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Topic: JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009 (Read 1771 times)
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JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009
June 12, 2009, 06:38:51 PM »
JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009
Thanks for dropping by and checking out JTA's roundup of all of the Hasbro Q&A sessions from around the web. This week's answers come in a little late as Hasbro has slid back the time to answer. The roundup is continually updating as we get more and more responses posted at the participating websites. If you know of a site that's participating in the Q&A's but isn't represented in our roundup, please drop us a line with a hyperlink to that site's Q&A.
You can check out each site's postings by clicking on the website title. And please do, as some of these websites need the traffic. The Star Wars Q&A's are posted alphabetically.
Also be sure to check back as we distill the Q&A's down to the real nitty gritty with out Q&A Headlines. That is where we give you real news that comes out of the Q&A: newly confirmed items, assortments, exclusive details, etc. And feel free to post about what Hasbro is saying in the Q&A process here in the Jedi Temple War Room.
That being said, let's start of at home:
We've been tracking the news of the new Rebel Snowspeeder since your broke that news with JTA in this September 2008 Q&A session. Can you give us an update on when this new Snowspeeder might be coming to market? And with the equally exciting news of an impending Snowspeeder pilot Luke Skywalker, could we also be in store for a new Dack Ralter to man that Snowspeeder with Commander Skywalker?
The Snowspeeder is still on track for the 2010 Starfighter line. No plans for Dak right now, but it's a virtual lock that we will get to him at some point.
Fans of the both the vintage and modern figure lines were excited with the news that the Ewok Warok (one of the few remaining vintage Ewoks) would be part of an upcoming battle pack. And it's always a great topic of conversation amongst collectors to see which figures from the vintage line have yet to be produced in the modern era. So when planning out the Basic Figure line, how much of a consideration is making modern resculpts of those vintage line stragglers? And which of those might be next on the list for their modern line rendition after Warok?
We do try to get some key upgrades into the lineup every year; when we can't fit them in the basic figure lineup we look for other ways to have
them "in the bag." There are quite a few more surprises lined up for nextyear as well, but we need to keep that close to the vest. Trust us when we say that the list is shrinking although perhaps not enough for some fans (some like the Imperial Dignitary will still take a long while to find their way into the lineup).
One of the single most anticipated figures in the basic figure line is undoubtedly the RETURN OF THE JEDI throne room duel Luke Skywalker. Collectors seem to have been waiting for years for this one! And more than a few were a little bummed to see that it wasn't shown in the recent Star Wars Insider article. How much of a challenge has it been to design and produce this particular figure, especially considering the great expectations from the collecting community?
The Luke figure has not been a particular challenge, it's been more the whole wave which has been bumped back due to delays. We will have the
entire EpVI wave available for inspection shortly, at Comic Con.
And now to continue on through the online Star Wars Collecting Community!
Rumor has it that there will be a Captain Jeremoch Colton figure in the ROTS wave later this year. Are we talking about a new sculpt or just a kit-bashed version of the 2005 Captain Antilles figure?
He's an all-new figure with much more articulation than Antilles.
Can we get a better look at the Camie & Fixer comic pack that was recently mentioned to be coming soon?
Actually, the Camie & Fixer pack has been removed from the Comic Pack lineup due to some changes we had to make to balance the tooling budget (the tooling bill was staggering and could not do everything we wanted). We are looking for a home for the set, and it will eventually come out, but have not settled on final plans yet. In any case, it's too soon to release any pics on that. It would likely be early Spring of next year before we talked about it.
Bounty hunters seem to be lacking lately or in need of update. Any chance of getting Zam, Dengar, Zuckuss, or Aura Sing (non animated)?
Yes, there are a strong chance that they all will be updated within the next 24 months in one form or another.
Recently, Hasbro has updated cockpits on a few OT ships, including the B-wing, TIE Fighter, and A-wing, not to mention the detailed cockpit on the new Millennium Falcon. We understand that the B-wing and A-wing got new detailed cockpits because they had the opportunity from their use as exclusives, but exclusives or not, are there any plans or thoughts about continuing that practice on other ships? The X-wing, Vader's TIE, and Y-wing are all good candidates for new, detailed cockpits, but would the small size of some of those cockpits prevent those upgrades?
We would like to eventually work the same cockpit treatment on all of the classic ships. Right now, the Y-Wing is likely to be up next.
Now that we're starting to see pictures of actual samples of the new basic figure packaging, it begs the question: what is the thinking behind the significant amount of blank white area behind the figures? It basically looks like a nearly empty bubble that one would see in lesser products, such as last year's Star Wars figure keychains from another company. Especially considering the figures' new pricepoint of $8, doesn't it seem like a particularly poor idea to use packaging that minimizes the visual impact of the amount of product within?
The line look was directed by Lucasfilm.
Fans are glad to see the Jawa with WED Droid set produced, getting us 1 step closer to a complete "purchase of the droids" scene, but it seems like this pack-in WED droid is a tad on the large size. Comparison images have it around 25% larger than its movie counterpart. Also, the coloring on the toy is significantly different from the Jawa scene's white and red design seen at the droid sale (WED-15-ST68) - the gray and copper droid made into the figure was used in a cut scene by Fixer at Tosche station. So on the WED droid, why the increase in scale, and why the different colors?
We "measured" the WED droid very carefully against several film reference points to triangulate the size, but in the end we were faced with a tough choice: due to minimum plastic thicknesses, we either had to break the proportions of the various elements, or take everything up in scale just a tad. We went with the increase, thinking that the proportion and overall aesthetic was more important for on-shelf display than having one element or the other out of balance. As for deco - great detective work! We thought we were doing the Purchase of the Droids version; we'll look into that and if you are right, we have a cool variation for sometime down the road. We expect that few people would mind adding another one of these incredible droids to their shelves given evidence for two distinct ones. Thanks for the heads-up and interest.
Any chance of September's Wal-Mart Evolutions "Army Builder" figures making their way to single-carded status, like in The Saga Legends Collection or even the regular line-up? Specifically, the Storm Commandos and V-Wing Pilots? Please, please, please?!
With so few Saga Legends slots to work with, and so many great figures that we could choose, the odds of any one getting selected are very small. It's possible that we could do a future vote to determine some that we might add into the mix (we are aware of some of the fan votes currently underway for topics like this), but that won't be for a long time. Better to get enough of them when they are available for your needs, because you just can't count on any availability afterward.
If Fi Skirata in his "custom-painted" white Commando armor is going to come out in an Evolutions Pack like Scorch came out single-carded, might there be an Omega Squad multi-pack forthcoming, like you did for Delta Squad, or Omega Squad in their black "stealth" armor . . . ? Hint, hint?
We don't have one in the lineup, but that is an outstanding idea for some time down the road.
To be continued.
Last Edit: June 17, 2009, 09:18:04 PM by Gold 5
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Re: JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009
Reply #1 on:
June 12, 2009, 06:50:28 PM »
JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009 - PART 2
Is there any chance of a retooled or kitbashed Cade Skywalker without the jacket and with sleeveless arms (similar to the first Quinlon Vos' arms)? We see him like this more in the comic than with his jacket on. And on the subject of Cade Skywalker, is there a possibility of someday getting a version in Sith Armor for when he was being mentored by Darth Krayt? Shabby Blue (Fashionista)
As to a sleeveless version, yes there is one in the works. The Sith Armor version is interesting but short-lived in the comic relative to other characters from Legacy that we are looking at. It's unlikely we'll get to this version.
[Editor's Note: Praise-be to Wookieepedia for the imagery and for just being generally awesome despite their reluctance to accept Stormy Sevenspire as a legitimate part of the Star Wars Universe. Don't everyone write letters all at once. No, really...]
Are we going to get a version of the Tactical Droid seen in the new Clone Wars cartoons, such as TX-20 or TA-175. Several have appeared in episodes with different paint jobs but they all have the same body design. It would be a great candidate for multiple releases with the different paint jobs. Shabby Blue (Droid Salesbot)
Yes, we will be getting the Tactical Droid out there sometime within the next 12 months.
Hasbro, in the Q&A from 05/08/09 it was stated that there are new 'tools' (new models) coming out this fall for vintage vehicles that would make the old tools obsolete. It's already assumed that one is the AT-ST (from Endor), and we know two vehicles from Hoth are up for their makeovers. So the question is, does the Hoth vehicle walk or fly? JediMC6 (He and his wife...)
[Editor's Note: That's the cleaned up and polite version for print. He also declares: "Don't tell us to [wait until] Comic-Con because I live in PA, and I sure can't get to San Dawg for the convention. You let the cat outta the bag on your own time to take one on the chin for collectors they ain't no kid driven toy if it's vintage!!!" That last part implies that Saga is considered the adult/collector line.]
You're digging in the wrong spot. Answers will be revealed soon, at Comic Con, and as always our collector panel presentation will be picked up and run by all major websites as well as starwars.com, so fans everywhere can get the same information at nearly the same time (not to mention pictures galore from the show floor).
Can you clear up for us when that second Ugnaught sculpt is shipping? We thought he was coming with the Phantom Menace Wave, but the case packs don't list him. Is he delayed until the RotJ wave (or later) or has he been cancelled all together as some are claiming?
