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Toronto Is Drowning in a Sea of High Rises
When I mentioned to my New York real estate broker that I had relocated from Toronto he had one thing to say about the Big Smoke: "I've never seen so much construction in one place."
Statistically, he's right. Few cities in North America rival the sheer amount of high-rises that are currently under construction in Toronto. According to Emporis, a website that tracks skyscraper construction, Toronto has nearly 50 per cent more high-rises under construction than New York City. With the Blue Jays as perennial losers, the construction crane may as well become Toronto's ornithological mascot.
Most of the time we point to skyscraper cranes as proof of Toronto's growth, and more importantly its maturity: skyscrapers are like bedpost notches on Toronto's rise to global prowess. As with most things Torontonian, there's a little bit insecurity in all of this. Toronto is a city forever fearful of its own irrelevancy, and our collective construction crane count provides a physical reminder that we're still here. Toronto's obsession with height exposes a misappropriated belief: taller and thinner buildings are needed to fulfill some sort of civic manifest destiny.
Over the Christmas break I spent a good deal of time walking around my old neighbourhood of Yonge and St Clair. Downtown to some, uptown to others and midtown to most, Yonge and St Clair is one of those intersections that, in my amateur opinion, has been developed with a bit of class. At the crossroads of two important streets (and two important transit lines) Yonge and St Clair has a mix of tall buildings (anchored by 21-story Weston Centre), a smattering of condo buildings (which range from 14-20 stories) with a couple more currently under way. Even with additional construction the intersection has a nice homeostasis to it; it feels urban without being overwhelming.
I would have thought that Yonge and St Clair is the type of node that Toronto needs more of and is representative of the type of place that Toronto has traditionally excelled at. But this is no longer the type of place that Toronto seems to promote. The area has been stung by one of those ubiquitous white "development proposal applications" which are second to Starbucks locations for prevalence across the 416. A developer is hoping to build a 42-story condo tower just south on Yonge Street. While I would argue that indeed Yonge and St Clair is a perfect node for density, 42 stories (double the height, in feet, of the Weston Centre) isn't just intensification -- it is context changing.
Complete reinvention is how Toronto seems to wind up redeveloping most of its popular neighbourhoods, including Yonge and Eglinton and the Entertainment District. Remember Toronto's Entertainment district as a collection of warehouses turned into clubs and lofts? That place no longer really exists as it used to -- a collection of old 8-storey warehouse buildings -- instead it has become a forest of condo towers, the majority of which are forgettable and banal.
How far things have come since 1999 when area residents banded together to protest the construction of Festival Hall (the Scotiabank Theatre) fearing that the 10-story development would count as overdevelopment; today you can't find a condo proposal south of Queen Street, East of Spadina that isn't 40+ stories.
All of this isn't development in the name of intensification only, but a somewhat systematic evisceration of a former urban district into a sanitized, albeit slightly more urban version of City Place. There is good to this development, more people living downtown (and cultural perks too, such as the Lightbox), but there is also something off-putting to all of this focus on height. Why do we feel the need to recreate entire neighbourhoods from scratch instead of imposing smarter infill?
Over on Urban Toronto, a website devoted to Toronto's burgeoning urbanity, a 42-storey proposal for the corner of Madison and Bloor has sparked a lively debate, with one member proclaiming, "The more I think about it the more I'd like them to be bold and go for 50. Then on both the NE and NW corners of Spadina and Bloor you go for 65 storeys."
All of this is armchair development, a SimCity version of urban planning, but the overall mood is telling. or many the ONLY way for Toronto to grow is literally to grow up. There is vein of Toronto that likes to talk about all of this construction as part of its "Manhattanization" as if that's a thing that it is doing, or should be doing. However, putting up 40 story condos all in the name of density doesn't really emulate a misappropriated version of Manhattan -- it just leaves a city with a bunch of glass walled condos divided by horribly provincial marketing names perched on top of mediocre fitness centres.
Since the start of the condo craze the adage Toronto has been sold that height doesn't matter. Our current boom has been hatched under the guise that slim point towers placed above a 2-3 story podium are no more detrimental to urban form than the traditional Victorian commercial buildings which line our arteries. Christopher Hume, the Toronto Stars architecture critic, argued as much back in 2009, "The focus on the base has already changed how condos are designed and built. In most new projects, tall, thin, towers sit atop podiums of between two and five floors. These podiums are where buildings meet the city and become part of the urban fabric. This is space we all share. This is also space for shops, restaurants, bars, art galleries and so on."
City planners seem to have agreed and the mantra of "slap a podium" on it, approve any height, but provide space for a bank, subway sandwich shop and dry cleaner has come to dominate the urban landscape. The result is that that has became proselytized by the podium. And so I ask Toronto: how's that working out for you?
Five years later, most podiums are emperors without any clothes (they're being dry-cleaned) and instead Toronto has been left with too many high rises that don't create into a urban context (or provide homes for people with greater aspirations that 500 square feet). In Manhattan speak is the Casa-fication of Charles Street more like Manhattan's maligned Curry Hill (to-wit no one romanticizes Midtown) or more evocative of New York's famed West Village?
The truth, at least when it comes to Manhattanization, is that for every super tall tower under construction in Manhattan, there are countless (probably thousands) that aren't nearly as tall. Part of this is historical. New York came to its urban maturation point a hundred years ago and as a result the majority of the city south of 34th street isn't skyscrapers in the Toronto vernacular, but walk-ups and mid-rises. Toronto is a younger metropolis; at the same time as New York built its classic tenement walk-ups, Torontonians were building semi-detached Victorians not realizing that 80 years later Peter Ustinov would call Hogtown "New York as run by the Swiss" or that 100 years later its citizens would still be quoting that one moment in the sun.
