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The Most Helpful Bank of America Reviews
The most helpful favorable review
The best Bank on our planet with super Awesome Managers and tellers
I am 100% happy with Bank of America service. I am absolutely enthralled at their genuine and outstandingly personal customer service. . I will bring all my banking needs to the Fourth Plain Branch of BoA from now on. Seriously, I cannot say enough good things about ROBIN (Operations Manager). She is helpful, friendly, nice,professional, has GREAT communication. Tracy is great Bank Manager. Tracy, you and your staff are absolutely GREAT!!! THANK YOU!!
The most helpful critical review
Very bad
Tried to cash a check made out to me from Bank of America--the bank itself. They wanted to charge me a $5 fee to cash a $130 check even though i have three mortgages at B of A (never paid late). I was in a B of A branch with a B of A check. This mega corporation will nickel and dime regular people any way it can.
Latest Bank of America Reviews
DReviewed By danjstern Sep 22, 2016
Does what I need with great online and mobile banking
I rarely go into the bank, but the tellers are always friendly no matter what city I am in. Everything else is easy and never cause me to think about my bank.Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
KReviewed By KrisLang Sep 10, 2016
Horrible online services
I do all my banking on line. Bank of America online services do not show real time transactions and the website is very cluttered and hard to move around on. I had my account three weeks before I changed banks. It was that bad. The customer service was great but when I talked to a 'Banker' and he told me he keeps his accounts at Chase Bank - not BoA - because the online services are so bad, i knew that was it. I went and opened another account right away.Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
NReviewed By nottyprof Sep 9, 2016
Worst Phone Service
I called three times and after more thank 20 minute wait between 7 am and 830 am. On the first call, which lasted for 23 min instead of the 9 to 13 min estimated call time, the call was answered and I heard lots of talk with people laughing and chatting in the background, after about 5 second the call was hanged up without getting the chance to speak to a representative. It repeated on the second call, but this time someone just picked up and waited for 10 second brief silence, then i heard another laugh and conversation in the background before the phone hanged up. Then the last call which lasted for 30 min, the call was just picked up and hanged up, like it was intentionally done. This is very frustrating as i called because my card was stolen and have couple of transactions that was being done within the 2 hours that i waited.Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
JReviewed By jen12182004 Sep 8, 2016
worst customer service
Bank of America, This is the worst bank ever. I was trying to despute a fee and they put me on hold for hours and never resolve anything. when you call customer service they are rude. i dont recommend this bank at all. they used to be a good bank, now i am clossing this account and never go back..... horrible customer service. horrible policy... they will keep your direct deposit check for days... all your bill pay will bounce, then they will charge you non suficient funds for all the bills that should be paid on time... but they held your check so you pay NSF on all the bills thats trying to clear .... because they hold your money .... this is what you call legal stealing .... very bad they make money from people that works hard for the money.... this are how this bank make money .... charging hard working people for SNF because they hold your pay check..... and its legal people .... can you guys believe this?Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
RReviewed By RocheG Sep 2, 2016
BOA- Del Prado branch- stay away from this terribly run branch
thank god i am not a customer at this bank; they have the worst manager- "cindy", who is ignorant and doesn't deserve to be in the position of a manager. she couldn't answer my question and basically refused to ask her superior or anybody more knowledgeable to get me the correct information!! sick!!
unfortunately i had to go there with a cash card from their bank- otherwise i would never go to this god-forsaken bank and dana point del prado branch in particular.
i hope cindy is admonished and demoted for her incompetency; judging by all the 1 star reviews, i can see i am not alone- she has no idea how to manage a bank, but seems to think she owns the bank!!!
she is ignorant enough to not know, she has a job due to bank customers- she is pathetic and doesn't deserve that position, period!!!Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
RReviewed By retract15 Sep 1, 2016
I applied for a BOA cc and was approved. On 8/4/2016, I was sent an email telling me I should receive my card in 7-10 days. I was then sent another email on 8/9/2016 informing me that the card has been shipped, and I would be receiving it in 3-5 business days. I did not. So, on 8/16/2016, I called to let them know I had not received the card. I was told that another card would be sent express mail, and to expect it in 2-3 business days. I was sent an email notifying me that the card was being shipped via UPS, and provided a tracking number. I went to the UPS website, and to my surprise, was stunned to find out that the package was marked undeliverable. Why? Some idiot at BOA actually used my 16 digit card number as part of my address.
So, once again I called on 8/26/2016, demanded a new card number, and was informed the card would be sent express, and I would receive it in no later than 2 business days. Guess what? No card. On 8/31/2016 I call to inform them I had not received the card, and was again told it would be shipped express. It did not arrive today, so I called and was told there was no record of me even calling yesterday, or a card being shipped. Once again, I am told the card will arrive on Saturday.
I have NEVER heard of such incompetence. I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that some fool mailed my card with my full credit card number as the numerical address. And, to make matters worse, I had to demand a new card after that debacle. The agent was trying to convince me the card was safe, because the 3 digit code was not exposed. Another thing, they were supposed to have closed the original account number when they sent me the new card. The young lady claims that her records showed that the account was closed. Yet, I used the last 4 digits of the supposedly closed account to reach customer service. I was even given my balance, and credit limit.
I seriously would like to know how many other people have had a similar experience. I've just never heard of such. I am in fear that this company has placed me at a high risk for credit theft.Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
VReviewed By Vediacjim Aug 27, 2016
Worst Bank in the World
Where is the Negative STAR. Bank of America doesn't deserve a STAR. They are Spending more money paying Security Guard then hiring extra Telling. Worst customer service. Even in a third World country you have an efficient customers service and Less Wait time than Bank of AmericaThank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
JReviewed By Jgh Aug 23, 2016
Forced to give them one star.
I have been banking at Bank of America since they were Nations bank. Over 26 years with this bank both business and personal accounts. All together including credit cards I had nine account with this bank and with the exception of them cancelling my card every few month for security reasons with out notifying me, everything was OK. I did 100% of my baking online and never really visited their branches. However my wife uses the credit union at her work. This is where the problem starts. My wife and I recently went to one of Bank of America branches during hour lunch break to have a document notarized. We figured 10 minute commute each way, 15-20 minutes at the bank that would leave is 20-25 for lunch. We arrived at the branch and there was no sign in sheet. We sat in the waiting area and were the only ones there. A teller spoke to us through the glass and we told him we needed a notary. He said someone would be with you shortly. We waited about 10 minutes or so and the branch manager came out to get us. We proceeded to his office where the branch manager reviewed the document and proceeded to ask my wife for her drivers license and debit card. When she said she didn't bank there he immediately said the service was for account holders only. We told him that I was a client and had multiple business and personal accounts. He repeated him self again "it's for account holders only". I asked him to first review my accounts and then make a decision and he said it didn't really matter because the service was for account holders only and that it was my wife's name on the document to be notarized. I explained that I had multiple accounts with substantial amount of money and pay the bank sufficient fees to justify 2 minutes of his time, specially since we had waited over 10 minutes to be attended. Once again he said there was nothing he could do to accommodate us and that it was bank policy. "Account holders only" so I asked him to close all my accounts immediately. He gave me the speech about how he could not close the accounts until he could verify all pending transactions. I repeated my self and told him to close all my accounts immediately. It took him almost an hour to close all my accounts and issue cashiers checks.
Since he would not take 2 minutes of his time to stamp a piece of paper he had to spend an hour closing accounts and lost a great customer.
If there were negative stars, they would get all of them.
What a shame!Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
SReviewed By shahidnawaz Aug 22, 2016
Terrible Staff of the branch
I recently moved out from MA to Tx but was there in MA to transfer my lease, went to the branch to deposit check just to avoid any ATM problem as I was flying the same day, but in branch there was a lady called Laura, horrible for customers, either she is not trained for dealing customers or bank don't want anyone to come to branch, she refused to allow me deposit check in the branch giving suggestion to go and do it in ATM and she was not ready to listen anything, very very poor service. I am from 3rd world country but believe me their customer service is far better.Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?
RReviewed By rosa Aug 15, 2016
Inefficient branch
Doesn't matter how long the line is, the branch manager is NOT going to help relieve the 1 teller (maybe 2 on a good day), that is working. His response is "I'm not a teller." He walks around and does very little. During peak times such as Lunch on Mondays, and closing on Fridays, the branch should be properly staffed, but never is. And even thought the manager is doing NOTHING, he refuses/doesn't know how to assist the teller (s). Everyone in the line is always complaining because its usually 10 people deep waiting.
Also, what bank is ONLY open 7 hrs a day?? That's not even a full working day!Thank you for your feedback Is this review helpful?