The second Ugnaught sculpt is shipping in the Fall red & white line look. We decided to make him a "seventh" new figure in a Fall wave rather than not have him ship.
The 'Training on the Falcon' Battle Pack was a great way for you to get some figures and accessories out there to compliment the new Falcon. How about trying it again with an ESB theme this time? Maybe an upgrade to the classic Kenner 'Vehicle Maintenance Energizer' along with a couple of mynocks, Echo Base Han & Chewie and a new Echo Base droid?
Interesting suggestion, but we have some other plans for the figures next year. Stay tuned!
New info from online shops has revealed a new wave of Galactic Heroes - Ahsoka & Goldie, Thire & IG-86, ARF Trooper & Yoda, and Kit Fisto & Grievous! Wed love to see pics, but if you cant share them until SDCC can you at least tell us if they are all new sculpts or if some are simple repaints of existing sculpts?
These are all new figures, and they are indeed awesome! Grievous in particular is amazing with four spinning lightsaber-clenching wrists.
Have you ever considered doing a Star Wars Holiday themed type battle pack?
We have done holiday-themed set in the past, with mixed results. With the best ones behind us, inspired by Ralph McQuarrie's card art in many cases, we don't see going back to the format for 3-3/4". The Galactic Heroes holiday sets did just OK, so we're not in a hurry to back to the holiday theme.
Will the Clone Wars Y-Wing fighter come with a figure or droid?
Similar to the Starfighter Vehicle Assortment, the Deluxe Vehicle Assortment will not come with any figures.
Have you ever considered making a Bespin Gantry playset from Empire Strikes Back?
We have not considered making this scene. If we did embark on playsets, which we are not actively pursuing, we would be likely to select a scene with more action or playset-type features that would be appealing to kids.
We've noticed a few of the e-tailers are now soliciting a Ratts/Clegg 2-pack in the Phantom Menace wave cases. Can you please confirm/deny for us if you've been able to work out the tooling cost to give us a Pod Racer 2-pack instead of just a lone Cliegg?
That image was not vetted before it went out and as such had outdated information. We are working to correct this with our retailers. Even if we could have been able to cost him back in, which we couldn't, it is far too late now.
Are there any plans to re-use parts of the new Captain Typho figure to help whip up a new version of Captain Panaka or maybe a new generic Naboo Royal Security figure from Episode 1? Those original Episode 1 Naboo Troopers are looking a bit dated and sure could use an upgrade.
We will certainly look at this. We want to make EpI waves on a regular (yearly) basis and the troops are a solid option to always look at for those Naboo hangar scenes.
When designing new figures, what determines whether the head will be cast in flesh-tone plastic or cast in another color and then painted flesh-tone? Is it cost, asthetics or something else that determines which path you choose?
We are agnostic as to flesh tone in a molded color vs painted, since there are copious examples of both throughout the line. The decision is usually based on what is going to be the least-expensive way to get to the final result, by controlling the fewest deco operations.
To be continued.
Last Edit: June 17, 2009, 09:18:46 PM by Gold 5
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Re: JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009
Reply #2 on:
June 12, 2009, 07:10:38 PM »
JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009 - PART 3
I've read recently that you made a comment in regards to the "Legacy Collection not selling well" That may be true, from a certain point of view, but I don't think you guys have the full picture. One of the major problems I have noticed (especially in recent times) is that retail continues to restock with older assortments. My local Target-Australia store has been without new Legacy (and Clone Wars figures) for some months now and yesterday they finally had something on the pegs - turned out to be Legacy Wave #1 and Clone Wars Wave #1 - again! This is happening at a number of stores.
On the same day Coles-Australia put out a fresh case of TAC Wave 4/5 remix (Holiday Boba, Jedi Luke, Stormtrooper etc) and now the people who already bought these figures, have to wait until these are all sold, which could take some time. The last few months have seen Big W-Australia restock, but with TLC Waves #3 and #4, preventing Wave #5 from getting through at many retailers.
How are we expected to support the line, if retailers aren't educated on what is new, what is old and what is last years collection? How can we truly support the line, if there is nothing new to collect?
Retailers, for the most part, are far removed from the components in the assortments that ship out of their distribution centers and into the stores. If older waves are showing up, it's because they haven't moved through from Hasbro the retailer in the original expected quantity, meaning that it's slower than we'd like. Before we get to the new waves, we often have to make sure we get through the prior, or else the inventory will get increasingly older and will have nowhere to go.
However, your comment about TAC shipping into the Legacy Collection space is a disturbing one, since those have distinct 5-digit Assortments and that should not be possible, unless the retailer has "linked" the assortments to avoid markdowns. If that is the case, it could explain why older assortments are showing up, likely out of their warehouses.
Why do we need to have "exclusive" action figures, such as the ones sold on starwarsshop.com or hasbrotoyshop.com? Wouldn't it be easier to simply relegate these releases to the basic line? Then collectors wouldn't have to worry about the (exorbitant) shipping costs from sws.com or the fact that hasbrotoyshop.com does not ship outside the US.
HasbroToyShop has made a commitment to go to San Diego Comic Con every year, and we support the initiative with exclusives to offset costs and help contribute to their goals. If not for that, it's likely that we would not do exclusives through HasbroToyShop.
Is there any chance that the following figures will receive upgrades in the next two or three years - Grand Moff Tarkin, Gamorrean Guard, Yak Face, Artoo Pop Up Saber, EV-9D9, Anakin Skywalker (Shaw), Rebel Commando, Rebel Fleet Trooper, Ishi Tibb, Dash Rendar, Anakin Skywalker (Lloyd), See Threepio (TPM and AOTC), Jar Jar (TPM) or what about Chewie as Snoova from SOTE?
Yes, some of these *will* be updated in the next two years. We really want to do Snoova; he's come up a few times recently. We think it might be due to the renewed interest in bounty hunters thanks to The Clone Wars.
We would like to see him upgraded but right now don't have him in a specific slot.
If collector-oriented obscure movie-only background figures are going to be less common in the basic line, is there any other place where they could be offered like a HasbroToyShop similar to MattyCollector.com? Their online-exclusive lines have been pretty successful and they are limited runs. You know, like the Lucas Family box set that was offered on StarWarsShop.com?
We have actually been in business with this model before with the GI Joe line, and it has *not* been a successful business model. The reality is that online sales are only a small fraction of the total releases that brick and mortar will support. Despite the ease of getting figures online, many fans simply don't bother, or they enjoy the thrill of the hunt that is part of their collecting experience. As such, we have no plans to move back to this space and we prefer to devote our resources to delivering figures within our mainline assortments along with great exclusives and occasional Convention items.
Will we see more Shadows of the Empire figures remade (the Prince Xizor & Leia Comic Pack is great!) like Chewbacca in Snoova Bounty Hunter disguise and Dash Rendar, Luke Skywalker In Imperial Guard Disguise and a few characters that were never made like Guri, Furlag, and Leebo!
Yes, there will be some more Shadows figures from the list you mentioned, but it will take some time. Our guess is that within the next two years there will be at least two and perhaps more make it into the lineup in one form or another. Guri is the top choice, but she is not likely to be the first one out.
It's great that you're releasing the remote control astromechs in the U.S., but one of them (R5-X2) was never made as a basic figure (or a Build-A-Droid). All the other droids relased as remote control are also available as regular versions (which are more in scale and better detailed). Any plans to eventually release R5-X2 as a regular figure?
While R5-X2 is not in the lineup now, he would be a great one for down the road. Eventually, within the next couple of years.
Hey Hasbro - What's UP? Why haven't the stores in my area seen any new figures since early February? Are you planning on ramming 56 new figures down my throat in a 6 week span sometime soon?
We assume you are referring to Legacy and not the Clone Wars figures. The Droid Factory EpIV wave has been shipping for a while (we assume that's the Feb wave you mentioned). The EpV wave has been out for a few weeks, and the EpII wave is now available. We are actively shipping the new waves. Beyond us making the waves available for retailers to order, we can't control when they get out and to what stores, since it's up to the automated replenishment systems at individual stores to note when figures need to be shipped from a retailers distribution center to the stores. If your store has some slower-moving figures on the pegs, this may be the reason why. We have noticed that Wal-Mart seems to be doing a much better job of getting the new Droid Factory figures to shelf lately than other retailers. Those will be the last of the blue/white line look, to be followed in late August/early Sept. by numerous new waves. There have been about 20 new figures so far this Spring; there will be about 34 available in the Fall. This is more back-loaded than is ideal, but the change to the new line look meant we had to hold over at least one wave until Fall (the EpVI wave) rather than have it risk not being released at all if we ended up not needing it in Spring (which we didn't).
Today, I picked up the new Star Trek Bridge playset at Target. I am not a big Trek fan and I am not a Trek collector but I thought the playset would be a good way to display some vintage figures from other lines (Black Hole, Battlestar Gallactica, Buck Rogers, etc.) in one spot. The playset is a fairly simple piece (actually, a group of pieces) but is very well done (it actually reminds me somewhat of Palpatine's office in Ep. II and III). Because of its simplicity, it doesn't appear as if it would be overly costly to produce. In addition, the playset can be significantly expanded by buying separate packs of 'galaxy packs' that include chairs, consoles, and figures. Clearly, the galaxy packs are meant to help minimize the actual cost of the original playset while still offering consumers the chance to complete the environment. They also help increase the viability of production by "encouraging" fans to purchase the additional sets, which are mostly composed of re-paints and re-packs of previously released items. Is this an approach that Hasbro would consider for playsets? I can envision similar approaches to several Star Wars environments; the Emperor's Throne Room in ROTJ, Palpatine's Office in AOTC and ROTS, the Mos Eisley Cantina, various Death Star areas, the Hoth base, Yavin, Bespin, etc., etc.