New York therefore has the luxury of maintaining its scale. Near my apartment in New York a 14-story building is being built directly on 14th Street, a major east/west artery in lower Manhattan. This would be unfathomable to the urbanistas on Urban Toronto where the mantra is seemingly 50 or bust. Nearby the redevelopment of St Vincent's Hospital into five condo buildings is furiously nearing completion. The tallest building is 17 stories, this in one of Manhattan's most desirable areas, even at such a limp height neighbourhood residents feared over-development. Of course the West Village is unique (and overly litigious) but in recently rejuvenated and former industrial areas like the Meatpacking District or West Chelsea, both of which over look the Highline, newer buildings don't seem to rise more than 15-20 stories.
I realize that Toronto does not have the existing density of New York nor its superior transit system. It desperately needs a bit of both. But I'm not sure how we reached to the conclusion that 65 story buildings at every major intersection was the answer to fix what ills us. Some will misconstrue such anti-skyscraper mentality as NIMBY'ism.
Perhaps. But Torontonians should know that its DIMBY'ism (density in my back yard) does not have to be achieved solely with the construction of a 40 or 50 story skyscrapers. Developers like Peter Freed and Streetcar Development have managed to successfully craft net-new neighbourhoods chock full of mid-rises, which thumb their nose at typical Toronto height over all rhetoric. But these developers are the exception and not the norm. Toronto blindly wants to believe that there is an absolute correlation between density and height even if there evidence of an inverse relationship between height and urbanity.
The result is that when it comes to development Toronto really is crazy town, a city of manic highs and lows.
Agave Y Aguacate Where: 35 Baldwin St. (Spadina and Dundas) The food: Mexican The reason to go: "[Chef Francisco] Alejandri's tostada de tinga – tinga translates loosely as "beautiful mess" – is exactly that: pulled chicken spread over a crispy tortilla, slathered in a chorizo and piquin sauce and topped with beans, avocado, crema and pickled onions." — EnRoute Price range: Shareable dishes from $7 to $15
The Atlantic (note: the restaurant has been open since 2010, but the concept behind it changed this year) Where: 1597 Dundas St. W. (Dundas and Dufferin) The food: No menu. According to chef Nathan Isberg, "I choose the best ingredients I can find every day." But don't expect much gluten, dairy or other allergens, and no red meat. The reason to go: "The mad, challenging, soulful, seriocomic Atlantic was without question the most brain-affecting restaurant I encountered in a joyful, food-filled week in Toronto." —Giles Coren Price range: Pay what you can — chef Isberg can even been known to take barters.
Bar Buca Where: 75 Portland St. (King and Spadina) The food: Italian The reason to go: "Those bianchetti are tiny fried smelt dusted with fennel salt, and you could eat about a thousand of them, but pace yourself. The cuore is a skewer of Chianti-marinated beef heart cubes with vermouth-spiked cipollini onions and a robiola cheese sauce, tangy and chewy and bloody." — EnRoute Price range: Shareable dishes from $3 to $1
Barsa Taberna Where: 26 Market St. (St. Lawrence Market) The food: Spanish tapas The reason to go: "Barsa Taberna nails the vibe of an Old World Spain, blends in new twists on classic Spanish tapas dishes and tops it all off with a must-try red sangria." — HuffPost Canada editors Price range: Shareable tapas from $9 to $13; mains $13 to $32
Byblos Where: 11 Duncan St. (University and King) The food: Middle-Eastern variety The reason to go: "The octopus is excellent: it's cut into rounds and set over a Turkish salad: tomatoes, cucumber, mint, chiles, superb olive oil and pomegranate seeds. They do a very good shakshouka here also, that classic Middle Eastern and North African dish of bubbling spiced tomato sauce with eggs." — The Globe and Mail Price range: Small dishes from $6 to $17; large from $13 to $42 (all shareable)
The Carbon Bar Where: 99 Queen St. E. (Queen and Church) The food: So much meat The reason to go: "Whether you're there for the after-work bar scene and its accompanying cocktails, or the all-carnivore 'Master Platter' that includes pork ribs, beef brisket and fried chicken to get a taste of everything, this place is geared towards satisfaction." — HuffPost Canada editors Price range: Snacks and appetizers from $5 to $15; mains $19 to $27
Cluny Bistro Where: 35 Tank House Lane (Distillery District) The food: Modern French The reason to go: "Frog's Legs: These were lightly fried and so delicious that the meat almost fell off the bone. The drizzle atop them was spicy and slightly sweet with a side of Celery kimchee." — Yelp Price range: Appetizers and snacks $8 to $21; mains $12 to $28
DaiLo Where: 503 College St. (College and Bathurst) The food: Chinese meets French The reason to go: "[Chef Nick] Liu steams rice with star anise, ginger and cinnamon, fries it with egg and chili-barbecue tofu, then adds truffle paste, truffle oil and black truffle shavings — it's sweet, spicy, funky and wholly addictive. — Toronto Life Price range: Appetizers $4 to $13; mains $16 to $39
Dandylion Where: 1198 Queen St. W. (Queen and Gladstone) The food: Fresh, seasonally oriented offerings that rely on international tastes The reason to go: " From the delicate rice paper menu, to the hand-made wool bread basket, to the aptly chosen utensils - everything felt precious and well-thought-out." —Chowhound Price range: Appetizers $13 to $16; mains $19 to $22
Eastside Social Where: 1008 Queen St. E. (Queen and Carlaw) The food: East Coast comfort food The reason to go: "Moist salt-cod balls dipped in tomatillo salsa or romesco make an irresistible starter, as do brandy-buttered mushrooms on toast." — Toronto Life Price range: Shareable dishes $3.50 to $21
Farmer's Daughter Where: 1588 Dupont St. (Dupont and Dundas) The food: Casual seafood dining, and brunch The reason to go: "Rashers of crumbly lamb bacon and stalks of spring asparagus criss-cross the plate, the lot finished with a toss of baby red radish sprouts and a butterless hollandaise that borders on foam. I don't know what to do first - slowly inhale or upload a snapshot to my Instagram account." — NOW magazine (RIP Steven Davey) Price range: Appetizers $9 to $17; mains $18 to $25
Fat Pasha Where: 414 Dupont St. (Dupont and Bathurst) The food: Jewish comfort food The reason to go: "[Couscous] never had it so good. It's smooth from butter, hot from harissa and garnished with apricots, figs, dates, prunes, charred onions and olives." — Joanne Kates Price range: Appetizers and sides $7 to $19; mains $24 to $37
King Place Where: 236 Sherbourne St. (Dundas and Sherbourne) The food: Pakistani and Indian The reason to go: "The channa masala, the staple Pakistani/Indian dish that is often so boring was absolutely excellently executed here. Great depth of flavour with a lovely amount of heat." —Yelp Price range: Dishes from $6.99 to $10.99