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Hi! My name is Pixie
I am a Manx from Omro, WI
Nicknames: Bug
Age: 9 years old
Gender: F
Coat: short haired
Education: I took a nap on top of the dvd player, but I must have been moving in my sleep because somehow I fell off. Atleast I landed on my feet!
My favorite tricks and treats are: I untie shoelaces and pop catnip bubbles my mommy blows for me and Pretty much anything, bugs included
Where I hang out: On the coffee table or under the kitchen table
My favorite grubs: Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix
My pet peeves: Little dogs and people who ignore me
What I love about my owners: Spoils me rotten!
My cat hobbies: Play with empty cardboard boxes
Pet motto: Playtime anyone?
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subset: commoncrawl


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How does that even make sense? If we sign one 40 year old center to a one year contract then two kids want a one and done contract so they can get out, but if we don't sign a 40 year old Center to a one year contract they are interested in staying 2+ years? Modano, one aging player will drive two kids away in years that he isn't even going to be signed for? Sorry, I don't get how that makes sense.
That's cause your not considering the cap in your equation.
The difference between what will be available for $ when re-signing next year compared to 2 years (with money potentially lost in the second year of contract).


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Thats pretty cool, i don't see much of a point to it, but still very nice.
Has anyone seen this wii laptop?
The creators official site: http://www.benheck.com/
Last edited by blank; 01-19-2007 at 01:03 PM.
Thats pretty cool, i don't see much of a point to it, but still very nice.
thats soo neat. good find.
Cold Days In December
Anyone else feel uncomfortable watching that with him not using the wriststrap?
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LMAO yea that was the first thing I said when he started playing itOriginally Posted by i0n
Pretty cool if you wanted to play make your wii portable which would be sweet for some games but I'd imagine if you took it on an aeroplane for some wii sports to pass the time, I'd say you'd have some pretty pissed off people sat next to you! ....especially if, like that guy, you don't use the strap.
wow thats amazing! i want one!!!!!
i hav teh wee! liek zomgz?!232@#112!!
how did you know?Originally Posted by Shiftfallout
It is a great idea for GC games but not too sure about wii type games as you have to stand back a ways from the screen so it wouldn't work to good in a car.
That is soo cool if i can get another wii.I am going to use the step by step guide once it is up!
PS3 now, sorry Wii. You gather dust.
looks very cool.
i don't think i have the patience or the time to make one.
although i'd buy one for road trips.
Well do you?
wow nice find and nintendo made it right? are they selling these?
^ Chicago... My kind of town ^SSBB Friend Code - 0602-5991-1331


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Emergency repairs at Westfield City Hall needed to keep the City Council Chambers from collapsing, Mayor Michael Boulanger says
Ted LaBorde, The Republican By
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on November 16, 2009 at 10:00 PM
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on November 16, 2009 at 10:00 PM
WESTFIELD – Emergency repairs at City Hall could begin by next week as officials consider additional repairs and funding sources for the municipal building. A contract for ceiling and wall repairs, along with installation of a support column in the City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, was awarded Monday to Kurtz Inc., general contractor of Westfield, for $31,856, purchaser Tammy B. Tefft said. Funding and the contract were approved during an emergency session of the City Council on Friday evening. "This work is necessary to shore up and keep the chambers from collapsing," Mayor Michael R. Boulanger said Monday. "Eventually more extensive work to the building will be needed. The city will have to spend some money to repair the building." Damage to the council chambers became evident last April when a section of the ceiling and wall collapsed. The cause, officials say, is water seeping into the building through the roof and brick facade. Bids for brick repairs are scheduled to be received on Nov. 30, Tefft said. There are no current specifications for bidding on roof repairs. The council Friday instructed officials to determine by Thursday the possible use of Community Preservation Act funding for the additional repairs. Currently there is a balance of just over $2 million in CPA funds, officials said. Building inspector Donald York told the council Friday repairs are necessary now to prevent further damage to the chambers during upcoming winter months. He said a support beam in the ceiling recently shifted, prompting the emergency repairs. York said the additional expense to repair City Hall's brick facade and roof is not yet available, but estimated it could be in the $100,000 range. The $45,000 approved Friday will come from leftover funding in a 2002 $450,000 bond order that financed design of a new Senior Center and other municipal projects. The amount covers the cost of the contract and contingencies.


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Main Content
- Place holder for your 8" x 10" photo
- Includes easy-to-follow instructions for adding your ticket and photo
- 2014 Winter Classic logo displayed in unique circle cut out
- Made in the USA
- Measures approximately 14" x 20"
- Double-matted
- Officially licensed NHL product
- Metal frame
- Imported
- Brand: That's My Ticket
Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Recipe Servings
Recipe Cook Time
The Turkey: Clean, remove the neck and the skin. Make small gashes on the entire surface.
The Marination: Whisk yoghurt in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, mix well. Evenly rub the turkey with this marinade and set aside for at least an hour (preferably overnight).
The Filling: Wash green and red chillies. Slit, de-seed and finely chop. Heat ghee in a kadhai/wok, add the garlic and ginger pastes and bhunno/stir-fry over medium heat until the moisture evaporates.
Add the mince and saute for 2-3 minutes. Remove, cool, add the remaining ingredients, mix well.
The Stuffing: Stuff the abdominal cavity of the turkey with the filling and the eggs from the tail end, then double up the legs, ensuring that drumsticks cover the opening through which the filling was stuffed and tie firmly with string.
Gently twist the winglet bones to make the bird more stable when placed on its back.
The Mire Poix: Peel, wash and slice onions.
The Gravy: Whisk yoghurt in a bowl, add coriander, red chillies and turmeric and salt, mix well and keep aside. Crush the saffron threads with a pestle or the back of a spoon, soak in rosewater and then make a paste.
The Garnish: Dissolve saffron flakes in lukewarm water and when the water turns saffron, put almond flakes to enable them to acquire a saffron hue.
The Oven: Pre-heat to 375 F.
Spread the onions in a large handi/pot. Sprinkle both the cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves, arrange the stuffed turkey on top.
Pour the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat.
Cover and simmer for 50 minutes. Remove and arrange the turkey on a greased roasting tray and reserve the jus for the gravy.
To prepare the gravy, heat ghee in a handi/pan, add the garlic and ginger pastes, bhunno/stir-fry until the moisture evaporates.
Remove handi/pan from heat, stir-in the yoghurt mixture, return handi/pan to heat, bhunno/stir-fry over medium heat until specs of fat leaves the sides.
Then add the almond and char magaz pastes, bhunno/stir-fry until the fat leaves the sides, add the fried onion paste and bhunno/stir-fry until the fat leaves the sides. Add the reserved jus.
Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes.
Remove and pass the gravy through a fine-mesh soup strainer into a separate handi/pan.
Return gravy to heat, bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer until of sauce consistency.
Sprinkle the cardamom and mace powders, stir, add the saffron, stir, remove and adjust the seasoning.
The Finishing:
Pour the gravy over the turkey arranged in the roasting tray and cook in the pre-heated oven, basting with butter at regular intervals for 20-25 minutes or until the turkey is fully cooked and the gravy becomes brown.
Remove, untie the turkey and reserve the gravy.
To Serve:
Carve the turkey on a clean chopping board.
Scoop a dollop of the stuffing on a plate and arrange 2-3 slices of the turkey on the stuffing.
Pour some gravy on the top.
Garnish with egg slices, pistachio, cashew nuts, toasted almonds and saffron threads and serve with pulao rice or any bread of your choice.
Key Ingredients: Turkey, cashew nuts, egg, mace, turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder, yogurt, clarified butter, black cumin, green chillies, onion, green cardamom, cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, chicken, butter, garlic, ginger, chilly powder, salt, pistac