This is not an approach that we would consider for playsets. We do not believe that this would be a successful model for us, because the model is collector-targeted and the only viable playset approach would be a kid-targeted or, best case, attract a dual audience with a properly designed playset. Playsets cannot narrowly target collectors, since the costs to tool them up are formidable which places a burden on garnering the largest audience possible (for example, like we do with the new large-scale vehicle program which consumers the same design resources and approximately the same tooling and retail price as a playset would). All of the ones you cite would only appeal to adult fans at this point since kids are primarily Clone Wars-focused. If we felt there was a great playset we could do that matched the current entertainment, we would pursue it, but there has been nothing in Clone Wars that is an enduring environment that would led itself to great playset design. If the Death Star ever came back in future entertainment, that would be our choice, but for now we are concentrating on driving the vehicle system to new and greater heights until the time we do see a large playset opportunity.
In the final part of Season One of the Clone Wars, the Ryloth story arc featured Republic AT-TE's with a different color scheme (Grey with green accent) than the AT-TE's featured in Episodes 2 and 3 (grey with red/maroon accent). Will we see a re-issued AT-TE with this new paint scheme at some point in the future or at the very least a re-release of the AT-TE with grey+red/maroon coloring?
We are not planning a re-release of the AT-TE right now, but we hope that in the future we will have an opportunity to bring it back out. If we do, we have earmarked that Ryloth version as a possibility, along with considering any future color schemes we may see. The only thing certain is that if there is a re-release it will not the original color scheme.
In a recent answer, you said unless you could find a way to market Titaniums to kids, there were slim chances for a re-launch. Ok. However, in the Titanium brand's history, there hasn't been any focus on in-package co-play, that is, vehicle vs vehicle battle excitement, a "battle in a box". That has long been a feature of the micro-vehicles expression since Galoob's first foray into Star Wars 15 years ago, and over the past 5 years has been a growing portion of Hasbro's 3.75" action figure brand with stuff like multipacks and battle packs. But Titanium hasn't enjoyed such marketing, there haven't been battle packs recreating the Death Star trench run, there haven't been 2-packs of Jedi Starfighters vs Vulture Droids or AT-TEs vs Hailfire Droids. Why hasn't that been explored, get the kid market into battles right from the package, and thus start their Titaniums interest? Might the concept be worth testing out for a holiday retailer exclusive? Relatives are likely to buy kids an X-wing vs TIE Fighter, Snowspeeder vs AT-ST, Slave 1 vs Falcon, and other recognizable 2-packs for Christmas, especially if they have dynamic "in battle" packaging, don't you think?
While potentially a very interesting visual packaging execution, we don't think this the multi-pack suggestion an approach that will get kids interested in Titanium. With no inherent play pattern other than to facilitate imagination, and collectability, the format has limited chance to appeal to kids. We have looked at Micro Machines type of play, and even launched a full-scale (non Star Wars) Micro Machines relaunch a few years ago, but the micro play pattern as we know it is no longer interesting to kids.
With the drop in sales of the Legacy Collection, might it be time to rethink the stance on realistic versions of the Clone Wars characters? We know you have said many times "no plans for that", but the original Clone Wars animated line couldn't survive at market with a realistic-styled version out as well, it just seems like 1 popular figure line is always destined to cannibalize the other line's sales. Having realistic-styled CW figs would slow the hemorrhaging of casual collectors away from the core brand, unifying some of the fractured collector community. It also allows interactivity between the lines for the more fickle kids and collectors. So while Hasbro has no plans currently in place for the format change, might Hasbro ask Lucasfilm to rethink their stance for the protection of the realistic line, perhaps at least a single figure exclusive to gauge support for that realistic CW format?
It doesn't seem that a migration to Clone Wars is responsible for the drop in Legacy/Droid Factory. On the whole, collector purchases have dropped some, across the whole brand. There may be collectors active in Clone Wars, but if that's the case they have really "voted" to collect that expression. It remains an interesting suggestion, but there are still no plans to "cross-over" the lines.
Hasbro has confirmed that the 2009 Return of the Jedi assortment will include a new sculpt of Malakili, the Rancor Keeper. Given that virtually nobody was asking for a revisited Malakili, and that the '97 figure is one of the biggest pegwarmers of all time, certainly the most notorious one, why did you choose him over so many seemingly more deserving (and requested) Return of the Jedi characters? If there was a Hasbro desire to revisit him, wouldn't it have made far more sense to include him with the Target exclusive Rancor instead? With figures like Bane Malar, Breha Organa, and other not-really-thought-about collector-focused figures being released to less-than-enthusiastic sales, isn't Malakili an even bigger risk? Will there be a conscious effort to limit this figure's production and/or release rate to stem pegwarming concerns? Could you explain to collectors what the thinking was behind this release?
We decided that he was deserving of an articulation update, part of our desire to eventually rework all of the Kenner lineup. We would have liked to include him with the Rancor, but he was not ready in time (the Rancor was actually intended to be on shelf last November, but a date slip bumped him out to this Spring; essentially, they were almost a year apart). He will indeed be limited as will *all* collector-targeted figures starting with the Attack of the Clones wave. Despite what you think about Bane Malor, the fans seem to like him; unlike some of the "passive" characters, he was a very successful figure with no sell-through issues whatsoever.
To be continued.
Last Edit: June 17, 2009, 09:19:40 PM by Gold 5
Stabilize your rear deflectors. Watch for enemy fighters.
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Re: JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009
Reply #3 on:
June 12, 2009, 10:24:33 PM »
JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009 - PART 4
The lack of recent Legacy figures appearing at Canadian retail is disconcerting. Can we expect to see waves 5 and later of the Legacy in greater numbers at regular Canadian retail or has ordering & production switched to the new line of figures (in the new packaging) slated for later this year? And is this current lack of Canadian Legacy figures due to a slowdown in the Star Wars brand or are the retailers taking a step back due to the economics in the world?
Retailers are not scaling back, but chasing the assortments that are doing very well. Similar to what is happening in the U.S., the Legacy Collection/Droid Factory is struggling a bit compared to the other basic figure assortments (Clone Wars and Saga Legends). Other assortments will be making their way to retail, but likely in smaller quantities in line with the current consumer demand.
I wanted to echo a previous Q&A in saying how great I think the Spacetrooper helmet is compared to all the other removable Stormtrooper helmets tooled so far. Now that we have a great helmet mold, could Hasbro perhaps look at redoing the stormtrooper blaster rifle? If you look at your own artwork on the card for Stormtrooper Han (showing him holding up a blaster), it's a somewhat larger weapon than the current Hasbro mold (especially heightwise). The same actually goes for the clonetrooper short rifle as well, which has always seemed a bit smaller than the movie (look at when the 501st points his rifle at Bail Organa, it looks far bigger/menacing than the rifle that we currently get with our clones).
Thanks for the comment. We thought we were in scale, but we'll take a look and see if future improvements can be made.
The ESB Evo Emperor with a plastic hood looks great, finally solving the problem of soft goods hoods not having the necessary "weight" to drape downward on the head. And better, the plastic hood isn't too oversized like the previous attempt at the RotJ Emperor's hood. Can we now also get plastic hooded versions of old Ben (using your fantastic ANH Ben sculpt) for a proper ANH Duel with Vader, and of ANH Leia for her scene with R2 in the Tantive corridor? Also can you add footholes to the feet of your next incarnation of ANH Leia (the current ESB one doesn't have them, making it harder to stand her up).
We're glad you like it - the removable hood does seem like a nice solution. You make some excellent suggestions, and we'll look into it for future versions of Obi-Wan and Leia.
I really like how you keep adding a few new cantina aliens to the lineup every year. The accessories that some of them have come with are great too! What I am wondering is if a similar yearly focus on Jabba's Palace aliens could be successful as well, or is there a fear that collectors would not support that kind of a theme as well as they have the cantina denizens? There are still a lot of great palace characters that have yet to be made such as Wam Lufba (Yuzzum), Geezum, Loje Nella and many more.
We would like to follow the Jabba's skiff/Sail Barge aliens systematically, and hope that we can get a couple new ones in each year. Geezum would be a likely candidate someday. The other two are doubtful, at least for a very long while.
You have said in the past that if the vintage style cardbacks ever return, they would also be used for prequel and EU figures. Do you think that these will ever become a reality? Have any concepts ever been created of what a vintage style card for a prequel film character would look like? If so, would you be able to share a picture?
We actually have not created a vintage style card for a prequel character, but can indeed confirm that this is the agreed direction should Vintage ever return. While there is no mock-up, we think that the cards would
look spectacular, as if the Vintage line had never stopped. It's an intriguing and powerful concept, and one we hope to be able to get to when the time is right.