Kwan Dim Sum + Chinese Cuisine Where: 1496 Yonge St. (Yonge and St. Clair) The food: Dim sum and Chinese food, of course! The reason to go: "Homemade har gow and siu mai — delicate bundles of steamed shrimp and pork, respectively — are sensationally moist and flavourful." — Toronto Life Price range: Mains $10 to $20
Mamakas Taverna Where: 80 Ossington Ave. (Queen and Ossington) The food: Greek taverna The reason to go: "Should you like briny little fish (like I do) the opportunity should be seized when it presents itself. These ones are coated delicately, well seasoned and fried to a pale yellow. Half a lemon and aioli dip come on the side." — BlogTO Price range: Shareable snacks and appetizers $6 to $22; mains $18 to $24
Patois Toronto Where: 794 Dundas St. W. (Dundas and Bathurst) The food: "Caribbean meets Asian soul food" The reason to go: "The winning dish for me is none other than the juicy jerk chicken, done churrasco-style and it lives up to its name." — Yelp Price range: Shareable dishes from $5 to $15 (or the whole menu for $99.99, which feeds three to four people)
Sea Witch Fish and Chips Where: 636 St. Clair Ave. W. (St. Clair and Christie) The food: Fish and chips (along with onion rings and poutine) The reason to go: "The Sea Witch's battered fish comes out of the oil puffed and sizzling, richly golden mostly, but blistered in places to the colour of stout. The crust is gloriously crunchy and just the right level of greasy, seasoned perfectly." — The Globe and Mail Price range: Mains $10 to $14
The Good Son Where: 1096 Queen St. W. (Queen and Dovercourt) The food: Italian The reason to go: "The atmosphere, service and decor were great, as was the food (pizzas are the standout, but they also make a mean burger). A place that's easy to return to again and again." — HuffPost Canada editors Price range: Snacks and appetizers $7 to $19; mains $14 to $34 (plus a $79 rib eye)
Wilbur Mexicana Where: 552 King St. W. (King and Spadina) The food: Mexican The reason to go: "Besides the extensive choice in salsas and hot sauces, the chicken tinga tacos at this new casual dining spot are flavourful and packed, while the guac can only be described as addictive." — HuffPost Canada editors Price range: Appetizers $3.50 to $5; mains $3.75 to $13
Yasu Where: 81 Harbord St. (Harbord and Spadina) The food: Authentic Japanese sushi The reason to go: "[What's] extraordinary about eating here, beyond all the fish's tastes and textures and remarkably different characters, is how the focus and the pace of the meal – one piece at a time – encourage you to do something that people too often forget when eating sushi: to think about what you're eating."— The Globe and Mail Price range: $80 per person tasting menu
Small Town Food Co. Where: 1263 Queen St. W. (Queen and Dufferin) The food: British and French-inspired comfort foods The reason to go: "[The] menu is made for sharing, with offerings including trendy cauliflower, throwback Oysters Rockefeller and boast-worthy Scotch eggs (a serious egg researcher told us they're the city's best)." — PostCity Price range: Dishes from $5 to $17
The Forth Where: 629 Danforth Ave. (Danforth and Pape) The food: Modern Canadian, with plenty of meat and fish The reason to go: "The roasted dry-aged duck breast ($28, lead photo) is crusted with coriander, savoury and honey, the skin rendered perfectly crispy while the flesh is moist and just slightly pink." —BlogTO Price range: Snacks and appetizers $8 to $18; mains $26 to $39 (plus family-style options)
Website City: Halifax Type of food: Continental The quote: "Jenna Mooers' North End bistro digs up treasure from the fertile soils of Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley and hauls it out of the brisk Atlantic waters."
Website City: Quebec City Type of food: Quebecois culinary heritage The quote: "Northern Quebec is the culinary hunting ground that Frédéric Laplante mythologizes at his capital-city bistro. Cornish hen gets a boreal accent from balsam fir fleur de sel."
Website City: Saskatoon Type of food: Comfort food and hand-crafted cocktails The quote: "Top Chef Canada winner Dale MacKay gambled that Saskatoon was ready for lime- and lemongrass- and ginger-dusted chicken wings. Ayden isn't about showing off Prairie cooking to the world – it's about bringing the world home."
Website City: Toronto Type of food: Fish and oyster The quote: "Chef Michael Steh doesn't lean on molecular trickery or audacious ingredients to wow. His food is more direct and more delightful than that, in an atmosphere that makes you want to say yes to things."
Website City: Toronto Type of food: Italian The quote: "Rob Gentile's restaurant likes to pretend it's a simple bar for sipping Barolo. You're here to drink, sure, but you're also here to eat things like tiny fried smelt dusted with fennel salt."
Website City: St John's Type of food: Newfoundland and Labrador, with an emphasis on seafood and game The quote: "Todd Perrin spent two years restoring a heritage property in Quidi Vidi Harbour for this brilliant mash-up of fine dining and comfort cuisine on the outskirts of St. John's."
Website City: Edmonton Type of food: Local and seasonal The quote: "The heart of Blair Lebsack's kitchen is a wood-burning oven that consumes birch and maple at 700oF, curing honey ham and smoking Salt Spring Island mussels or even dehydrated local milk during the off-hours."
Website City: Montreal Type of food: Wine bar The quote: "Long-time Joe Beef guru Vanya Filipovic fills massive chalkboards with organic wines to run with a vegetable-focused cuisine from boyfriend and chef Marc-Olivier Frappier."
Website City: Vancouver Type of food: Vegetable forward/sustainably farmed The quote: "Each small plate – more often, a bowl – conjured by owner David Gunawan is a precise jumble of textures and flavours. Digging in is a sort of black magic."
Website City: Tofino Type of food: Local and seasonal seafood and foraged items The quote: "On the extreme west coast of Vancouver Island, where rainforest meets ocean, you stumble up a flight of stairs and into a soaring cedar-clad room above a surf shop where chef Nick Nutting leads a crew trained in the precise details of fine dining."
Website City: Toronto Type of food: Mexican
Website City: Vancouver Type of food: Italian
Website City: Calgary Type of food: Spanish and Portuguese
Website City: Vancouver Type of food: Local and foraged
Website City: Toronto Type of food: Eastern Mediterranean
Website City: Vancouver Type of food: Modern European
Website City: Ottawa Type of food: Tacos and more
Website City: Toronto Type of food: Middle Eastern and European Jewish dishes
Website City: Montreal Type of food: French
Website City: Montreal Type of food: Italian
Website City: Victoria Type of food: Local food and hand-crafted drinks
Website City: Toronto Type of food: Nouvelle Chinoise
Website City: Ottawa Type of food: French and Canadian
Website City: Montreal Type of food: "New Montreal"
Website City: Surrey Type of food: Indian
Website City: Edmonton Type of food: Exclusively Canadian
Website City: Montreal Type of food: Bakery
Website City: Montreal Type of food: French with Italian accents
Website City: Toronto Type of food: Haitian
Website City: Edmonton Type of food: Wood-fired cooking and barrel-aged spirits
Follow Jonathan Naymark on Twitter: www.twitter.com/naymark