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Do The Continental
Cz moge miec piwo? That's Polish for "Can I have a beer, please?" But knowing that much wasn't enough to even begin breaking down language barriers at POLONEZ. By day, it's a Polish restaurant, when "kielbasi" can let you pass. But on weekend nights, disco lights gleam over the satiny wallpaper to turn the place into a Polish nightclub.
Last Saturday, when my all-American pal ordered a rum 'n' Coke, the bartender looked at him curiously. "Mixed?" the bartender asked in a thick accent. That was after figuring out what he meant by "rum." There weren't any other such confusing scenarios at the bar, mainly because Polish and Russian customers stuck to simple vodka, tequila and beer. I enjoyed a Black Russian, heavy on the vodka.
But we weren't the only linguistically challenged patrons. Zoja, who's visiting from Estonia, speaks Russian and a smattering of English. She sat at the bar doing a very un-American thing: drinking a shot of tequila by herself.
Zoja says when she first found out about this place, she was thrilled, because "my life is dancing." But her Long Island friends are too "money crazy" to be interested in clubbing.
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Zoja didn't let being solo spoil her night. She was the first one out on the tiny dance floor and often the only one grooving to a happy techno beat.
With her baggy jeans, backpack and hip-hop moves, she looked like any suburban raver kid. Any raver kid, that is, with a temporary tattoo on her left arm. In her case, it was a WBLI logo, applied upside down. As she sat around waiting for a good song, Zoja tried being chatty in English. The only thing I understood clearly was that her Estonian friends think American techno music is "shit."
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The information on this site is provided with the intention that it can be used as a resource to offer women choices about the use of acupressure and acupuncture throughout pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum recovery. It is intended that this information is used in conjunction with western medical care and not as a substitute for medical advice.
The web site has two sections, one with information about using acupressure and one with information about the use of acupuncture
This section contains information on using acupressure points to help women prepare for labour, to use as pain relief during labour, to assist with after pains following labour and establish breast feeding. These acupressure points can be used by women and their support people to encourage the body's optimal response during labour, promoting an efficient labour and recovery. Here you will find information in the form of:
A quick guide summary sheet on using the acupressure points prior to a medical induction, during labour and for breastfeeding
Links to youtube videos demonstrating each point location
Information on using acupressure when specific problems arise such as when a medical induction is required or posterior positioned babies
Research on the use of acupressure during labour
Feedback from women and midwives on using acupressure during labour
This section contains information on using acupuncture to support the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy labour and postpartum recovery. It contains information and handouts that are free to download. In this section you will find information on:
How acupuncture can be used in supporting the physical and emotional changes that occur during pregnancy, labour and postpartum
Research on the use of acupuncture for specific conditions such as nausea, back and pelvic pain, breech presentation and prebirth acupuncture to prepare for labour
Feedback from midwives on using acupuncture in pregnancy and labour
Free downloadable handouts on the use of acupuncture, dietary therapy and the use of moxibustion therapy
A chapter on breech and posterior positions from my text book for acupuncturists
Information about seminars for acupuncturists midwives and doula's, including seminars currently available online.


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Pretty Things for Home: Doggie EssentialsCyd Converse
If you're anything like me, your pets are like your babies. My black lab Nina has been my partner in crime since 2005 and she's definitely a big ol' spoiled princess. With that in mind, I thought it'd be fun to share a few of my favorite doggie essentials. No doubt, we have our favorite toys and pet gear, and our favorite go-to places to score the goods. Do you have any doggie favorites? I'd love to hear what you and your furbabies love! Here are my picks for doggie essentials…
Pawprint Blanket 1 of 10Of course, a comfy doggie blanket is a must, too. I love this one from Crate & Barrel.
Get one from Crate & Barrel.
Doggie Bed 2 of 10Cozy dog beds rule! I like LLBean's dog beds, which are durable, customizable and available in neutral colors that work with most decor.
Get yours from LLBean for $79.
Kong 3 of 10Hands down, the Nina's favorite toys are her Kong and Kong Wubbas. Plus, these toys are super durable and can hold up to active chewers.
Get yours from Kong.
Food Canisters 4 of 10I love all things Harry Barker, but their dog food storage containers are a favorite.
Get yours from Harry Barker for $12.
Gentle Leader 5 of 10For overzealous pups, a Gentle Leader is your best friend. Your arms will thank you.
Get yours from Amazon for $12.10.
Milk Bone 6 of 10Typically I try to keep my girl to organic treats and food. (Yes, I'm one of those dog moms.) That said, Nina loves Milk Bones so I allow her to indulge from time to time!
Get some at PetsMart.
Pawz 7 of 10Pawz dog boots keep feet dry and free from mud, salt, anti-freeze and ice. A must for doggies in cold and/or wet climates!
Get yours from Pawz.
Metal Dog Bowls 8 of 10Good old-fashioned, durable but still sleek stainless steel dog bowls are the only way to go with a lab in the house!
Get yours from Cabela's for $13.99.
Teddy Bear 9 of 10Nina loves something soft and cuddly to snuggle with or to tear to bits. It's just how she rolls.
Her pick is this teddy bear from PetsMart for $8.99.
Pretty Collar 10 of 10A stylish dog collar is the ultimate must-have!
I love the ones from Kiss My Mutt for $18.
Read more from Cyd at The Sweetest Occasion.
Follow Cyd on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for more ideas and updates.
More on The New Home Ec:
12 DIY Journals + Scrapbooks
12 Paint Chip Crafts
How to Pick the Perfect Paint Colors
10 Cool Popsicle Ideas for Summer
10 Amazing DIY Headboards


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Selecting strikers that can bring home the bacon every week can be a tricky business for fantasy managers, with so many options and schools of thought on the subject, it can sometimes lead to information overload which can cause managers all sorts of headaches. Round 23 of the Irish Times Fantasy Premier League is no different with the exception of a double fixture week for both Southampton and Chelsea.
But as always our coaches are hot on the heels of goals this weekend and done their homework so you don't have to and they have come up with some very viable options for you to consider when it comes to strengthening you forward line ahead of this weekend's action.
Fernando Torres (Chelsea) £7.2 million Fixtures: Southampton (Home), Arsenal (Home)
Much of the debate around Stamford Bridge this week has been whether or not intrim Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez will opt to start both Torres and Ba up front together, which of course would be ideal for fantasy managers given that it would take the guess work out trying to second guess the gaffers starting line up, but the harsh reality is the fact that Rafa loves rotation and it is highly unlikely that we will see the pair start together in either game this week. With Demba Ba starting against Stoke last time out all evidence goes to support the theory that Torres will now get the nod against Southampton, which is good news for fantasy managers.
Torres has mustered up 7 goals and 5 assist so far this season and despite the fact that he hasn't scored in his last three starts the first game of the week against Southampton could be exactly what the doctor ordered for "El Nino". As we stated in our midfielders tips the Saints are leaking goals away from home at a rate of nots and with the Chelsea midfield in such good form it could be open season for Torres if he can get the service. The second game of the week is a far trickier situation to call and there is of course a risk that Torres may not start the game, but if he can secure the points in the first game anything earned against the Gunners will be a bonus.
Luis Suarez (Liverpool) £7.1 million Fixture: Norwich (Home)
With five goals and two assists in his last five games the Liverpool striker's blank last time out at Old Trafford will have done little to dampen his appeal to fantasy managers as we head into round 23. The Uruguayan striker is one of the most selected players in the game and with 15 goals and 110 points beside his name this season it is easy to see why so many out their trust in the controversial front man. The is is off course the worry that Daniel Sturridge's arrival at Anfield could hinder Suarez's potential to get goals but it seems highly unlikely that Brendan Rogers will drop his top scorer in favour of the new boy.
Norwich make the trip to Merseyside in a game that see's the Canaries as serious underdogs given Liverpool's recent home form. Norwich on the other hand have not been so hot away from home this season and as we said while analysing Steven Gerrard's potential Norwich's away form at the back has been poor with Chris Hughton's side only managing one clean sheet on the road this season not to mention the fact that they have only won one of their last six games. Norwich will be hopeful they can trouble Liverpool as they welcome Grant Holt back from injury but it seems unlikely that they will be able to stop the most inform striker in the league on his own patch.
Edin Dzeko (Man City) £7.0 million Fixture: Fulham (Home)
There is no doubting that the big Bosnian international has done very well in the absence of Sergio Aguero over the last couple of weeks and despite missing a penalty last time out he still managed to pick himself up, dust himself down and grab a goal as City beat Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates last weekend. Dzeko has now scored in all three of his last games and even pitched in with an assist to boot. With news that Sergio Aguero is still weeks away from a return the former Wolfsburg man looks good value to keep his place and continue his scoring run this weekend.
The say it never rains but it pours and I'm sure that is exactly what Martin Jol and Fulham are thinking as they head into this weekend's fixture at the Eithad. The Cottagers have only won one of their last six and have conceded 11 goals in the process which won't make for good reading heading to the home of the champions. Fulham's notorious away form seems to follow them season on season and this year is not different with Jol's side registering two wins away from the cottage all season. With City currently sitting seven points off the top of the league they will be conscious not to fall any further behind with United not playing until Sunday and given Dzeko's recent goal scoring form he looks certain to grab another goal in this one.
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Annie Proulx's first collection of stories, Heart Songs, was published in 1988. Some of the eleven stories that make up this volume had been published in magazines before, while others were new, and even though each story is autonomous what they all have in common is their New England setting. Proulx's later book, The Shipping News, would have the harsh terrain of Newfoundland as its protagonist, and already in Heart Songs we see the author's emphasis on landscape and how it helps shape people's lives. Each story in this collection offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of people in the rural community of Chopping County. On the surface, nothing much happens as the locals go about hunting deer and grouse, or …
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Varvogli, Aliki. "Heart Songs and Other Stories". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 November 2002
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4778, accessed 27 September 2016.]