I've heard that Malakili is on the drawing board as an upcoming figure. While I look forward to being able to buy a companion for the upcoming Rancor, was any consideration given instead to do any of the other rancor keepers present in Jabba's dungeon that have never been previously released?
We decided to go with Malakili because he checked off another box - that of a vintage figure that we wanted to bring completely up to date. We would like to do the other main Rancor keep some day.
In past Q&A's Hasbro has stated that certain segments of the line have suffered due to a shrinking of the collector base. Hasbro has also stated that they have changed some plans due to this downturn - for example a cancelled EU wave, etc.
With no theatrical pushes any time soon for Star Wars, does Hasbro expect the collector base to grow again at some point? And/or what will Hasbro try to do to attract the collector base back?
Great question! One thing that is certain is that the current core collector base is still strong, and we will keep planning a great lineup every year. It's just that we have to be a bit more cautious on quantities and committments to keep the line moving through waves nicely.
As to whether the fans who are on the sidelines will come back, our guess is that some probably will because their situation is temporary. And some probably won't as their time away from the hobby might impact their interest. We do expect the ranks of collectors to grow over time as a new generation enters the ranks: kids who grew up with Episode I in the next few years as well as fans who became fans of The Clone Wars. We also have some very special plans in the works that stand a very good chance of drawing A LOT of casual fans back. But you'll have to wait until Toy Fair next year to learn more about that!
Certain other toy companies seem to have found some level of success with a line of figures aimed squarely at collectors available as online only exlcusives ordered directly from them (Mattel's Masters Of The Universe Classics). Instead of having overflowing pegs of Yarna and Willrows, collectors could just get them online. Is this a business model Hasbro might employ to distribute figures that might be collector focused, but would otherwise languish on store shelves?
We have actually been in business with this model before with the GI Joe line and it has NOT been a successful business model. The reality is that online sales are only a small fraction of the total releases that brick and mortar will support. Despite the ease of getting figures online many fans simply don't bother, or they enjoy the thrill of the hunt that is part of their collecting experience. As such none of Hasbro's lines have made the move back to this space and we prefer to devote our resources to delivering figures within our mainline assortments along with great exclusives and occassional convention items.
Recently we have noticed that Hasbro Toy Shop has been selling AFA graded figures. What were the reasons behind this decision to sell AFA graded figures? And will we see this AFA trend continue with Hasbro exclusive figures in the Hasbro Star Wars license or others?
Hasbro Toy Shop was looking for new ways to expand their business. And with a growing interest in graded figures elected to build out of a segment of their business devoted to graded figures. We're not certain what the expansion plans are in this space regarding Star Wars exclusives.
With talk that Hasbro might reuse the Ten Numb/Keyan Farlander sculpt again in 2009, can you fix the tendency for this figure to lean over to his left side? While the problem is not as bad on Keyan, on Ten he leans over quite conspicuously. I wouldn't want to end up with a small squad of B-Wing pilots that all lean over to one side as Hasbro uses this sculpt for future pilot figures.
This figure was actually made to stand with one leg forward, rather than the standard "at attention" pose that a lot of our pilots have. We were trying to give some variety to the posing so scenes could look a little more organic and like we see in many scenes. We have heard from a number of collectors that they would prefer to have figures that are in a standard pose, so this is something we'll consider, especially as we release future B-Wing Pilots.
The only really disappointing aspect about both the TAC Mace Windu and now the TLC Stass Allie is the use of rigid plastic for the Jedi skirt. Hasbro took a big step in the right direction with the elasticized skirts and partial soft goods for the rear when they re-did both Obi-Wan and Anakin for TAC so they could easily sit and pose their legs in more dynamic action poses. That can't be said for Mace or Stass though and it's frustrating that I can't sit them either in Jedi starfighters or in my Jedi Council set from a few years ago. Could Hasbro please try to design future Jedi figures similar to the Obi and Anakin for better overall playability and poseability?
That's a great comment that we'll pass on to the design team. Thanks very much!
For the other rebel ground crewman that was dropped from the Scramble battlepack, can Hasbro include him in a way that makes it easy to army build? For those of us who want to recreate the Yavin ceremony, there are dozens of these crewmen in the audience. Hasbro may love it if we buy a dozen battlepacks to get more of this guy, but our wallets sure wouldn't. And what about making it easier to swap heads with future rebel figures so that we can try to diversify the looks of the crewmen (they aren't clones after all).
While it's a great idea, we can't ensure a head-swap standard since we don't have a "universal" size and the size of the neck ball differs based on the figure (they are sculpted by an array of sculptors). As for the future repacking of the ground crew figure, we have no plans to get him back out there but understand the desire. Perhaps some day we will look at him again.
To be continued.
Last Edit: June 17, 2009, 10:49:44 PM by Gold 5
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Re: JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009
Reply #4 on:
June 14, 2009, 11:30:17 AM »
JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009 - PART 5
I find the Clone Wars figures hit or miss. I realise they are designed for kids but some are amazing and others not so much. Are you going to go back and redo or variations of some you have already released at all? For example a fully articulated Anakin and Obi-Wan would be most welcome.
The 1st versions were hampered by the robes and not able to do much below the waist.
We will not be re-doing the basic figures to cater to the collector audience, but instead re-releasing them to keep up with kid demand for the core figures. We may release more articulated versions of Anakin and Obi-Wan as needed for other sets - such as the figure/vehicle packs for example where they may need greater articulation to sit astride a vehicle. There will be other versions of both coming as well (such as space suit versions) but articulation will be on a case-by-case basis. In general, the Clone Wars line will not have as much articulation as the Legacy figure line, since kids are less demanding in this regard.
My 6 years old daughter is becoming a big Star Wars fan, but there aren't any girl orientated toys for her. Are there any plans to fill this collector group? Maybe a Barbie style of doll with interchangeable clothes would be a direction to take.
We build any line around consumer insights drawn from the entertainment, matched to the demographic. Despite the huge success of Clone Wars, Star Wars still remains very boy-focused. That's not to say there aren't girls watching, but the market is just not big enough to warrant development of
a line for the small demographic and a play pattern that is not a solid fit (more credence could be given to interchangeable Clone gear, for instance, than a Padme-type play pattern like we attempted for Episode I and which did not succeed). We do know that many girls who get into Star
Wars want lightsabers and role play, and will play with action figures just like the boys... we saw this during Episode III and believe the same trend holds for Clone Wars.
You have made bigger scale X-Wings, Tie Fighters and Millennium Falcon, is there any chance of there being bigger scale Slave 1? With Boba Fett being such a popular character I am sure that a bigger Slave 1 would be welcomed by collectors.
The Slave 1 is very high up on the list of vehicles we'd like to see re-done someday. If there were entertainment support behind, we'd feel more confident about it's chances of success, since we'd need more than collectors to get behind what would be a more expensive vehicle.
Recently collectors have been noticing a shift in the color of the B.A.D. parts for U-3PO from the bright silver in their initial release to a more subdued champagne/platinum hue. Was this variation produced intentionally to correct an initial molding error or are the new colored parts just something that happens in production?
This change was based on a request from Lucasfilm. We were able to catch the request partway through the run, and the color moved from the silver version to the slightly more yellow "champagne" version. The color difference is *very* subtle.
The new Magnaguard fighter is starting to hit shelves around the country and I was lucky enough to pick one up the other day and it is one awesome vehicle. High praise to the designer(s) that had the foresight to incorporate the storage hatches for the Magnaguard's electrostaff in each wing. I did notice something quite curious about the fighter though. What is the intended purpose of the hexgonal hole on the top of aft section of the fuselage? The only use I can see for it is to stow the CW Magnaguard figure's rocket launcher. Am I close in guessing what this is for or is there some other function for it that I'm not seeing?
Yes indeed, it is designed to be compatible with the Magnaguard's launcher. You know, this vehicle is a pretty cool one when you think about it. Who knew, when we first saw Episode III unfold on screen, that we'd see these cool guys get their own ship (much less multiple different versions of this single type of droid). This is why we love Star Wars!
It's been a while since we've heard anything about the progress of Willrow Hood, can we expect to see a finished version of him on display at SDCC (San Diego Comic-Con)? If not*, would it be possible for you to share a teaser photo with us of the prototype (or final figure) to see how this fan fav's sculpt is coming along?
Yes, you will see Willrow in all his fan-requested glory, with signature accessory, at Comic Con
Keep checking back as more sites continue to file their Q&A reports.
Last Edit: June 17, 2009, 09:29:14 PM by Gold 5
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Gold 5
War Room Staff
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Karma: +25/-1
Posts: 1682
Stay on target!
Re: JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF JUNE 12th, 2009
Reply #5 on:
June 17, 2009, 10:52:03 PM »
Three sites added:
-Creature Cantina
-SW Action News
-The Jawa
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Former Syracuse great Art Monk's induction into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame will be complete on August 28 when he enshrined in a ceremony in Atlanta. The enshrinement will honor a class of 24 of the greatest legends to play the game. Monk was officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December at a ceremony that took place in New York City.
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Yingling Auto Center, Inc
Phone: (419) 483-5540Fax: (419) 483-3529View Additional Phone Numbers1701 E. Main St., Bellevue, OH 44811http://www.yinglingauto.comView Additional Web Addresses
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Picture of fins on the GO 155?