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Hugely admired in Weimar Germany, Austrian-born Jewish composer Ernst Toch (1887-1964) fled from the Nazis to the US in 1933, and spent the rest of his life in Los Angeles, where his Cantata of the Bitter Herbs was premiered in 1941.
A meditation on the significance of Pesach, it takes the Passover story as the starting point for a quietly forceful demand for human freedom that glances at American racism as well as European anti-Semitism. The score, at once simple and profound, is immediate in its impact and even though this performance, hampered by a poor quartet of soloists, is rough round the edges, it's hard not to be moved.
Jephta, in effect Toch's Fifth Symphony, is a later, more astringent piece, based not on the biblical narrative but on a novel by Toch's fellow exile Lion Feuchtwanger. Disturbing stuff, it's played with great ferocity by the Seattle Symphony under Gerard Schwarz.

subset: commoncrawl


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Springs City Council votes against delaying repaving project
Council considered request to use money for city IT upgrades
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - By a 7-2 vote Tuesday, the Colorado Springs City Council rejected a proposal to shift $2 million in priority projects to information technology.
The measure generated interest because it was believed the money was from the special appropriation made earlier this year by the council for pothole repairs.
However, Kara Skinner, the city's chief financial officer, said the pothole money was never part of the request from the city's information technology department. She said the money paid for several projects, including a $900,000 repaving of part of Academy Boulevard.
Skinner said the IT department is overdue for system upgrades.
"Having a reliable, efficient network is critical to the operations of the city," Skinner told the council.
Skinner said had the council approved the request, the projects would have been delayed until next year and paid for out of next year's budget. But several council members said they were uncomfortable delaying any priority street and road projects.
"It's just a $2 million figure," said Councilman Joel Miller. "We don't know exactly what that's going to pay for. And frankly, the public hasn't been given any information on why this is such a critical project that we're pulling money from other things that we've been told previously were critical."
Miller also expressed concern about a shortage of staff in the IT department, and its ability to be certain about the need for more money and the exact cost of upgrades.
Skinner said some aspects of the IT department's needs could better be explained by the executive staff under Mayor Steve Bach.
Bach and members of the IT department did not attend Tuesday's meeting.


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Epic Air Update: U.S. Builders, Chinese Reach Deal
It might have seemed all but impossible a week, a month or six months ago, but it's looking more likely that production will resume in Bend of the Epic LT kit airplane - if a deal with the landlord, owed months of lease payments, can be worked out.
The latest big step forward came Wednesday, back in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Portland, where a tentative agreement was reached between top bidder China Aviation General Aircraft Co. Ltd. and LT Builders LLC, a group of seven plane builders whose aircraft, in various stages, remains locked up at the big, idle factory by Bend Airport.
The deal, hammered out in around-the-clock negotiations, came just a day before a midnight Thursday deadline set by Bankruptcy Judge Randall Dunn. If it had not happened, the judge said the bankruptcy plane-maker's assets would have gone to Kansas-based Harlow Aerostructures, the second-highest bidder, who also wanted to resume plane manufacturing in Bend.
As outlined for Bend city councilors Wednesday night, the agreement changes the deal to provide that LT Builders acquires all the physical assets related to the LT Aircraft, as well as the debtors' intellectual property, and will be the entity that buys the assets from the debtor trustee.
While LT Builders will retain ownership of property related to the LT aircraft, it will transfer other physical property to the Chinese firm, as well as the license to all intellectual property - in other words, what remains in Bend is the ability to produce more Epic LT planes.
As reported by The Oregonian, LT Builders gets the rights to build the plane in North America, while the Chinese are licensed to make and sell them elsewhere in the world.
But there's a rub - an agreement needed with the factory's owner, ER1, regarding the lease. Councilors were told that the judge on Wednesday strongly encouraged LT Builders to reach that agreement, giving them 30 to 60 days to try to work out revisions to the lease.
The bankruptcy judge still must approve the deal, but Daryl Ingalsbe, a pilot and businessman helping manage the LT Builders, was ecstatic leaving Wednesday's meeting.
"We did it!" he told the Portland newspaper. "We kept control of this wonderful company in the United States."
But Ingalsbe said he's unable to say yet how many people the reborn factory will hire in Bend, or when operations will resume, claiming the landlord, ER1, "is holding Bend hostage."
Down the road, if all goes well, LT Builders hopes to turn its kit aircraft, which a buyer must build about half of, into a full-complete, FAA-certified aircraft that would be mass-produced.


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incl. VAT, plus shipping costs
You're never too young to begin a rock'n'roll lifestyle, isn't that so, dear parents! A good place to start in proper style: the First Dance Shirty. Hell yeah, babes! Karin Ziegler, design
- style: shirt
- length: short sleeve
- practical ring buttons at shoulder
- crew neck
- mulit-coloured front print
- main material: Cotton 95%, Spandex 5%
- wash with similar colours
- wash and iron inside out
- wash before use
The fabric "blue-hour" can be easily combined with those fabrics.
Choose a fabric and browse through the other goldpieces: "
With great attention to detail we design in Berlin unique cuts, fabrics and color schemes. When selecting the raw materials and the finishing processes we pay particular attention to optimal comfort and functionality. We work with longstanding production partners and try to avoid unnecessary chemicals, leather & fur. We are committed to a fair wear philosophy and make Blutsgeschwister favorite pieces last for a long time.
Cosy long-arm body made of cuddlesome cotton-jersey, with front logo imprint in harmonising colours
Short sleeved boy shirt made of low-maintenance cotton-elastane-mixture with large front print – this one's for all the small rockers
Baby girl t-shirt with large front print, in pleasantly soft cotton-elastane jersey quality
Smooth leggings made of cosy cotton jersey, with comfortable elastic band


