected.
The airport was also hit with more bad news when Jet Blue announced that it was halting its daytime flights out of Burbank. Only one nighttime flight to JFK International Airport in New York City will remain.
The airport is trying to bolster parking revenues for the rest of fiscal year 2013 by increasing fees in all of its lots except Lot A, which will remain at $10 a day.
Residents, chapel duel over cell tower
Residents living near the Little White Chapel were successful in keeping a wireless telecommunications facility out of their neighborhood after the Burbank City Council blocked the project.
Year in Review: A year of tragedy and triumph
It was a year of surprises as local events often turned into national news.
President Barack Obama presents the 2012 National Teacher of the Year award to Rebecca Mieliwocki, who teaches at Luther Burbank Middle School in Burbank, Calif., during a ceremony in the East Room at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak / April 24, 2012)


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text: Stamp honoring Baseball Hall of Famer Larry Doby (U.S. Postal Service) [ Paterson Honors Baseball Hall of Famer Larry Doby By Associated Press August 23, 2012 Paterson celebrated Larry Doby Thursday with a special ceremony for his new commemorative U.S. postage stamp. Read More|Comment Category: TS net, TS spts Tags: **, baseball stamp, Larry Doby, Paterson, U.S. Postal Service Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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Share your thoughts
What do you think of the
Vans Balboa Tank Top - Men's
? Share a...
Andrew Mark, Gearhead
Love me some Vans
Very comfortable, basic tank with a sweet color and pattern. Fit is true to size, I wear a large in all shirts and this was perfect. Runs slightly longer than most tanks which is great as well.
Comfy shirt
Simple and comfy.
Slopers Variation (V5), Hidden Forest Area of Little Cottonwood Canyon


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Stylishly manage your packed calendar with 3.1 Phillip Lim's camel leather '31 Hour' tote. This beautifully crafted bag is perfect for housing your tablet and important documents during the day and easily folds over to carry at dinner or cocktails. Complement its clean lines and warm hue with a monochrome outfit.
Camel leather (Calf)Two top handlesFold-over top, silver hardwareInternal zip-fastening pocketZip fastening at fold-over topComes with dust bag
Product code: 331274 - Need help? Contact us


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Joseph O. Holmes' Projectionist Portraits
As theaters eschew film projectors in favor of digital ones, the movie theater projectionist will become a thing of the past. Photographer Joseph O. Holmes has embarked on a project to document this quickly-disappearing profession.
He writes not only is the lighting inside the projection booths dim, but it's also pretty awful looking. He brings his own light into these spaces in the form of a softbox and Nikon speedlights, and, if his son isn't available to assist, he holds the softbox himself and triggers his camera remotely using his PocketWizard FlexTT5® and MiniTT1®.