View Single Post
10th August 2009, 02:27 AM
Dream Team - School Guru
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,177
Here's a picture of the "cleaver" style fin.
The photo is from the 2002 Website archive.
The fin in the photo is a 40 cm, but these fins have beens supplied in 33 cm; 40 cm;
41 cm; and 43 cm.
All of the cleaver fins are basically the same shape (minor changes in the radius at the
juncture of the leading edge and the tip, but basically the same).
If you look at the GO board section of the 2002 website archive:
you will see the 33 cm Drake Ames version of the cleaver fin, and also the GO side fins.
Not sure if your GO 155 has the side fin inserts, but earlier model GO boards all had the provision to attach the side fins for sub-planing early beginner sailing.
As far as getting out the inlet on your lake, learn to tip your board upwind and carry the rig a little forward of vertical and you should be able to get upwind fairly easily in sub planing mode.
You Chinook bases should fit, but you may need the brass T-Nut to extend the length of the threads to accomodate the thicker EVA deck material.
Hope this helps,
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Candidate filing week begins Monday
Candidates planning to run for office in the Aug. 7 Primary Election or the Nov. 6 General Election must file Monday, May 14 through Friday, May 18.
"If you are considering running for office, our website offers a candidate manual that provides comprehensive information about the process," said Elections Director Sherril Huff. "Most candidates file online because it's easy and efficient."
During filing week, candidates have three ways to file for office:
• Online starting at 9 a.m. Monday, May 14 until 4 p.m., Friday, May 18. Candidates may file online 24 hours/day.
• In-person from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, Monday, May 14 through Friday, May 18. Candidates who choose to file in-person use designated computers at the King County Elections Department headquarters, 919 SW Grady Way, Renton.
• By mail until May 18. Filings made by mail must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on May 18, regardless of postmark.
An updated list of candidate filings will be posted on the Elections website at noon and by 6 p.m. each day until the filing week ends.
A complete list of offices subject to election, along with additional information on candidate filing and a manual for candidates, is available on the Elections website.
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ESSEXVILLE – Harry Halub was not a superstitious man.
But he knew enough not to mess with the golf gods.
So, like finding a swing or putting stroke that is working, he wasn't about to part with the golf shirt that brought him good karma on the golf course.
"I just remember him wearing this one shirt all the time. As fast as I could wash it and press it, he had it back on again," said Fern Halub, his wife of 58 years. "I can hear him saying 'Where's that shirt? I won when I was wearing that shirt.' He just felt it was par for the course for him to wear that shirt to golf."
On Saturday and Sunday, 26 of the area's premier golfers bring their own bits of good luck with them to the course when they compete in the sixth annual Bay City Times Halub Cup Challenge. The 13-on-13 event pits a team of Bay County public course golfers against a team of Bay City Country Club players, with action starting at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Country Club and 11 a.m. Sunday at Bay County Golf Course.
The tournament is a memorial to one of Bay County's all-time golf greats. Halub, who died in 2007 at the age of 81, was a five-time winner of what is now known as the Bay County Championship and a two-time state champion for the Knights of Columbus.
And, more often than not, when Halub hoisted a trophy, he did so while wearing his lucky shirt.
"I would tell him 'Pretty soon you're going to swing and it's going to go whoosh and rip right apart because it's so worn,'" said Fern, who still has the shirt donned by her husband on the links in the 1940s and 1950s.
A white, short-sleeve, knit shirt with green, chain-linked ovals, the shirt holds plenty of golf history. Halub not only won the Bay County Championship in 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955 and 1957, he finished as runner-up three times to account for eight top-2 finishes in a 12-year span.
The Bay County Sports Hall of Famer also paired with famed partner John Tews to take on Bay City Country Club stars Chuck Mackenzie and Dr. Eugene Hand in the original Bay City Times Challenge in 1948, a match won by Halub and Tews 6 and 5.
That match – along with Halub's mark on the game as a longtime golf teacher and promoter – was the impetus for the modern Halub Cup.
"There's a lot of meaning behind this tournament, and that's because of Harry Halub and all he did for golf," Bay County captain Brent Goik said. "He was a figurehead for the game and for junior golf, but he was a competitor too. He was a player and he wanted to win. He would have loved a competition like this."
And that's not the only thing Halub has in common with the players who tee it up this weekend. Many of them – while not considering themselves superstitious – have their own trinkets and tributes to the golf gods.
Bill Jurgens always identifies his ball with a Mickey Mouse-shaped marking while Bo Herek colors in the L – and only the L – on his Titleist. Matt Hechlik only uses a ball that is numbered 5-8 and Scott DeWyse has a lucky shirt of his own that he wore while sinking a hole in one and a double-eagle.
Mike Dore must have a 1974 quarter as a ball marker while Adam Prime goes a bit bigger, all in the name of luck.
"It's a big-old silver dollar," said Prime, who is making his fourth appearance for the Bay County team. "One time I used it and shot a 65, so from then on, it's been in my pocket. When I'm riding in a cart, I hold onto my right pocket so it doesn't slide out."
As captain of the Bay County team that has lost the first five Halub Cup showdowns, Goik is willing to take any bit of luck he can find – even if it's in the form of a 1940s golf shirt.
"I might have to ask Fern if I can wear that thing," he said. "We could use a little bit of Harry's help."


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The Campaign
Movie Review
The Campaign
by Eric D. Snider
Grade: C+
Released: August 10, 2012
Directed by:
As comedies go, "The Campaign" is reasonably funny, though it doesn't even approach the great things its stars, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, have done in the past. As political satires go, it's broad and obvious, seldom clever. It starts with Ferrell's character, a fatuous four-term Congressman from North Carolina named Cam Brady, going over his talking points with his campaign manager, Mitch (Jason Sudeikis), right before a public appearance:
CAM: America, Jesus, and freedom.
MITCH: And what does that mean?
CAM: S*** if I know. I just know people love it when I say it! How's my hair?
In another scene, Cam's attack ad smears his opponent on the basis that he has a mustache, and so did Bin Laden and Hussein. That's an absurd, bottom-of-the-barrel charge for a political commercial to make ... but it's not a very original comedy idea, is it? (Fortunately, it leads to a response ad that's even more shameless, followed by a reply that's as hilariously ludicrous as you wish that first one had been.)
So, yeah. We're not quite at the basic Jay Leno level of "har har, politicians are shallow double-talkers!" humor, but sometimes we're dangerously close. And sometimes the screenplay, which was written by Chris Henchy ("Land of the Lost," "The Other Guys") and Shawn Harwell (HBO's "Eastbound & Down"), comes right out and states its points in clear, unhumorous language: the Citizens United v. F.E.C. Supreme Court decision enables corporations to buy elections, we need campaign-finance reform, and so forth -- valid points, perhaps, but do you have to be so wonky about it?
Aside from these momentary lapses and some third-act stuff that wants us to take the characters far more seriously as human beings than we're capable of doing, "The Campaign" is an effective vulgar comedy about two idiots competing with each other. Cam Brady, a family man with a picture-perfect blonde wife (Katherine LaNasa), two kids, and at least one mistress, is used to running unopposed for his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. His constituents in North Carolina's 14th district expect little of him, and he gives little in return. Along come the billionaire Motch brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow) -- modeled on the Koch brothers, obviously -- who select and fund an easily pliable candidate to unseat Brady, with the expectation that the new guy will be in their pockets. (Why Cam Brady is not already in their pockets is not clear. He's certainly the type who would be.)
The Motches' choice is Marty Huggins (Galifianakis), an effeminate, sweater-vested small-town booster who comes from a well-connected family. (His father is played by Brian Cox, so you know he's serious.) Marty is awkward, effusive, and honest. His slogan is that he's going to take a broom to Washington D.C. because "It's A Mess!" Even as an imbecile, he's able to compete with Cam merely by making statements that are mildly substantive, as opposed to Cam's utterly substance-free talking points. Cam, petulant and childish in the traditional Will Ferrell fashion, is mad that someone's making him work for his reelection. Now it's a real contest!
You would assume at first -- indeed, I believe we are supposed to assume -- that Marty is gay. But no, he's just prissy. He has a dumpy wife (Sarah Baker) and two chubby children. The film makes light of their unhealthy eating habits and naively PG-rated dinner conversations, and usually treats them like buffoons. Which is fine, because everyone else is a buffoon too. If Marty and Mitzi Huggins are the fat, uneducated corner of the Republican base, Cam and Rose Brady are the ruthless, hypocritical corner: publicly folksy and religious, privately venal and blasphemous. The Hugginses actually believe in Jesus; the Bradys only pretend to. Everyone gets the same harsh, slightly mean-spirited treatment.
The problem comes later, when we're suddenly asked to think of Marty and Mitzi Huggins as real people who deserve sympathy. After deploying some brutally dark humor at their expense, now "The Campaign" shifts gears and wants us to consider the actual repercussions. The Bradys, too, must learn lessons. This sharing and growing rings false, and it slows down what is otherwise a nimble 85-minute movie.