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• Successful recall of patients with abnormal results of neonatal screening tests is difficult to accomplish. A system of centralization of the process was implemented at a municipal hospital and evaluated after one year. Two thousand two hundred thirty-four newborn infants were screened for congenital hypothyroidism. Ninety-one percent of the 101 infants who required recall were returned for retesting. Centralization of the process of recall of newborns with abnormal screen results was an effective way to obtain additional specimens successfully in a setting in which patients use varied pediatric primary health care facilities. However, the high recall rate experienced by our hospital resulted in high costs in terms of professional and personnel time and anxiety for the individual families.
(Am J Dis Child 1982;136:248-250)
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Halo 3 Review
There is absolutely no way any Halo fan will be disappointed by this game. You better believe the Chief has triumphantly returned. Now buy the game, cock the Assault Rifle, and finish the fight.
The AI is certainly a step up from Halo 2, although not entirely convincing. Bungie has mentioned the "pack mentality" before, and you can see what they're talking about. Brutes will stick together and tend to hang back while Grunts and Jackals do their dirty work. There's the odd occasion, usually experienced when playing on the harder difficulties, where you'll be impressed with how the Brutes have sniffed you out of cover, but most of the time being patient and not rushing in will do the trick. On the Human side, we found our AI team-mates to be much more use than in the previous games. When playing single-player the computer controls the Arbiter, and he's one hell of a shot.
Did we mention the Gravity Hammer? It deserves special attention simply because it's so sweet to use. It's not long into the game before you get to use one, and the first time you do it's a guaranteed jaw-dropper. It's a melee-based weapon that you swing like an axe, impacting a spectacular blow (including cool sci-fi sound and gravity distortion effect) that can knock rockets out of the sky, smash speeding vehicles into smithereens and sends enemies flying off into the distance. It's also a great way to show off the Havok physics engine. Enemies hiding behind crates and defensive positions have no cover against the Gravity Hammer. It makes you feel invincible, and when you pick one up you invariably charge into packs of Brutes swinging like a crazed lunatic. Think Sauron in the opening scene of Lord of the Rings.
Another great addition to Master Chief's arsenal is the ability to tear turrets from the ground and use them to tear up the enemy. This switches you to a Gears of War-esque over the shoulder view while you slowly lumber around unpacking tens of devastating rounds a second into anything that moves. It's great fun, although it does leave you exposed if you're facing multiple enemies, and again brings to mind Arnie, this time in sci-fi classic The Terminator 2.
The Assault Rifle makes a welcome return following its hiatus during Halo 2. Bungie has said that it felt dual wielding in the last game stopped a lot of players using grenades, so it has changed the weapon balancing drastically. We found the Assault Rifle to be our most used weapon through the campaign. The spray is very powerful at medium range, it's great used as a melee weapon and the clip tends to last. There are plenty of other new toys to play around with too, including the Spartan Laser, which pops up sporadically throughout the campaign and the flamethrower, which you use like a turret. The Covenant has some really cool new weapons that we had a lot of fun using, too. The Brute Spiker is kind of like the Covenant version of the Submachine Gun. The Mauler is like a Brute shotgun. A great combo is to dual-wield one of each, loosening up enemies mid-distance with the Spiker before mopping them up with the Mauler. There are just so many weapons to choose from that it's safe to say that Halo 3 is the most destructive Halo yet.
'There's tonnes of equipment out there, including trip mines, energy drains, flares and grav lifts.'
Supplementing the weapon/grenade dynamic we've all become so used to is the addition of equipment. It's because of the equipment that the default control system has undergone somewhat of an overhaul. X now deploys your equipment, which you'll get to try out fairly early on in the game. The first you'll probably see is the Bubble Shield, a small defensive dome that stops enemy fire from getting in and your fire from getting out. It's really useful when the heat is on and your shield is down, but you're not the only one clued up. The Covenent has access to equipment too, and there's nothing worse than seeing a Brute lay down a Bubble Shield when you're under the cosh. There's tonnes of equipment out there, including trip mines, energy drains, flares and grav lifts. Some of the really cool ones we didn't come across until late in the game. We'll let you discover those for yourself.
For some, it's not about the weapons, nor the new equipment. It is, and always will be, about Halo's vehicles. It's here that we really have to bow down and praise Bungie, because they've added some seriously cool vehicles to Halo 3. On the ground, our new favourite has to be the Chopper, a one-man Brute vehicle with a large front wheel and auto-cannons. It's like the love child of Mad Max and Ben Hur, and just about beats power sliding your way through bunches of Grunts on the classic Warthog. In the air, the Covenant Ghost has a new rival - the one-man Hornet. When we saw the vehicles for the first time, it was a real OMG! moment. Once you get used to the controls, the Hornets become absolutely savage fun to use. We won't spoil it for you, but rest assured there are moments in the campaign where you get to use the Hornets in extremely cool circumstances.
Halo 3 isn't all about causing havoc and beating down Brutes though. There are also little asides to the main campaign proper that make it worth taking your time as you battle your way through the game. At one stage we came across a Human soldier who was having an argument with another soldier over a password given out during a staff meeting. The two soldiers had this hilarious stand off where one wouldn't open a door, despite the other constantly moaning and banging. This was completely off the beaten track and something we wouldn't have noticed had we simply powered through the game, seeking out check point after check point.
That's another thing you'll notice about Halo 3's campaign. There's more dialogue than ever before. Soldiers will constantly be talking while battles are taking place and during down time. The enemies are chatterboxes too. In one area, we surprised a Grunt who said: "You don't look like you're here to help!" In another area, we stumbled upon a Brute leader giving out search instructions to his subordinates. It all adds to the feeling that you really are stuck in an intergalactic war, fighting for the lives of real soldiers and against a determined, intelligent enemy.