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I'm facing foreclosure and was offered a lease-buyback by an investor. Can some explain this?
Beware! There are people out there who will try to profit from your misfortune. These people may contact you by mail or telephone, or even knock on your door offering you quick and easy solutions to your problems. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Here are some of the foreclosure rescue scams you may be offered:
- Deals that let you stay in your home – Some foreclosure rescuers will offer to bring your mortgage up to date and let you stay in your home until you can pay them back. Victims of these scams often do not realize that they have actually sold their homes, turning themselves into tenants with very high rental payments!
They end up facing eviction and losing all of their equity. If someone offers to pay off your mortgage arrears and let you stay in the home, read EVERYTHING you sign very carefully. The rescuer may be stealing from you by walking away with most or all of your home equity!
Unethical consulting services – Some foreclosure rescuers try to pass themselves off as legitimate foreclosure counselors. They may charge you for services you can easily do for yourself, or take steps that actually hurt you. Do your homework on any foreclosure counseling service. Ask if the company is accredited and by whom, and find out how long it has been in business. Research the company to find out if it is a fake.
Bait and switch/fraud – Some foreclosure rescuers will simply lie about what they will do for you. Protect yourself! Contact HUD for a list of free home ownership counseling services and regulatory agencies.
Sandy's advice is good. You would be wise to be very cautious, especially if an organization asks for upfront money, or guarantees to both save your home and reduce your principal.
With that said, there are legitimate lease-buyback programs. You should be very careful though because the repurchase period can setup a situation where you will lose your home and downpayment if you cannot qualify for the financing required to exercise the repurchase option.
At the risk of tooting our own horn, HomeLiberty has a program that is not a rent-to-own/lease buyback. It is a straight repurchase with seller side financing provided, so there is no need to qualify for 3rd party financing. We believe it is a much better arrangement to simply repurchase your home at or near the current market price with a new 30 year fixed loan.


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The Last Story has been given a North American release date – August 14th. If you pre-order The Last Story from Amazon.com, EB Games Canada or GameStop, you'll receive a bonus soundtrack CD, – pictured above – which features seven tracks from the game's score. Xseed revealed that all launch copies of The Last Story will be limited edition, and will retail for a suggested price of $49.99 MSRP.
38 thoughts on "The Last Story North American Release Date Confirmed"
nice that's more like it :D
This is the kind of stunt that a hater who is jealous of the Wii exclusivity of this title would pull.
Are you a hater?
I'll bet you're a hater.
If I'm wrong then I apologize, but my money is on jealous hater who is trying to spoil things to discourage purchasing the game.
I'm really hoping I'm wrong.
Because if not, this is low, even tor a hater.
Actually I am from Europe and bought the game! Back in Feb :) Its a good game but Xenoblade is far better! I love the Wii and love Nintendo and I will get the wiiU. If i was jeolous, I cud easily rip this and play it on dolphin emulator on my rig :)
did a troll just act like a normal person???
now thats something i havent seen in like……EVER
Good, then I can treat you in a civil manner; please refrain from posting spoilers for new games. Some of us actually care about the storyline.
storyline isnt that great to be honest. Especially since Dagran your best buddy is the final boss….
way to spoil it FUCKER!!
In Europe it's out since February. It's a really great game!!
Cool! Gives me a chance to save me money :)
Waiting for it.
Is it as good / similar to Xenoblade?
It's very unlike any jrpg you've ever played. Cleared it recently.
It's like an unholy mix of jrpg, cover-based shooting, and lots of Dragon Age.
The story is told final fantasy style and it's pretty good. Just feels a bit short, since the story drags towards the middle.
Pfft! Only seven? Lame.
Pre-ordered this game at Gamestop last week. The employee said the 31st, the website said the same, a flier said the 11th of July, and NOW it's confirmed it's August 14th? Smh.
I have already paid of my preorder and am now anxiously awaiting the release of this game now let's please try and keep this release date…thank you.
so do you get the art book only through xseed or does pre ordering anywhere get you the artbook and the soundtrack (limited edition was confirmed to be with artbook).
Interesting. I pre-ordered my copy through Best Buy who originally had a release date of 7-31. I then got an e-mail from them on 7-6 stating the release date had changed to 8-5. Maybe I'll get another e-mail.
Really? Whatah fuck?! I checked my amazon account and it said it was going to be here by the 19th of July :( oh this damn agony! :( back to tales while I wait then.
Worth the extra wait but it sucks we gotta wait 14 more days now :(
I'm happy I have Xenoblade, but I'm also happy for those looking forward to this game.
Hello! I just composed an e-mail to the folks at Club Nintendo. I don't expect it to get very far. If you agree with anything I ramble about, please consider sending a similar message (or cut and paste this one) to their feedback department.
It only takes a moment to stand up and say, "Hey, Nintendo. You seem to love Japan more."
And they do.
My letter:
The Elite Status Rewards were announced recently, and I'm sure you've already heard from a lot of fans who are disappointed by this year's selection. True, Club Nintendo is a bonus service and on some level fans should be happy for anything they see here. Sadly, this is just not the case. Many members such as myself spend a lot of money on products we would not have otherwise considered had it not been for the Club Nintendo coins we would receive from completing surveys many of us feel aren't even taken seriously. The reveal of the Elite rewards every year is a huge deal to a lot of dedicated Nintendo fans. And this year, after a lot of hard work and lots of spending in an uneven economy we get a deck of playing cards. Your diehard fans, the ones who support your systems and products and frequent Zelda news sites for even the chance at hearing of a new game are getting frustrated. Let's not focus on E3. It was just bad. Let's look at the deck of playing cards as a reward for spending hundreds of dollars on Nintendo products.
A few years back Club Nintendo of Japan made available as a reward to its members a Super Famicom controller you could plug into your Wiimote. What a great idea! Surely Nintendo of America would see that retro gaming is a live and well in the USA and that a Super Nintendo controller attachment would be appreciated in America! And we get a button set. Or a deck of playing cards. Club Nintendo of America members have yet to see the golden nunchuk offered overseas as a compliment to the golden Zelda Wiimote. I assure you, Zelda fans and anal retentive folks live here, too.
In comparison to the variety and quality of the items offered by overseas Club Nintendo sites is should be very easy to see why lifetime fans such as myself feel pretty let down by the low bar Club Nintendo continually sets for itself with its elite gifts. The idea should be to present your fans with something unique and creative that they just can't get anywhere else. A button set? See Etsy. A deck of Nintendo playing cards? Hanfuda would have at least made more sense. It seems as if every year the decision makers at Club Nintendo of America have simply no idea what its fans want or just don't care enough to make it happen.
I don't imagine my letter will get much past an auto-reply or a very kind person who really has no control over the things I'm talking about. And that's too bad. Perhaps if I was a member of Club Nintendo Japan I would have more of a chance.
At least Nintendo and Xseed finally agree on the choice of a release date. I bet they were both struggling to agree on a particular release date.