The director is Jay Roach, who made the Austin Powers movies and "Meet the Parents," as well as HBO's fact-based political films "Recount" (about the 2000 presidential election) and "Game Change" (about Sarah Palin). He has been more widely praised for his work in the latter category than the former, and "The Campaign" reflects a certain political seriousness under all the crass humor and comedy of ignorance. I laughed at Ferrell and Galifianakis, and Sudeikis and Dylan McDermott are sharp as the two sides' campaign managers. There's some solid material here. But it might have been better if it had focused on comedy first, politics second, rather than the other way around.
Grade: C+
Rated R, a lot of harsh profanity, strong sexual vulgarity, brief partial nudity, some strong sexuality
1 hr., 25 min.
Copyright © Eric D. Snider.
This work may not be transmitted via the Internet, nor reproduced in any other way, without written consent from Eric D. Snider.


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Jefferson Playground will hosts it baseball and softball jamboree this weekend at the playground, 4100 South Drive, Old Jefferson.
Hours are Friday from 4 to 9:30 p.m,, Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In addition to baseball and softball games, there will be food, refreshments and a raffle for a parade of prizes for $1 a chance.
The event is sponsored by the Booster Club for Jefferson Playground.
Proceeds for the event will benefit the sports programs for youngsters at the playground.


text:
Support Christian Education and Impact the World for Christ
Thank you for your interest in supporting New Covenant Academy. Over the years the friends that have come along beside us in this rewarding work have made an enormous difference in hundreds of young lives. Our mission of providing the best academic program possible in a safe and wholesome environment would not be possible without the generosity of people who believe in Christian education and the impact it makes on those who are blessed by it.
To support New Covenant Academy with your tax-deductible gift please click on the 'donate now' button and it will prompt you further. New Covenant Academy can be supported with gifts of cash (cash or credit), real estate, personal property, stocks and other marketable securities. Contributions can also be made in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one.
Thank you again for your support of New Covenant Academy. Your generosity will make a positive difference in the lives of current and future students and the families we serve.
Each year, New Covenant Academy hosts a fundraising event to assist in the development of facilities and programs. Over the last several years, we have had some amazing speakers:
- 2016 Mr. John Crist, award-winning stand-up comedian
- 2015 Mr. Dave Dravekcy former all-star pitcher for the San Francisco Giants and cancer survivor
- 2014 Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee
Glenda Scott was hired at NCA in 2004 as the Development Assistant. Over the course of her employment at NCA, she has invested hundreds of hours in training in the area of fund-raising specific strategies, methods and relationship building via top industry leaders and consultants in the area of not-for-profit development and fund-raising. Proving to be highly effective, in 2009, she was promoted to Development Officer and promoted again to Development Director in 2012. Over the years, God has blessed Glenda's efforts. Under her leadership, her team has brought in multi-million dollars. They also developed, from the ground up, a Networking Christian Alliance Business network which provides a phenomenal support infrastructure for business leaders in the greater Springfield region.


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Markets: Stocks are rising in early trading after several big U.S. companies reported solid third-quarter earnings.
Daimler Trucks: The company's Swan Island plant is humming again and will add 75 jobs, plus 75 at Daimler Trucks' nearby headquarters.
Timber: At least $7 million in federal stimulus money intended to provide jobs to unemployed Oregonians instead paid wages to 254 foreign workers.
Nautilus: The Vancouver company hopes to rebound with a new exercise machine.
Cable TV: Comcast and the Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission have a tentative deal to renew the cable company's operating franchise for another 10 years.
Urban renewal: A new district in central Beaverton will be on the November 8 ballot.
Earnings: Lattice Semiconductor, LaCrosse Footwear, Flir.
Beaverton: Storefront changes.


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The Most Famous Irish People You've Never Heard OfThe O'Brien Press 2012; US$ 11.99
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SPRINGFIELD -- The local branch of the NAACP on Friday issued a "position paper" calling for mandatory independent investigations of all police-involved shootings, a day after renewing its request for an outside probe into the November death of a city teenager after a confrontation with officers responding to a stolen car report.
"We feel strongly that any time an officer discharges his firearm and it results in the death of a citizen of our city, or a serious injury, that independent eyes should look at that particular case," said Rev. Talbert W. Swan II, president of the NAACP's Springfield branch. Swan spoke during a press conference at Spring of Hope Church on Alden Street, where he serves as a pastor.
The position paper comes on the heels of Swan's call on Thursday for an independent investigation of the shooting of 18-year-old Tahiem Goffe. Police said Goffe was driving a stolen vehicle and that he attempted to run down an officer when cornered in the early hours of Nov. 6.
Goffe died of his injuries two days later.
In his remarks on Friday, Swan echoed the position paper in noting that his request for an outside review does not imply any wrongdoing by officer Matthew Benoit, who fired the shot that killed Goffe -- and who was injured after being struck by the car Goffe was driving. "The facts detailed in this paper neither presume nor insinuate that Springfield Police Officer Matthew Benoit's actions in the shooting death of Tahiem Goffe were improper or racially motivated," reads a passage in the section of the paper labeled "Disclaimer."
At the core of the four-page document is a recommendation that any case in which a police officers shoots and kills or wounds a citizen should trigger a "very specific protocol."
"It is important that the very specific and formal protocol include mandatory independent investigations," the document reads.
Because prosecutors often rely on police cooperation in the courtroom, the paper argues, a potential conflict arises when a district attorney's office is called upon to review or prosecute police misconduct. That conflict is compounded when the only witnesses to potential police misconduct are themselves charged in the same incident.
According to the NAACP's position paper, an investigation by an outside agency circumvents those conflicts: "The appointment of a neutral entity outside of the Springfield Police Department to pursue investigations in police-involved shooting cases will help to eliminate the conflict of interest that is inherent in a district attorney's review of a police departments' investigation into its own conduct."
Hampden County District Attorney Mark G. Mastrioanni told The Republican on Thursday that he had met with Swan earlier in the day to discuss the NAACP branch's latest request for an independent investigation of the Goffe shooting.
In a Nov. 17 letter to Swan responding to the branch's initial request for an independent probe, Mastrioanni explained that two "parallel" investigations into the shooting are underway: a standard investigation by the city's Detective Bureau and an investigation by the Internal Investigations Unit of the Springfield Police Department. The state police ballistics team is assisting the Internal Investigations Unit in the latter review of the incident.
Following Thursday's meeting with Swan, Mastroianni said his office may conduct a further investigation and will make all findings public.
"I will review Rev. Swan's request for an independent investigation, and will respond," Mastroianni said, adding: "I think we have a fair investigatory review process in place, but I am not closing the door to his request."
Swan on Friday reiterated his claim that even two investigations by the Springfield Police Department are not enough: "I believe that the community stands where we stand -- that we believe that especially in serious cases like this, that it is not good public policy for the police to investigate the behavior of the police."
In Swan's view, only an independent agency with no ties to the department could deliver a report that would allow Mastroianni's office to sufficiently assess the incident. "That should be the case that the district attorney is reviewing -- not a review of the police reviewing the police," Swan said.
Springfield NAACP recommendation: Officer-Involved Shooting Policy
Staff writer Suzanne McLaughlin contributed to this report.


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Bringing "Singin' in the Rain" to Lower Dauphin High School's stage meant mastering some technical issues.
Chief among them was figuring out how to make it rain on stage, which director Kevin Strawser says has been achieved. "There's gotta be rain on stage, so we're making it rain," Strawser said, keeping the details under wraps until the March 6 debut.
Lower Dauphin's musical is one of 14 this weekend, the busiest of the high school musical season.
The other challenge was showing the black and white films that are part of the show, Strawser said. While the film "Singin' in the RaIn" is a classic, fewer may be familiar with the Broadway show, which was staged in 1985.
"We've been wanting to do this show for years. It finally felt like the right year," Strawser said, adding he likes to do tap shows now and then. "We're super-excited to follow up 'Beauty and the Beast' with something as spectacular."
If you go
- WHAT: "Singin' in the Rain."
- WHEN: 7 p.m. March 6-8.
- WHERE: Lower Dauphin High School, 201 S. Hanover St., Hummelstown.
- INFO: For more information and tickets, call 717-566-5393.
Click here for a complete list of high school musicals this season.
Other musicals being performed this weekend include:
- Big Spring High School: "Beauty and the Beast."
- Boiling Springs High School: "Dear World."
- Central Dauphin High School: "Pirates of Penzance."
- Camp Hill High School: "Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street."
- East Pennsboro Area High School: "The Pajama Game."
- Greenwood High School: "Hello Dolly!"
- Harrisburg Christian School: "Wizard of Oz."
- Lebanon High School: "Crazy for You."
- Northern High School: "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."
- Red Land High School: "Hello Dolly!"
- Susquehanna Township High School: "Shrek, the Musical."
- Upper Dauphin Area High School: "Wizard of Oz."
- West Perry High School: "Godspell."


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"It was a pretty easy choice, and I had four wonderful years in Pullman," Sheron said in a recent phone interview from the long-time dental practice he operates in Vancouver with his two sons.
By the time Sutherland's replacement, Bert Clark, took the helm in 1964, Sheron had morphed into a 6-5, 235-pound sophomore.
The timing was perfect.
Sutherland's pass-oriented offense featured a split end, flanker and wingback, but no tight end, and likely would have resulted in Sheron playing mostly on defense, or perhaps transferring. But Clark's run-oriented offense put the tight end on center stage.