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Editor's note: This article is part of The Journal's annual Unsung Heroes feature, which runs each Monday from Memorial Day to Veterans Day. The stories profile U.S. veterans who served in wars and conflicts from World War II to the present.
CHARLES TOWN - It started out like most other days, and then, in an instant, it became the sort that transforms a person's entire life time.
Otho Lewis was working on his family's Berkeley County farm that morning, and came in around noon to check the mail, he said.
Article Photos
Retired Marine Otho Lewis, a World War II veteran, holds up a picture of himself at age 22 with his wife Nonie, then 17, on their wedding day in 1943 when he was a private first class. He served 38 months and was training in Guam when Japan surrendered. (Journal photo by Ron Agnir)
Inside the box he found a note from the United States Army. It was late in 1942 and the nation was in the midst of World War II. Lewis was 21, and had just discovered that Uncle Sam wanted him to join the Army.
Still, something wasn't quite right about the situation. Lewis was miffed, and it wasn't the prospect of going to war that made him feel that way either. The letter, he said, just didn't sound right.
"It said greetings ... it didn't sound right to me," Lewis recalled in a recent interview. "That made me about half sore when it said greetings."
So Lewis and his best friend set off to Baltimore to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps instead.
They were sent to Paris Island for training, where Lewis said he learned discipline in no time flat.
"It's training that wouldn't hurt anybody," he said. "It's been good for me that I was in there."
But at the time, it seemed a bit overwhelming to some of his fellow Marines, he said, noting that some of them told him they thought their training was going to result in their deaths.
Lewis said he remembers one time in particular when he and his fellow soldiers were told to line up and stand at attention. As they stood there, trying not to move, sand flies swarmed around them, he said.
One of the troops gave in and moved because of the insects, Lewis said, and the troops were told to pound the pavement as hard as they could. Lewis said he ended up pounding the pavement so hard he popped the crystal out of his watch, a story which he now recounts with laughter.
Another time, he said troops were marching in the dust and one of his friends accidentally turned the wrong way. One of the instructors responded by spinning the soldier around so hard he couldn't stand up, Lewis said.
"You learn discipline," he said.
Once his training was over, Lewis said he was assigned to a naval station in Norfolk, Va., where he volunteered to do guard duty in the "boondocks," an area where he said the Navy stored bombs.
While he was stationed at the Norfolk Naval station, Lewis said he and his wife decided to get married. He took leave and headed back to West Virginia for the wedding.
When he returned, he said he started working with a sentry dog.
"My daddy always said, I'd no sooner got married then I went to the dogs," Lewis said with a chuckle.
In January 1945, Lewis was sent to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he started working with scout dogs. The dogs were trained to respond to hand signals and were used to alert troops if enemy soldiers were spotted in the woods nearby.
"They were super trained for this," Lewis said. "We spent hours, and days with them."
From there, Lewis said he headed to Guam, where the military was preparing to invade Japan. Luckily for him, he said the war ended before that ever became a necessity.
"We were gonna go to Japan," he recalled, adding that the day the war ended was "the happiest day of my life. That includes getting married too."
Lewis had a wife and a baby back home, so heading off to combat was the last thing he wanted to do.
Throughout his time in the Marines, he said he thought of his wife frequently, and they wrote to one another nearly every day.
"Every day. Every day from the time I got in," he said of their correspondence. "I had a sea bag full of letters."
Occasionally, he said he wrote to his family too, but most of his time was spent trying to keep in touch with the young bride who was waiting for him back at home in West Virginia.
"My focus was on her," he said.
Still, he said he almost missed his chance to come back to her.
After the war ended he said people started to get more lax. In 1945, while still stationed in Guam, he said he went to visit a friend without getting proper permission and spent the day riding around with him. As they drove, he said he spotted the lights of a ship in the distance, and jokingly stated that the boat was there to take him home.
When he got back, he realized that his joke may have been a reality. All of his equipment, including the dog he had spent his days working with, had been loaded up and his fellow Marines were getting ready to leave.
"I almost got left (behind). Two minutes later and I'd have been left there," Lewis said.
They were heading for a ship to take them home, a ship that Lewis said could have easily been the one he spotted in the distance.
"It might have been that same ship," he said.
From Guam, Lewis said he headed back to Camp Lejeune and then back to the Norfolk Naval Station. Then, he headed home to his family.
Once Lewis returned, he purchased 50 acres of land from his father. He went into business with his brother, who also owned 50 acres. The pair decided that it would be cheaper to share farming equipment than to operate individual farms, and so they started Lewis Brothers Orchards Inc., he said.
His son now continues the family's tradition of farming.
Lewis and his wife still live in the area, and they spend their winters in Florida.
Things have worked out well for the couple, he said, noting that they've been married for 65 years now. He said the key to their success has been forgiveness.
"You know when you go to church you learn forgiveness. You've got to do that ... it's forgiveness. ... You've gotta give in. It's just as simple as that," he said.
- Staff writer Naomi Smoot can be reached at (304) 725-6581 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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The Office: staffed by Israelis
By Jennifer Lipman, July 8, 2011
Hit televison show The Office turns ten this week. It has been shown in 180 countries, while six have created their own versions. One of the countries to adapt the show was Israel - as you can see in this clip.
Last updated: 2:58pm, July 8 2011


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This is an awesome deal from American Eagle. Everything can ship free this weekend through Monday.
No coupon codes needed.
Today through Monday anything you purchase on www.ae.com will ship free.
How cool is that?
There are some great deals in clearance and you can use this coupon code to get an additional 30 percent off:
That code ends Sunday.


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Just read your whole journal. I was interested because I saw you on the Iowa thread.
Couple of notes: number 1, you inspire me b/c you're doing so well.
Number 2, I have a meathead husband too who will be on board one day and off board the next. He asked for chinese last night. I got it for him, and then made my own. Check out my journal if you're interested. there's a pic of it. I'm frustrated with his perceived lack of effort, but figure he's doing better than he was.
You're trying to work exercise in, and I'm trying to cut it back! I'm a half marathoner (former, is probably a more appropriate word) who was stuck on chronic cardio. It's been a difficult transition mentally b/c I feel like I'm failing if I don't exercise, but I think my lazy subconscience is LOVING it. I like lifting too, but right now I'm stickind with the 4 functional moves.
I am starting week 4 and have lost a meesly 4 lbs (maybe... I keep bouncing around in the same 4 lb range). I try for IF. Right now I'm eating dinner about 7-8 pm and managing to hold out for breakfast until about 9. 13-14 hours isn't too bad.
I'm subscribing to your journal. I'm interested to see how your story continues.
Primal since March 5, 2012
SW: 221 | CW: 204 | LPW: 166 | UGW: 140 (80 lbs loss)
Wow, it's literally been FOREVER since I was on here.
I'm a shitty journallor...journal writer...whatever.
lots has happened - weight slowly and steadily going down. -
an odd thing happened during a trip to mediterranean though. 7 day cruise followed by a week split between Barcelona and Rome and I decided before I went that I was going to not worry about eating - I would make the best choices I could, but I was still going to have some excellent pasta...pizza in the place it was invented..etc. I just minimized it.
I was 152# when I left - ate and drank as much as I wanted, worked out a little, walked 10+ miles every day sightseeing. And I was 152# when I came home. As soon as I came home I hopped back on the paleo trail and I lost a pound a day...every day for a week. I now fluctuate between 147 - 150. It's gotta be the walking!
Another thing that changed is I started exercising...like a lot. maybe too much according to some ppl.
3 days a week I do kickboxing - but I consider that play since I LOVE punching and kicking a heavy bag in the morning!
2 or 3 days a week I lift weights
and I walk still - but slowly, with the dog - a few miles a day.
I'm thinking of taking some pics to post. we'll see.
that's it I guess.
my info:
If you can't tell the truth about yourself, you can't tell it about other people --- Virginia Woolf
My journal


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"On the average, it takes about three years to develop a new hire into a seasoned technology professional in our environment," said Anthony Dolan, an IT Director at Depository Trust Clearing Corporation (DTCC). "We look for students that come to us very well prepared - not only in technology, but in the "soft skills" that you need to be successful."
Virtually every CIO I speak with agrees. People and other "soft" skills are needed in IT.
I saw this early in my career, when I was given a shot at a project management position I wanted-but only because everyone else on staff had said "no." The project was sinking. It was already one million dollars over budget, and had a customer who was threatening to sue the company and throw the project manager off a building! I knew this might be my only chance to prove that I could manage a project, so I took a deep breath and said I would do it.
I immediately saw that most of the project deliverables had been badly overpromised and that what had been delivered wasn't working. The only thing I could think to do was to level with the end user on the "true" state of the project and rebuild from there. The project's "new" beginning was shaky-but it was still a beginning.
I learned from the experience how important open communications, visibility and trust were. And that even if you couldn't deliver an immediate IT solution-if you could at least deliver information that gave your user the ability to show his management that he understood what was going on and what it was going to take to complete the project, there was value.
Today, these human interaction and soft skills areas are as much in demand in IT as they were ten years ago. It is why, when I talk with CIOs, that they point to several key areas where they want to see soft skills from their managers and their new hires. These skills areas are:
Full Bio
Mary E. Shacklett is president of Transworld Data, a technology research and market development firm. Prior to founding the company, Mary was Senior Vice President of Marketing and Technology at TCCU, Inc., a financial services firm; Vice President of Product Research and Software Development for Summit Information Systems, a computer software company; and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Technology at FSI International, a multinational manufacturing company in the semiconductor industry. Mary is a keynote speaker and has more than 1,000 articles, research studies, and technology publications in print.