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Compare 6700 slide pink Deals
A modern and ergonomic design with cool curves and metallic finishing make the Nokia 6700 slide phone a fashion accessory, but browsing around the menu soon reveals the true power of Nokia' engineering wisdom. Social network sites have been grouped together in one place for easy access to the latest news, pictures and gossip. Go online and the Nokia Web browser that is powered by 3G technology provides a responsive experience.
The 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Optics boasts 8x digital zoom to capture the finest details and auto-focus coupled with a dual LED flash ensure you can take the perfect picture every time. Once captured onto the 60MB memory (expandable with a MicroSD card up to 16GB) you can share your images on Flickr and Picasa or directly with friends via Bluetooth. The video camera offers the same great 5-megapixel resolution with 4x digital zoom and again the footage can easily be shared on YouTube.
Extra entertainment is provided with the Stereo FM radio and media player. Boost your music collection easily by visiting the Nokia Music Store or rip tracks directly from your own PC. Further personalisation is possible with the music equaliser and downloadable apps from the Ovi Store.
Environmentally friendly features include a high efficiency charger, unplug charger reminder and ambient light sensor to adjust the brightness on the 2.2" colour display. Nokia Ovi Maps also help reduce petrol consumption by getting you to the right place first time.
At just 110g it is hard to believe that the quad-band Nokia 6700 slide incorporates so many features.
- 3.5 mm Audio jack
- 3G or UMTS
- Autofocus
- Bluetooth
- Built-in handsfree
- Calculator
- Calendar
- Camera
- Carl Zeiss Lens
- EDGE for high speed data access
- Flash
- FM Radio
- Game
- GPS navigation
- Instant messaging
- Internet
- Java compatible
- Memory expandable via MicroSD card
- Micro USB
- MP3 Player
- MP3 Ringtone
- Multimedia Service MMS
- Organiser
- Photo/video editor
- Polyphonic ring tone
- Quadband
- Slide phone
- SMS - text messages
- Solid Bar
- Stereo speakers
- Symbian OS
- T9 Predictive Text
- Touch sensitive
- Vibra alert
- Video calling
- Video player
- Video recorder
- Voice memo


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A big jump in Chinese visitors and English cricket fans helped Melbourne Airport welcome a record number of travellers last year.
A record 27.7 million travellers, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year, passed through Melbourne Airport in 2010, new figures released on Thursday show.
International jetsetters gave the figures the biggest boost, with 14 per cent more travellers in 2010.
The biggest jump was in Chinese visitors, up 26 per cent, and 20 per cent more travellers from the UK.
Melbourne Airport chief executive
"December passenger growth was helped by the Ashes series and the travelling English supporters," he said.
"We welcomed 40,091 United Kingdom passport holders in December, a 20 per cent increase over the same period last year."
New Zealand was up 19 per cent, Malaysia 12 per cent, Singapore 7 per cent and India 6 per cent.
Mr Woodruff said the airport's flight numbers should continue to grow with the arrival of new airlines, including Air China, China Eastern and China Southern.
Domestic passengers also increased by 9 per cent in 2010, or an extra 1.76 million passengers.