The position was so new in those days that in an article on Sheron in a game-day program, the words "strong side" are put in parentheses next to the term "tight end," apparently to avoid confusion among the faithful as to where exactly he'd be on the field. In the WSU media guide to this day, he is simply listed as an E (end) and his understudy, Bob Simpson, is dubbed an OE (offensive end).
By the conclusion of the decade, thanks to the precise route running and feathery hands of John Mackey and Mike Ditka in the NFL, the tight end was a staple across the country. But in the mid-60s, especially in college, it was just gaining traction.
"Rich was the prototype of today's tight end – big, could run, soft hands, an extraordinary blocker," remembers Jerry Henderson, a Cougar quarterback from 1965-68. "He really was 20 years ahead of his time -- football was oriented toward the run in those days. The passing game was three yards and a cloud of blood."
Sheron played both ways as a sophomore, knocking heads as a linebacker on defense, but said he "loved" playing tight end. "It was built for me. I was fast enough and agile enough with my size and I could block – that was my strength. And I had good hands."
But he had no clue about the pioneering nature of his work.
"I just wanted to do the best I could with the talent I had and this was a natural position," said Sheron, who regularly gets to Pullman for games with his wife and college sweetheart, Joanie, and sometimes the grandkids too. "I didn't know I was the first tight end. As a kid, you have no sense of that kind of thing. Next week is about as far as you look."
Counting the Ways
The jersey number worn by five starting Cougar tight ends since 1964. No other number comes close to that many starters. The 89ers are Jim Forrest (pictured at right), Pat Beach, Chris Leighton, Brett Carolan, and Eric Moore.
Yardage of the longest TD pass involving a Cougar tight end: Carl Barschig (pictured at right) and QB Chuck Peck teamed up for long-distance paydirt in the 1974 Apple Cup. The second-longest tight end TD reception covered 63 yards, on an Eric Moore slant route and Chad Davis pass at ASU in 1994.
Jersey number of 1998 Rose Bowl team mainstay Love Jefferson, the only starting TE in WSU history not to wear a number in the 40s, 80s or 90s. Besides the unique number, he also owns the greatest first name of any Cougar tight end. He had 35 receptions for 526 yards from 1996-98.
Most catches in one game by a Cougar tight end: Ron Souza (pictured at right) against Oregon in 1968 and Brett Carolan against Montana in 1992. Coincidentally, Souza and Carolan went to Northern California high schools just 40 miles part.
The number of notable Cougar tight ends who hailed from rural Eastern Washington. The list starts with the Leighton brothers out of Liberty High in Spangle. Vince (1980-84; pictured at right) and Chris Leighton (1985-87) nearly owned the position for a decade. They caught a collective 84 passes for 948 yards and & 7 TDs. Other TEs from farm country were Bob Simpson (1965-67) of Edwall, Jim Forrest (1970-72) of Ephrata, Pat Beach (1978-81) of Pullman, Doug Welllsandt (1987-89) of Ritzville, and Jon Kincaid (1995-97) of Colfax. In addition, there was Jamie White (1981-84) of Lapwai, east of Lewiston, who played a little TE and OT.
Members of the WSU 1,000+ yards receiving club who are tight ends: Butch Williams (1,263), Troy Bienemann (1,072; pictured at right) and Brett Carolan (1,008). Three others narrowly missed: Doug Wellsandt (925), Cody Boyd (947) and Pat Beach (936).
The number of Super Bowl rings collected by Cougar tight ends in the NFL. Eason Ramson (pictured at right) played for the 49ers when they won it all in 1982 and Brett Carolan was a Niner when they claimed the title in 1995.
For all the news, information, opinion and recruiting insight available on Cougfan.com and its Scout.com network, click here to subscribe and start your 7-day free trial!
He caught 15 passes as a sophomore on the three-win Cougar team of '64 and then attracted wide attention in '65 as a blocker -- Clark deemed him the finest on the team -- and pass-catcher on WSU's unforgettable Cardiac Kids club, which narrowly missed a Rose Bowl berth. He caught 17 passes that season, including the game winner from Tom Roth with 36 seconds left in the season opener at Iowa. He averaged a head-turning 16.6 yards per catch.
"We had just one pass play where the tight end was the primary target," Sheron recalled. "Tom (quarterback Roth) would roll out weak side and I would run a gap down the middle. That was it … Our passing attack mostly focused on (receiver) Doug Flansburg, who was a great one."
Going into his senior season in 1966, Sheron was billed as an All-America candidate, and was featured on the cover of the Cougar media guide.
Unfortunately, most of that final year for him was ruined by concussion and knee problems. He played just one-and-a-half games, catching six passes.
Still, the New York Jets saw his skill and nabbed him in the second round of the 1967 draft, the first merged draft of the NFL and AFL. He was the 37th overall pick -- a spot today that would earn $1 million-plus per year.
As interesting as he found the notion of catching Joe Namath passes, the money in pro ball was modest then, especially after the bonus wars ended with the AFL and NFL merger. Moreover, given the series of concussions he sustained in college, the idea of becoming Dr. Sheron seemed a whole lot more appealing than being Mr. Smelling Salts.
For the Cougs, however, it didn't matter which route he took out of Pullman because the path for the tight end position at WSU had been blazed in convincing fashion.
For 45 straight seasons following Sheron, the Cougars hit the field with a tight end in formation. The just-concluded campaign, featuring the no-tight-end-Air Raid, brought an end to that era.
And what an era it was.
Eleven Cougar tight ends after Sheron were NFL draft picks or free agent signees, and seven of them played at least one season in the league. Pat Beach, out of Pullman High, is the dean of them, having turned in 11 NFL campaigns.
Asked to pick the best of the best who ever played the position at WSU, Sheron remains a team player.
"Boy, there have been so many good ones, and so many who went on to the NFL. That's hard. You know, anybody who plays for the Cougs is my favorite -- I can't pick just one."
Cougfan.com isn't nearly as magnanimous. After consulting an array of long-time WSU observers, we have come up with a top 10 of the greatest ever to play tight end on the Palouse.
And while there was no shortage of candidates for the list, the race for the No. 1 spot clearly came down to two: Pat Beach and Clarence "Butch" Williams.
The case for both is compelling.
Beach, who played for the Cougs from 1978-81, was the second-most prolific pass-catching tight end in WSU history by the time he graduated, with 63 receptions for 936 yards. As a senior, he helped lead the Cougs to their first bowl game in 51 years and was named first-team All-American by The Sporting News and second-team All-American by the Newspaper Editors Association. He is the only Cougar tight end ever recognized nationally.
Williams, the son of 1960s WSU All-American back Clancy Williams, achieved something no other WSU tight end did: he was named first-team all-conference. But get this: he earned the honor threestraight seasons, from 1990-92. There's only five other Cougs in history who can boast that kind of trifecta of recognition and most of them are in the WSU hall of fame (Earl Dunlap, Ed Goddard, Hugh Campbell, Steve Ostermann and Jason Hanson). And while he was known primarily for his blocking skills, Williams also holds the WSU tight end record for receptions (95) and yards (1,263).
So who gets the No. 1 spot on our top 10 list?
The photo essay that follows provides the answer, as we offer up our picks, starting with 10 and progressing to 1, for the best of the best …
SPECIAL THANKS to former WSU assistant athletic director and sports information director Rod Commons for his incredible assistance with this project.


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KALAMAZOO — It would be fair to say they've had plenty of experience at being fathers.
So, on Father's Day today, who better to advise, reflect and share anecdotes about fatherhood than a group of veteran dads?
The Kalamazoo Gazette recently visited with four dads at the Fountains at Bronson Place in Kalamazoo, a retirement-living facility the men now call home.
In providing some friendly fatherly advice, the men echoed a common refrain: Spend time with your children. Listen. Be there in the good and bad times.
They also talked about setting a good example, providing a sense of security and, in two-parent households, recognizing mom and dad should complement each in raising their children.
Finally, fathers need to be ready to be just that — a dad in their children's lives.
Bill Seabolt, 87, said his only child — William Jr., now in his 50s — has meant everything to him.
"I had plenty of time before William was born to do my thing … play golf and get together with the boys," said Seabolt, a Chicago-area native whose wife was a school teacher.
"When he came along, I was 34 and told my buddies that Saturdays and Sundays from now on are my days to spend with my family."
Seabolt said he was lucky to have a son who was motivated and maintained more of an interest in education than getting into trouble. Today, his son is a linguist and works for the U.S. Department of State as a translator.
"When he was all grown up, I told William a few things to never forget," Seabolt said. "I told him to always, always put family first, and I told him to not get married until he felt he was at a point in life where he was ready to slow down.
"He's 53 and he's come close a few times, but he's never married, so I guess he really did take my advice."Jack Northam, 95, is a retired math instructor from Western Michigan University. He has four children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Northam was 29 when the first of his four children was born.
Northam, who spent most of his adult years in Kalamazoo, said you never stop being a dad.
"I've never felt that the job of being a father ended, and it really doesn't," he said.
Northam said he keeps a list of his closest family members near his telephone. The list of about 25 names includes birthday and wedding anniversary dates.