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[screenshots from squareapex.com]
In the world of RPGs, there are few games better known than Final Fantasy. The series has been going for over twenty years now, and it probably sets a record for the most numbered sequels of any video game in existence. Sure, there are games that have had more entries than Final Fantasy, but usually the numbering breaks down or splinters off after awhile. Mega Man branched out into the "X" series while the main one petered out during the Playstation era; despite its recent revival, we're only up to "Mega Man 9" so far (although the tenth installment has already been announced). Mario has had more games than you can shake a stick at, but there was never, say, a "Super Mario 16" (unless you include those weird pirated NES games, but those don't really count). Zelda hasn't had a number next to a game since Zelda II, and Dragon Quest is only up to #9... but anyway, I'm getting off track.
Given the series' general popularity and the controversy over the quality of many of the entries (Final Fantasy VII is a particularly interesting case), I thought it would be a good idea to play through the entire series myself, skipping XI (since it's an MMO) and omitting XIII (since I don't have the system to play it on). If you count X-2, that means twelve games total; I own some version or another of nine of these, and I only lack VII (which I owned at one point but ended up lending out permanently), X-2, and a functional copy of IX. Since I won't be getting to those entries for awhile anyway, I figure now would be a good time to get started. Not too long ago I defeated Chaos and brought an end to my playthrough of the very first Final Fantasy - "the one that started it all."
Romantic notions aside, though, I plan on being as honest as possible in these reviews; I respect the series as a whole, and (most of) what it has done for console RPGs over the past twenty years, but many of the games have flaws and issues that more zealous fans would prefer not to address or to gloss over. To me, a game is a game, and a flaw is a flaw, regardless of what series it's from; however, I can safely say that none of the Final Fantasies I've played are so wretched that I would assign them a place in the trash bin. There are plenty of other games out there that deserve that honor more...
So, taking the good with the bad, let us begin, shall we?
The first Final Fantasy was one of the first console RPGs to enjoy widespread commercial success. Back then, there wasn't much else, other than Dragon Quest, Phantasy Star, and some other titles that have gotten buried by the sands of time; although many NES games had RPG-like elements (experience points, equipment, magic spells), many of these were action-adventure games and not "console RPGs" as we would define them today. What made Final Fantasy stand out was its size and scope - there were several classes of characters to choose from, tons of monsters and items, numerous towns spread over a large map, and a quest that could easily take 30 hours to complete. Once you finally made it to the end, you could give it another go with completely different starting characters, making for the kind of replay value that is uncommon even among more recent RPG's.
For anyone who hasn't played the earlier installments, this is where the whole obsession with "crystals" started (although the NES version called them "orbs"). Basically, four warriors bearing crystals come to a land that has been thrown into chaos by four elemental fiends. You must defeat these fiends, restore power to the crystals, and head to one last dungeon for a final climactic confrontation with the evil behind the whole thing.
The four warriors can each be of one of six classes: fighter, black belt, thief, red mage, white mage, and black mage. Fighters are tough fellows that can wield most weapons and armor; black belts, on the other hand, prefer to go bare-handed but can eventually outstrip all other characters in terms of raw physical strength. Thiefs are the agile fellows of the party, able to fight decently and, according to some, run away more easily in battle. White and black mages use healing and destructive magic, respectively, and red mages do a little bit of both, acting as a "jack-of-all-trades" for your party. The default setup is, as I recall, fighter, thief, white mage, black mage, although you can choose any setup you want. My first run on the original NES was fighter, black belt, white mage, black mage, and for this run, done on the "Final Fantasy Origins" remake for PS1, I went with something a little more unusual: two black belts and two white mages. Some people have beaten the game with four white mages, and others have actually managed to beat the game with *one* character (by killing off the others immediately at the start of the game and never reviving them). Needless to say, there's plenty of options to choose from, although for first-time players I would personally go with something close to the default setup (but without a thief, in my opinion).
One thing that makes Final Fantasy a little different from the "standard" console RPG setup is that magic does not draw from a single pool of points; rather, it is divided into eight levels of magic, with seperate magic points for each level. This is quite similar to the setup in many D&D-based RPGs and harkens back to the days when role-playing was done around a table with pencils, paper, and D20 dice. As a result, magic usage will probably feel a little restricted for those who grew up with later RPG's, since you can't toss off cure magic carelessly and expect to survive for very long. There are four spells per level, but you can only hold three per party member. In the original Final Fantasy, you could not remove a spell once you bought it; thankfully, FF Origins added a "removal" option, which allows you a chance to change your mind if you don't like a certain spell (or if you found you about the semi-hidden shop that sells the best level 8 magic but stocked up on the other spells first...)
Aside from the crystals, the original Final Fantasy marked the beginning of a number of other traditions that would be carried through later installments of the series. All of the character classes find their way into later games, and many of the spells remain intact as well. Bahamut the dragon, later seen as a "summon" character, first appears here, as well as airships, dwarves that say "rally-ho" (or "lally-ho," depending on the game and the version), and, of course, the ever-memorable victory theme and title screen music. Many of the other commonplace elements would have to wait, though; chocobos, moogles, and summons didn't make their way in until later installments.
The remake I played, the one on PS1 as part of "Final Fantasy Origins," gave the game a complete graphical overhaul and updated music, but actual tweaks to the gameplay are minor. An "auto-targeting" option has been added to make things a little more bearable. In the original, if four characters attacked the same monster and the first two killed it, the other two characters would attack the empty space where that monster was; in FF Origins, characters will, by default, automatically target a random monster if their original target dies or runs away. Items and spells that cure "stone" status and bring dead characters back to life can now be used inside battle as well as outside, and it is possible to hold the circle button to walk faster in towns or dungeons. All of these features can be turned off, though, for those who want an experience more "authentic" to the original. The menu system is much less messy and no longer plays its own music (instead, the music from the current area continues to play, although at a slightly lower volume), and the world map is much more bearable to look at. Much of the dialogue has been rewritten, spells and monsters have been renamed, items and magic now have useful descriptions, and a "collections" section has been added that keeps track of monsters defeated and items found. There's also an "easy mode" for those who are overwhelmed by the game's old-school difficulty.Speaking of difficulty, yet me say a few words about my own playthrough...
I've wanted to do a run of the game with a less typical party for some time, although I knew I would tear my hair out if I tried to do a run with four white mages. The default setup is fighter, thief, white mage, black mage, or something to that effect, which works fairly well for someone first coming into the game. However, playing with two black belts and two white mages makes for an interesting setup with its own pros and cons. On the down side, your attack strength will be pitful early on; you will have trouble simply hitting enemies, and Astos is a pain in the butt unless you use Silence on him (which I didn't think to do until I read a four-white-mage guide; who uses status magic in these games anyway?). For awhile I took a break from the game, frustrated with the increased difficult and wondering what I had done to myself.
Once you hit level 10, though, your black belts get their first big bonus: their second "hit." In the early Final Fantasies, part of your damage calculation is the number of times you hit the enemy; in FF1, every 32 points in accuracy gives your characters another hit, and when you get that second hit, you'll find yourself much less likely to miss enemies outright. Instead, your weaker attacks will generally only hit once instead of three or four times, but at least you'll be getting damage in. If you go bare-handed at this point (your black belts will probably use nunchucks before this), your number of hits will double, since each fist attacks separately; thus you can get as many as four hits off in a single attack. By the end of the game you should be able to kill most enemies in a single attack, since you'll be doing at least eight hits at peak performance; in fact, I have heard that it is possible to kill the final boss in one hit at level 50 (although you might need the "Haste" spell to pull that off properly). If this is in fact true, this isn't the only Final Fantasy in which you can kill the final boss with a single character in a single turn; I can think of three other examples off the top of my head... no, wait, four. The very idea is kind of goofy to me; what fun is the final showdown if you can end it in two seconds? I already had to put up with that in Crystalis... but then again, one-shotting your final foes isn't a given in FF1.