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Padua: A Northern Italian University Town – Page Two
Padua: A Northern Italian University Town – Page Two
By Cathie Arquilla
UNESCO has put The Botanic Garden of Padua on their World Heritage List. It dates from 1545 when its purpose was to supply the university with medicinal plants for study, specifically plants known as the simples, which provide remedies without further concoction.
The garden remains a research and teaching institution and is involved in preserving endangered plant species. Romantic statuary decorates the external pathways of the garden, while exotic and familiar plant life from varied environments can be found throughout.
If you were a frustrated botanist
(or a real one), this garden would be your mecca. But you certainly don't have to have a green thumb to appreciate a living palm that dates back to 1585!
Called the "Goethe Palm," after the German writer who hypostasized about evolution from studying this old palm, you can find it in a glasshouse along with other plants dating from the mid-1700's. Imagine what these plants have seen (or heard) in the past several hundred years… and counting!
The Blessing of Mangiare at Belle Parti
No Italian tourism story would be complete without giving space to La Cucina. One lunch in particular was stand out in Padua. Ristorante Belle Parti at 11 Via Belle Parti, was memorable for its sumptuously elegant atmosphere and creative cuisine.
Proprietor, Stefania Martinato, a knock-out northern Italian woman, told us that her restaurant had burned down two years ago and only recently re-opened after a year-long renovation.
>Stephanie Oswald, founder and editor of Travelgirl Magazine raises a glass at Belle Parti.
The re-opening has been very successful and they are usually fully booked. She explained that while Belle Parti was relatively well known in the Veneto it is still a secret place; their marketing strategy is word-of-mouth.
I commented on the floral arrangements, which were worthy of a renaissance still-life painting and Stefania explained that she arranges them herself! The flowers, subtle mood lighting, large mirrors, pleasing artwork and contemporary furnishings delightfully mixed old with new creating a microcosm of Padua herself!
Lunch began with an attention-grabbing move from our waiter, Marco. He deftly chopped off the top of our Prosecco bottle with a silver sword! Nothing spilled, cracked or crashed and the uncorked bottle top became my souvenir.
The menu created by Chef Mauro Genero was inspired. Two selections are prime examples: Scampi-Variations; crispy, raw, seared and marinated with fine herbs and fennel and Thin Tagliatella with fresh green apples, cappers and anchovies. As for the shrimp (scampi), crispy, was a shrimp rolled in lard, then rolled in a type of shredded wheat and baked.
The result was a flakey, crunchy buttery mouthful of goodness immediately followed by the softer juiciness of a perfectly cooked shrimp, meraviglioso!
Belle Parti
The Tagliatella dish was a medley of flavors. The sweet/sour apples combined with the salty cappers and anchovies atop homemade pasta made an all-together surprising pasta dish. And the presentation of these dishes was modern and artfully executed. Lunch was a treat.
I'm not sure where Padua falls on the list of popular destinations in Italy. It is the third largest city in the Veneto region and certainly Il Santo draws a lot of people.
But sometimes, because a place is not a tourist destination, is exactly the reason you want to go there! Padua has the art history, architectural romance, and culture of a big Italian city, but it is a University town with a contemporary urban vibe – rich for exploring, easy to access and suitable for "students" of all ages.
When Planning:
>Architecture in Padua
Italian Government Tourist Board Italian Tourism–The best place to start when planning any trip to Italy!
Italian Travel Promotion Council (ITPC) The links at this site provide visitors with "…the best Tour Operators doing business with Italy, committed to giving American travelers the best possible experience…"
Veneto, From Earth to SkyAn excellent source for researching all the Veneto region of Italy has to offer!
Padova Cultura –- A good site to find out what events and exhibitions are happening in Padua.
Must Places to See:
Il Santo Basilica of Saint Anthony– A 13th century masterpiece of Roman and Gothic architecture.
Cappella degli Scrovegni– Considered the most famous monument in Padua, this chapel is entirely frescoed by Giotto, one of the most important Italian gothic painters of the 14th century. Reservations are required. It is located several long blocks from the city center and is across town from Il Santo. Plan for a short taxi ride or a long walk if going "from here to there."
Orto Botanico The Botanic Garden of Padua– Named a UNESCO world heritage site, this is a lovely place to wander.
>Street markets of the Veneto
La Cucina:
Belle Parti Ristorante Sumptuously elegant atmosphere and creative cuisine.
Bar Corte Sconta on Via Dell'Arco This casual tavern like restaurant/bar is a perfect spot to rest up and sample local "Veneto" favorites.
Caffe Pedrocchi Open since 1772 this grand historic café/restaurant is and was a meeting place for intellectuals and artists. Expect to overhear sparkling conversation! The upper floor has rooms decorated in Etruscan, Greek, Roman and Pompeian style. Don't miss it!
For Staying:
Hotel Majestic Toscanelli–Located in the heart of Padua's posh Ghetto neighborhood, this four star is a good bet for easy access to all of Padua's sites.
Hotel NH Mantegna–This large, high-rise, "designed" hotel, has a generous breakfast buffet with views of the Basilica. Easy access to Veneto's highways is an added plus.
Cathie Arquilla is a regular contributor to GoNOMAD. She writes a blog about Style and Travel called MyStylist.
Read more GoNOMAD stories by Cathie Arquilla:
Stowe, Vermont: A Classic New England Town
Toronto: Fun for Kids and Parents Alike
A Three-Generation Vacation in Carlsbad, California
Temecula California: A Great Girlfriend Getaway
Skiing Utah: A Four-Day Women's Only Getaway
Hunting for Morels in Idaho
Read more GoNOMAD stories about Italy
Watch travel videos about Italy
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Latest posts by Cathie Arquilla (see all)
- Switzerland: Chaplin's World and The Nest - May 12, 2017
- A Biathlon Beginner in Austria's Seefeld - February 16, 2017
- Westward Ho! A Trip To Southeast Nebraska - October 27, 2016
- Sicily, Real and Imagined - November 19, 2015
- Nashville Tennessee: American Pride and Music - July 21, 2014


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Feb. 16, 2012
• Michigan's College GameDay Primer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan athletic department announced today (Thursday, Feb. 16) that the sold-out men's basketball game against sixth-ranked Ohio State on Saturday (Feb. 18) will be a "Maize Out." Saturday's activities surrounding the game will also include ESPN's College GameDay and the return of the FanCam sponsored by Coke Zero.
For the "Maize Out," all Wolverine fans are encouraged to wear maize-colored clothing to the game against the Buckeyes. Maize pompoms, courtesy of AT&T, will also be distributed to add to the atmosphere at Crisler Center.
Fans will be permitted to line up for College GameDay beginning at 5 a.m., just outside Gate D at U-M's Mortenson Plaza. The gates to Crisler Center will open at 7:30 a.m.
Hosted by Rece Davis and analysts Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas and Hubert Davis, ESPN's College GameDay is making a stop in Ann Arbor and will broadcast from Crisler Center beginning at 9 a.m. Coverage will include live look-ins to be broadcast during the 10 a.m. edition of ESPN's SportsCenter. Additionally, College GameDay will go live at 10 a.m. on ESPNU and move to ESPN at 11 a.m. before the day's games begin.
At approximately 8 p.m., College GameDay will begin its Primetime show before the Wolverines and Buckeyes tip off at 9 p.m.
In addition to College GameDay, FanCam makes a return visit to Ann Arbor after its successful debut at the Wolverines' football "Under the Lights" game against Notre Dame. FanCam's unique photo technology captured a 360-degree image from inside Michigan Stadium in which more than 300,000 fans interacted through social media by tagging themselves in the photo.
For the men's basketball game, all Wolverine fans are encouraged to get to the game early as the Michigan basketball FanCam presented by Coke Zero will take its image from within Crisler Center with 10 minutes remaining in the warm-up clock, following the completion of the national anthem.
All fans attending Saturday's game can print a coupon to receive $2 off a 20-ounce Coke Zero at any portable concession stand in Crisler Center. FanCam is also are offering Wolverine fans a chance to win a year's supply of Coke Zero. To register to win, visit mgoblue.com/cokezerofancam starting Sunday night.
Other prizes FanCam will offer to Wolverine fans include two tickets to the regular-season finale against Purdue (Saturday, Feb. 25); four tickets to the 2012 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind. (Thu-Sun, March 8-11); two tickets to U-M football's home opener against Air Force (Saturday, Sept. 8); and two tickets to U-M football's game against Michigan State (Saturday, Oct. 20), which also includes pregame hospitality passes.
To tag, share and win, visit FanCam on Sunday night to find yourself in the Crisler Center stands.
• Special Parking Regulations in Place for Busy Saturday at U-M (Feb. 15, 2012)
• ESPN College GameDay Coming to Ann Arbor for Michigan-Ohio State Game (Aug. 11, 2011)
Contact: Tom Wywrot, Whitney Dixon (734) 763-4423
» Learn about Michigan men's basketball season tickets for the 2017-18 season.