"In a sense, I'm still looking after my kids," he said.
Northam said he wasn't much for offering profound advice. But as the years have passed, he has recognized the influence he had on his children based on decisions they've made and judgment they've exercised in their lives.
Knowing that, Northam said he's proud of his kids.Jim Strehlow, 84, who spent most of his adult years in Parchment, has three sons and three daughters. He is a former guidance counselor with Parchment Public Schools.
"Because of my job, I was in the schools every day, I was on the sideline chain gang at football games, the official scorer at basketball games, the coach at Rocket football, so I was at a lot of the same places where my kids were … not a lot of fathers are lucky enough to have done that," Strehlow said.
Strehlow said he traded in his "man-about-town" days when he was 30 and married a nurse. They had six kids in eight years. Strehlow said he is especially proud of how well the siblings got along as kids and how they still maintain a close bond as adults today.
"We had a very big yard and it wasn't unusual for us to play softball games, the boys were always shooting baskets and we'd spend a lot of summers up north," he said. "We'd bake cookies together at Christmas and that is a tradition my kids now do with their kids … it makes me proud to know they do that."Chuck Ludlow, 87, and his wife Marion, have two sons and three daughters. Ludlow said his wife was the primary parent figure in the lives of their children. As treasurer of The Upjohn Co., Ludlow said he worked long hours and wasn't involved in his family's life as much as other men were with their families.
He said his work ethic stemmed from memories as a child. Ludlow was 12 when his father passed away and his mom struggled to raise him and his two sisters during the Great Depression.
"We had very little," he recalled.
Later in life, Ludlow was committed to making sure his children didn't go without as he did a generation earlier. His wife quit her teaching job after having their first child, so he was solely responsible for providing the financial support.
Ludlow was firm on leaving work at 5 p.m. on days when his sons had Little League games or Motocross events. But his job did keep him away from some family events.
"I don't have any regrets and wouldn't do anything differently because the kids had what they needed growing up," said Ludlow, who served on the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees.
Ludlow said he does treasurer the memories of summer vacation trips to a cottage up north.
"I knew what it was like as a teenager and an adult to not have a father ... so I feel good that my kids didn't have that same experience," he said.


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I couldn't agree more with Lyke Thompson and Marjorie Sarbaugh-Thompson when they propose that the recently discovered Michigan budget surplus be used for something other than a puny tax cut.
The cut, after all, would likely be designed only to make it possible for Gov. Snyder and his Republican cohorts to claim during their upcoming election campaigns that they cut taxes to individuals.
Since Republicans would have us believe that only they can be trusted with the state's money, it's surprising that after throwing away nearly $2 billion in a tax break to business that has dismally failed to bring businesses and jobs flocking to Michigan, they would spend several hundred million dollars of the surplus merely in an attempt to buy votes.
Whether Michigan voters could be bought off that cheaply and cynically remains, I guess, to be seen. The surplus should be used to concretely benefit all the citizens of Michigan, not just those Republican politicians running for re-election.
JOHN M. ATKINSON/FlushingCheck out more Flint Journal Opinion pieces and letters at www.mlive.com/opinion/flint.


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Once again I'm back with the Ghost Hunters sneak peek video, I can only hope that this week I can manage an actual recap. I guess that will remain to be seen.
In this week's all new episode the TAPS team investigates a bourbon distillery in Kentucky. I can't say I've ever been a bourbon fan myself, well, ever since that 'incident' with a bottle of Southern Comfort in high school but then that was back in the day when Southern Comfort was actually whiskey and not some 'whiskey flavored' alcohol that some yuppy nerd claims that people like to call 'SoCo.' Frankly every single bar I've ever been in would bounce you to the curb if you ever tried to call it that. As well they should!
Well enough about that, everyone knows that the only true bourbon is Wild Turkey anyway. Check out the sneak peek video and see if you can figure out what makes Steve Gonsalves and David Tango hit the dirt like they do. (ooohhh... hard questions!)


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The Last Saturday of March DaybookOutside my window: It's looking like it's going to be a gray day, but I'm okay with that.
Around the house: The girls are up and watching some early morning TV curled under blankets. My boys are sleeping. The washer's at work across the room and I'm thinking of what I need to do this morning.
In other places:
- A column I wrote for Pauline's e-newsletter, "A How-To Guide for Catholic Family Fun" just went live.
- Steven McEvoy's interview of me is up at Catholic Dads Online. It includes my answers to questions such as "When did you know you wanted to be a writer?" and "What does your typical day or week look like?" and an assortment of other questions about writing and reading and life.
- This week, I had some of the most fun I've had ever on a podcast. The folks at The FlagShip Galley Table invited me on and wow! I hope they invite me back! Listen to the great conversation about faith in fiction and you'll find out what NOT to EVER put on a pizza.
In my kitchen: The floor is clean. And now the formerly quiet kids are demanding I make them breakfast. (They know about the stash of new flavors of Pop Tarts.)
In my thoughts: I'm thinking about a fun weekend visit, all I need to do in the coming week, and a host of things I'm grateful for.
In thanksgiving: For the support and encouragement of my family, for the weekly renewal of things horsey, for the weekend ahead.
In my prayers: A very special intention for someone I love dearly and a friend who's mourning.
Nose inserted: Oh, these are goooood; it was all I could do to go to bed last night!
- Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins (fiction, YA)
- Wish You Were Here: Travels through Loss and Hope, by Amy Welborn
- Walking with God: A Journey through the Bible, by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins – which I'm using for morning devotional time
Recent reads: I'll be reviewing a number of these very soon in various places.
- The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins (fiction, YA) – I read this because my sister-in-law asked me to, and I was rather surprised that I enjoyed it and even wanted to read the next book in the trilogy. My nieces have started reading it, and one of them told me that the movie is the BEST MOVIE EVER (she's seen it twice and offered to go with me). I haven't put my thoughts together coherently, but my early thoughts are that it's almost like Lord of the Flies meets 1984.
- Style, Sex, and Substance: 10 Catholic Women Consider the Things that Really Matter, Edited by Hallie Lord – Fun and informative, lovely and hilarious, this is sure to warrant the hype it's gotten and earn it's spot as a best-selling Catholic book. I'm reviewing it in length at CatholicMom.com next Friday AND giving a copy away. Stay tuned!
- The Catholic Girl's Survival Guide for the Single Years: The Nuts and Bolts of Staying Sane and Happy While Waiting for Mr. Right, by Emily Stimpson – I met the author at the Behold Conference, and I've enjoyed her writing online in various places, so I thought that, although the book didn't appear to be anything relevant to me, I'd give it a shot. I couldn't have been more wrong! Not only was it speaking to ME in many ways, but I marked passages and will be sharing more thoughts about it at length. One of the best books I've read in a long time, and I don't say that lightly! I couldn't put it down!
- The Work of Mercy: Being the Hands and Heart of Christ, by Mark Shea – I thought this book would be a drag, but I love Mark Shea's writing and I thought I'd make it through it. What a delight to find that this book is the sort of thing I encourage our pastor to use for his Bible study, that I pass on to a good friend, and that I plan to reference and reread many times. Shea made the works of mercy so clear and so relevant that I found myself moved in ways I just never have been. It was touching, even as it was informative. In other words, I loved it.
- Fatherless, by Brian Gail – I picked this up reading all the acclaim and rave reviews about it and was really looking forward to it. After all, it's Catholic fiction. However, I gave it three stars and found myself a bit disappointed. The story does keep moving and there are many parts that are compelling and thought-provoking. I had the sensation of being a bit preached to throughout, and I felt like it could have been about half as long and twice as effective. Nevertheless, I'll be reading the other two books in the series (Motherless and Childless), so don't think I didn't enjoy reading it enough to continue. Three stars doesn't make it a must-read in my categorizing, but it is worthwhile and better than drivel.
- Faith at Work: Finding Purpose Beyond the Paycheck, by Kevin Lowry – This is a great book, hands down. Kevin Lowry is approachable and I found that, though he wrote what is undoubtedly a business book, it's applicable to all of us who work, whether we work at home or in an office or on the road. Lowry taps into his experience and his wisdom, shares his faith and his insight, and tops it all off with a bit of humor and perspective. I really enjoyed reading it and I will be encouraging others to read it as well.
Plea for advice: Anyone have suggestions for sharing links that isn't FriendFeed? I thought it was going to be a great way to share in my sidebar, but I've caught that it's been dropping the ball. If you have suggestions, I'm all ears!
A favorite thing: My seven-year-old's penchant for coloring and the many beautiful drawings she is always making.
Food for thought: "Fasting, which can have various motivations, takes on a profoundly religious significance for the Christian: by rendering our table poorer, we learn to overcome selfishness in order to live in the logic of gift and love; by bearing some form of deprivation – and not just what is in excess – we learn to look away from our "ego", to discover Someone close to us and to recognize God in the face of so many brothers and sisters. For Christians, fasting, far from being depressing, opens us ever more to God and to the needs of others, thus allowing love of God to become also love of our neighbor (cf. Mk 12: 31)." – Pope Benedict XVI, from his 2011 Lenten message
Worth a thousand words: My boy, who spent at least a half-hour a few mornings ago on the front porch, watching the traffic and pointing to all the trucks