Black belts are generally best unarmed and unarmored, since their attack and defense are, when they are unequipped, based on their level and not their other stats. This means that you don't have to spend a lot of money getting them armored up, although later on you will have to make a somewhat difficult decision about their equipment. Many of the later enemies can inflict various status effects on you, and the only easy way to prevent them is by wearing items that offer very little defense. You can either decide to equip a modest setup of a ribbon, a protect ring, and a ruby armlet and forfeit some of their high-level defense bonuses, or you can keep the defense and risk getting stoned, killed instantly, or slowed down in the middle of battle. There is a bug in the original game that allows you to have the best of both worlds by equipping the desired items and leveling up, but this has been "fixed" in FF Origins, so I couldn't take advantage of it.
Not that it was much of an issue; with two white mages, 99 potions and several items that cast weak healing spells for free in battle infinite times, I was in pretty good shape in the last few dungeons; in fact, things actually started getting rather monotonous by the time I reached the undersea palace, which is a little past the halfway point. Once you beat the ice cave and get the levistone for the airship, you're home free; you can go buy some of the best equipment in the game for white mages and black belts (nearly doubling your defense in the process), and once you complete Bahamut's quest and become "promoted" (which gives you access to the best spells for your white mages), you'll be strong enough to get through the later dungeons in a single trip, and you won't have to worry as much about running out of healing magic and using all of your potions up.
Incidentally, the only healing items in this game are potions to heal a very small amount of HP, "softs" to cure stoning (gold needles in the remake), and antidotes to cure poison (called "PURE" originally?). You can use tents, cabins, and houses (sleeping bags, tents and cottages) to heal and save on the world map, but they're worthless in dungeons. Unfortunately, high potions, elixirs, ethers, and all the other goodies weren't around in this game, which means that you'll be stocking up on potions to brave some of the early dungeons. Although you never have to resort to the horrendous amounts of grinding that you do in Dragon Warrior, it's kind of obnoxious to have to make a bunch of trips to the same dungeon just to clear it completely.
If you have a map with you it won't be as bad, since you won't be running in circles and calling down curses on the game's incredibly sporadic random encounter rate. Monsters sometimes appear after you take a single step, and other times you'll walk across an entire floor of a map without seeing any encounters at all. There are also fixed spots where certain monsters will always appear (usually in front of treasure chests), and when you defeat them, you'll still have to fight them again if you step on the same square again (which is downright irritiating, especially if it's unavoidable). However, you'll probably miss out on a lot of leveling if you do use a map; you'll probably want to be close to level 40 when you beat the game (I finished at exactly that), since the final boss can heal his entire supply of hit points with a single spell. The trek to get to him is long and arduous, and there are no save points in dungeons in this or any of the other early Final Fantasies; if you die fighting the final boss, you'll probably lose about an hour of progress unless you've leveled up a fair amount and have the shortest path to him memorized.
Incidentally, he never did cast CURE4 when I fought him this time; surely they didn't take that ability away from him in the remake, did they...?
Anyway, gameplay aside, I did think the plot twist at the end was kind of cool on my first playthrough. I wasn't expecting an NES game to have a plot twist, much less a legitimate plot, but when Chaos starts going on about "Oh, by the way, I'm that Garland guy you killed at the very beginning of the game, brought back from the dead and sent 2000 years into the past," I just kind of sat there and stared at the screen for awhile. This made for a pretty big payoff on my first run, although I saw it coming this time around; since I ended up doing a marathon run of the second half of the game in two or three days, the ending was even less gratifying, since repetition had really begun to set in. And for all the good that the remake brought to the game, I honestly didn't care for the way they treated the epilogue. Allow me to paraphrase (somewhat liberally):
"Oh, it really wasn't Garland's fault; sure, the darkness in his heart, fed by some silly misunderstanding that was never clearly explained at any point in the game, played into things, but it was really all the result of some sort of time loop that just kind of happened on its own and subsequently resolved itself by sending out the four light warriors, who, along with Garland (who is alive again for some reason) have been sent back to their time and will forget that the whole thing ever happened. And by keeping light in the world we can prevent this from happening again, because there's a little crystal in all of us. Aww."
Give me a break. I swear I don't remember the original epilogue being that stupid, because thankfully NES games knew better than to elaborate on their paper-thin plotlines. "The world is saved... thanks for playing" should be enough in a game that only develops its plot at the beginning and end. And to anyone who would defend the epilogue and try to analyze and justify what it *really* means, don't bother; it's a wasted effort. I'm all for blurring the line between good and evil in a plotline, but to practically absolve the final boss of all responsibility and to instead credit "the darkness" for simultaneously causing and solving its own problems isn't good writing; it's convoluted rubbish. And this isn't the only time the series has defecated all over itself with garbage-for-a-plot...
...but we'll get to that another time.
Also, let it be made clear that I still have a place in my heart for the first Final Fantasy; plot complaints are secondary to gameplay problems, and despite the sporadic changes in difficulty (which may have been exacerbated by my choice of party), it's definitely worth at least one playthough for any true fan of the series.
Oh! How can I forget to mention the music? Considering Nobuo Uematsu is one of the best-known video game composers around, I should put in a few words about the soundtrack. The original game's soundtrack is a cut above mediocre, not because of poor compositional technique, but because of choice of timbres. If you don't believe me, find an NSF player (NotSo Fatso is a excellent NSF plug-in for Winamp), download a copy of the original soundtrack in its original format, and give it a listen. (Or go to Youtube and watch part of a Let's Play. Whatever.) Unlike the music for games like Castlevania, Mega Man, and just about every other game worth mentioning, Final Fantasy doesn't even try to tap into the hidden potential of the NES sound chip. The pulse wave channels, which are capable of a wide variety of timbres, don't even change duty cycles in the music (although I'm pretty sure they do in the sound effects), and the white noise ("percussion") channel is only used sound effects; thus the whole soundtrack sounds like it's written for two oboes and a bass clarinet, and it gets pretty monotonous after awhile.
That isn't to say the tunes aren't good, though; the music in the dwarf's cave, in battles, on the airship, and on the title screen is pretty solid. Final Fantasy II and III in their original Famicom versions make better use of the limited technology, although Uematsu definitely does better with a wider palette of more "orchestral" sounds available to him, since most of the sound tracks starting with Final Fantasy IV actually turned out quite well. The FF Origins remake has some very nice makeovers of some of the weaker tunes, and the battle music has been greatly expanded; instead of one tune for every single battle (including the final boss!), the early bosses get a new track, as do the fiends, and finally the last boss. Each of these contains snippets of the original battle theme, chopped up and reworked, which ties them all together rather nicely. As a result, the remake has a very strong soundtrack - better, perhaps, then some of the later installments in the series...
I guess that covers it, then. Final Fantasy II will be next, and I will be playing the Origins version of it as well. But before we close, a quick rundown, something I'll be doing for each Final Fantasy for easy comparison across the series:
Original System: NES
Year: ???? in Japan, 1990 in the US
Remakes/Ports: Wonderswan Color, PS1, Game Boy Advance, PSP, Virtual Console
Number of characters: 4
Leveling system: experience points, level-ups
Magic system: D&D style, with separate levels of MP for each spell type. Magic is purchased at shops.
Battle System: Random, turn-based encounters
Distinct classes, or party of super-characters?: Distinct classes.
How to kill the final boss in one hit: level up a monk really high. Casting "haste" on him probably helps.
Difficulty: Fairly hard at first for a balanced party, but really easy towards the end, with a slight difficulty increase in the final dungeon. Extremely hard if you start with, say, four white mages...
Interesting fact: As far as I can remember, this is the only Final Fantasy in the main series that doesn't have Chocobos in it...


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Williams-Sonoma Rattled by CFO's Abrupt Exit
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Williams-Sonoma said early Thursday that McCollam, 48, retired from the company on Tuesday, and will leave its board of directors next week. Shares fell 6% in afternoon trading, following the announcement and the release of the company's fourth quarter earnings, which increased 8.1% from a year earlier.


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Mick Hatton of the St. Cloud Times was able to sit down with Michael Sauer and discuss his first season in the NHL…
"Coming up from the AHL, I remember thinking how fast it was. Now, it's just a regular game. Coach (John Tortorella) put a lot of trust in me and I played a lot of good minutes and in key situations in games … I thought it went well."
…stop being so modest Mike I think it went more than well. In fact there were time this season you could make the argument that Sauer deserved to be in Calder talks.
…really looking forward to him along with McD coming back to give the Rangers two of the top defense pairings in the NHL. Now we just need MDZ to find his game to add the missing offense for the defensive unit.
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Northwest NEWS
uly 22, 2002
Meetings to focus on pipeline system for Brightwater
Five public meetings in July, August and September will focus on building a system for moving wastewater to and from a proposed treatment plant serving south Snohomish County and North King County.
The Brightwater treatment plant will help protect public health and the environment in the rapidly growing service area.
Besides the plant, the project includes a conveyance systems of pipelines, portals and pump stations. The King County Wastewater Treatment Division is considering 10 alternative conveyance routes.
The conveyance seminars, on the following dates, will include an open house from 7-7:30 p.m. followed by a presentation from 7:30-9 p.m.
Thursday, July 25, Shoreline Library, 345 N.E. 175th St., Shoreline (Marine information will be presented at this meeting.)
Tuesday, July 30, Mountlake Terrace Library, 2330 58th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace
Thursday, August 1, Lake Forest Park Civic Club, 17301 Beach Drive N.E., Lake Forest Park
Wednesday, September 4, The Courtyard Hall at Country Village, 23732 Bothell Everett Highway, Suite G, Bothell
Wednesday, Sept. 18, Northshore Utility District, 6830 N.E. 185th St., Kenmore
During the seminars, people will be able to do the following:
ĄĘLearn about the conveyance alternatives - and how one final conveyance route will be selected.
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Brightwater will be at one of two locations - either the Unocal Corp. property in Edmonds or property along State Route 9 north of Woodinville.
The system will also include an outfall in Puget Sound. About 63 percent of the wastewater treated at Brightwater will come from Snohomish County.
For more information or to request reasonable meeting accommodations for people with disabilities, call (206) 684-6799, (888) 707-8571 (toll free) or 711 (TTY). Information is also available at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/brightwater/ on the Web.
The King County Wastewater Treatment Division protects public health and the environment by serving 17 cities, 14 sewer districts and more than 1.4 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.
Visit the new WTD Newsroom, a portal of information for the news media about the Wastewater Treatment Division, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks: http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/newsroom/.


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Today, INAX's stylish toilet-bidet combos offer heated seats, automatic lids (they rise when you approach; seats too, if you wish to program them so), lights (inside and outside, illuminated upon approach; otherwise off to conserve energy), and music, all controlled by remote.
"The Satis conserves water like no other toilet out on the market," says Chris Paulsen, Project Engineering Manager, INAX USA. "It uses a tankless, pressurized flushing system that is both effective and quiet."
Known as the Direct Vortex Flush system, the proprietary technology enables a powerful, spiraling water flow that cleans the bowl completely with each flush. And, the average flush volume of the Satis is only 1.05 gallons, more than half a gallon less than the U.S. maximum limit.
In addition to water conservation, combining two fixtures in one unit saves space, and cost (additional plumbing and installation). Not to mention paper. The Satis is also the only toilet on the market to employ Plasmacluster technology (developed by SHARP for air purifiers; also used by Viking, for one, in their refrigerators) to disinfect with antibacterial ions. Other toilets simply have deodorizers.
This April the slightly less luxe version of the Satis hit the U.S. market. There's no music, but the important elements - like the Hyper Clean surface, which resists scratches and stains - are all in place.
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On the Horizon for K&B: GE
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text: Very rarely is paid DLC truly worth the price, but "rarely" ain't "always". ... Not that we wouldn't be better off without DLC as a whole in the first place, since epic DLC like Undead Nightmare would be released as an expansion t' be purchased and played separately anyways. 'Course, that's beside my point.


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We all know alot of old NES and Famicom games are hard. Stupid hard. Rage inducing hate fests, yet there are some of us who can't get enough. I am one of those people. I some how find my way into nightmares, i own an automotive shop and seem to get every friggin disaster car on the east coast, why should my game choices be any different.
Milon's Secret Castle. Brought to us by our friends Hudson Soft and graced our shores in sept of 88'. Thanks alot guys, as if Adventure Island wasnt already a pain in the balls. I got this gem the christmas of 1989, a ripe five years old. Im sure some of you read about it, or even watched the AVGN rant about it, and pretty much everything you heard is right. You start off, pretty much clueless, guiding a clunky elf looking goober named Milon, attempting to rescue the princess of this random castle. Armed with his useless bubbles and shit hit detection, you wander in the castle, without a fucking clue on what to do. It took me 2 years when i got this to get to the 3rd floor of the castle. 4 rooms, 1 well, 3 bosses = 2 years. All the hints the game offer are delivered in vague grammatical messes by some shopkeep who looks to be straight from a Jimmy Buffet concert.
Yeah thanks alot asshole?
Constant respawning enemies, no grace period after getting hit (you can get your whole life bar drained by one little sprite fuck who jams you in corner for christ's sake!), no logical key placement, most useful items hidden, lightning bolts that show up on the main castle screen if you take more than 8 seconds to make a choice, slow moving Milon, the list goes on. . .
Once you go through this door to the hidden shop and leave, you will respawn right to the bottom where a spawning enemy WILL hit you and as you can see from the life bar, your FUCKED
When you die, you start at the beginning of the game. The very beginning. Unless you know the "Cheat" that allows you to continue ( hold left on d-pad and start) your boned. So glad a code was put in so that any mortal could possibly beat this pile of shit.
After many childhood pissy fits thrown, continues made, and bedtimes without dinner, i put this shit down. For almost 20 years.
I never wanted to see this room EVER AGAIN!
Until January 3rd, 2010, when i sat down with a bottle of rum, and decided to put an end to this fuckfest and save the princess for good. Surprisingly, i remembered locations of most of the items and methods for the first 2 floors. Including that fucking well that so closely resembled hell. . . .
I can never get that damn Hudson Bee!
On to the 3rd level, a slightly familar area. Insert 20 years of gaming skills, and some how i was rocketing through. Then the 2 towers come along. One being a repeating maze, and the other being some kind of ice/electrical level that the designers found in the garbage can over at the Metroid studios. A little ingenuity and about 6 rum and cokes later, i was clear.
On to the fireplace, a place i could only go during a rum fueled childhood dream
Now im in some weird inner castle place and found the other "fake" princess! After the second tower, you find a fake princess who turns into some flaming crow prick who drops a crown, one of the two items that Jimmy Buffet mentioned i need to get to the 4th floor. After the battle and another drink, i was off to the last boss before the 4th floor.
This boss was a jerkoff, it took over 20 tries and a dangerous blood alcohol content to beat him.
On to the 4th floor. One room. 4 wizards. 1 real Maharito ( some kind of applebee's drink i guess). A metric fuckton of crows. After an hour and a full ashtray, i found the real one in the orange room (the room you start in of all things) and bubbled his ass to death. Standard nes ending. Off to bed. I told some friends of my achievement. No one really believed me. On to the next night, sober and determined i beat it again! This time with a facebook pic to prove it
It was over. 20 some years came to a close. Until last night that it when me and Ryan (Jaundice) decided i needed to play this shit again. After 2 hours of rage i got to the end and had to give up, my heart couldnt take it anymore. I did learn something though, the slow feature on my messiah controller made the last few bosses tolerable. Yes its using a tool against the game, but lets be honest, this game is a cheap son of a bitch. I felt i deserved that much. To restore confidence, me and Ryan did a very tight rip through of Super C (with only a few lives lost and no continues). 15 minutes of destroying aliens with spread shots eased the pain. Milon will be saved and beaten for our streaming game marathon though.
As much as this game makes me want to hijack a bus full of nuns and drive it into a puppy mill, i love it. Its mysterious and interesting. Sure the music makes you hate life, complete with the circus clown stage music, the taunting dungeon music and the stressful boss music, but ive been humming it all day. The barrage of hard ass bosses including a giant piece of shit in brown and blue color palettes.
Being completely lost in this clusterfuck castle is fun. I always remembered it from my younger years, so it had to stick on me a little bit ( like dog shit on my shoe, see above image). I recomend any retro gamer to play through it. You will laugh, you will cry, you will break something, but you will have some cheap fun and a nice sense of achievement if you can defeat it.
you will see this castle in your nightmares, i promise
PS: I used my girlfriends laptop to write this, which locked up, lost text, lost pics, and fucked me over and over again. Then the 1up servers went down right before i posted it. Maharito lived on in this vista infested piece of hp shit. He will return.. . .