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Location: Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology ResearchTitle: Relationships among genera of the Saccharomycotina from multigene sequence analysis ) Author
Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2012
Publication Date: 8/30/2012
Citation: Kurtzman, C.P. 2012. Relationships among genera of the Saccharomycotina from multigene sequence analysis [abstract]. International Congress on Yeasts. Interpretive Summary:
Technical Abstract: Most known species of the subphylum Saccharomycotina (budding ascomycetous yeasts) have now been placed in phylogenetically defined clades following multigene sequence analysis. Terminal clades, which are usually well supported from bootstrap analysis, are viewed as phylogenetically circumscribed genera. However, relationships among many genera have either not been examined or the data have given only weak support for genus placement. Reported here is an analysis of the phylogeny of the Saccharomycotina based on concatenation of sequences from the following five genes: large and small subunit rRNAs, translation elongation factor 1-a, and RNA polymerases 1 and 2. The dataset was composed of type species from 70 currently accepted genera as well as species assigned to the genus Candida that are not members of known teleomorphic genera. Reference species included members of the Taphrinomycotina and Basidiomycota. Based on multigene analysis, all known 'budding yeasts' are members of the Saccharomycotina and the species were resolved into 12 major clades. In the context of assigned genera, the Saccharomycetaceae and the Debaryomycetaceae are the two largest families of the Saccharomycotina. As shown previously in smaller datasets, growth reactions on common media and ascospore morphology usually did not correlate with phylogenetic placement, but uncommon physiological properties, such as growth on methanol, purines, and pyrimidines strongly correlated with phylogeny.


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SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have played eight straight games decided by one run, losing four of them.
They've scored two runs in the last 19 innings and four in the last 26.
"We have to get these bats going," manager Bruce Bochy said after Tyson Ross pitched the San Diego Padres to a 2-1 victory Friday night.
Ross held the Giants to four hits and struck out nine in eight scoreless innings. It was Matt Cain's third straight loss.
"We're a little cold here the last few games," Bochy said. "But their guy pitched very well, kept us off balance, had good stuff and shut us down."
Ross (2-2) beat Cain five days after topping AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers. The right-hander was rarely in trouble, despite allowing a leadoff double to Angel Pagan. Ross then retired the next eight batters. He walked one.
"From there he really made pitches. I thought his stuff was outstanding," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He was in a pitching duel with one of the proven National League pitchers in Matt Cain, and matched him. It was a great, great pitching duel."
Pablo Sandoval was the only Giants runner to reach third base against Ross, after hitting a single leading off the seventh and advancing on a walk and a double play. Sandoval was stranded when Ross got Brandon Crawford to line to shortstop.
Asked if his players are pressing, Bochy said: "Maybe a couple of them. They're big boys. They have to fight through this. It's early. I think without question there's a couple of them pressing up there. What we have to do is to stop going out of the strike zone. We've done it quite a bit here over the last two games."
Cain (0-3) allowed four hits and one unearned run in seven innings while striking out eight and walking two.
The eight consecutive games decided by one run is the most for the Giants since another streak of eight in a row in August 1910, according to STATS.
"It's tough," Cain said. "Any way you lose, it's not fun. Tyson threw the ball really good over there and he didn't give us many opportunities to score runs. When we had chances to do it, he (bore) down and got the job done."
Ross was born in Berkeley and raised in Oakland, where he later pitched for the A's. He beat the Giants for the first time in six career appearances.
"East Bay, man," Ross said. "That was a lot of fun. I grew up an A's fan, so that rivalry's definitely there. The Giants were the rival at heart for me growing up."
Chris Denorfia tripled to right-center with one out in the first and scored on a passed ball by Hector Sanchez, who couldn't hold onto ball four to Jedd Gyorko.
Yasmani Grandal, pinch-hitting for Ross in the eighth, homered off Juan Gutierrez, his first.
Huston Street got his sixth save in six chances, but not before allowing Brandon Belt's homer to right with one out in the ninth, his sixth. Street walked Hunter Pence with two outs before striking out Sanchez.
After allowing Denorfia's single with one out in the third, Cain retired 11 straight batters until Will Venable singled leading off the seventh.
It was Cain's second straight start allowing one run and four hits in seven innings.
It was the seventh time Cain has allowed just one run and lost, and the second time he has not allowed an earned run and lost.
NOTES: Plate umpire Jerry Layne was scratched due to an illness, and a three-man crew worked the game. Hunter Wendlestedt took over behind the plate. ... Giants C Buster Posey got the night off. ... The series resumes Saturday when Giants RHP Tim Hudson (2-0, 2.35 ERA) is scheduled to face LHP Eric Stults (0-2, 5.52).


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A Year Later: Remembering
A year ago today, a University of Alabama student huddled in a house in Tuscaloosa, whispering to the girl in his arms that everything would be okay. Then the wind came, and snatched her out of his arms, and hurled them both into the unfathomable. Today he raises money for her memorial scholarship.
The story of Carson Tinker and Ashley Harrison is a sad and powerful one, written beautifully by my friend Lars Anderson in Sports Illustrated. If you did not see it, please take time to read this story, and remember Ashley and the ones we lost, for today is a day to honor them.
Carson Tinker went on to win a BCS National Championship on the eve of Ashley's birthday. When the celebration wound down in New Orleans after midnight, he got in his car and drove home to Tuscaloosa. Some time in the small hours, he texted Ashley's mother a photograph of the cross he had placed in the field where she died, decorated with shakers and other souvenirs from the game. That was his birthday gift to Ashley.
Carson doesn't like to talk about the day the girl he loved was stolen by the wind. But he does give motivational talks to groups, and donates every penny he earns from it to her scholarship. He helps sell bracelets her family made in her honor, pink bands with a favorite saying of hers, written in her handwriting, taken from a note she wrote to her father:
I Love you as big as the sky.
"Ashley loved to help others," says her mother, Darlene Harrison, who came with Ashley's father from Texas to hold a memorial service later today at the place where she was found. At graduation, when her daughter was honored posthumously with a college degree, a graduate passing her on the way to the stage stopped to thank her. Ashley had tutored him. "He told me, 'If it wasn't for Ashley, I would not be graduating.'"
Go visit her Facebook Memorial page to see how much she is missed. The words of grief and photos posted there, the outpouring of support from her friends and fellow students, are what get Darlene through the loss of her only child. "There's a hole in my heart that won't ever go away," Darlene told me over the phone. "But it is lined with those kids, with the people who loved her. And they keep that hole from getting bigger."
If you would like to donate to her scholarship, here's the address:
Ashley Harrison Memorial Scholarship PO Box 180098 Dallas, TX 75218


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Sea otters are the largest member of the weasel family, and the smallest marine mammal. They have paw-like front limbs with "pockets" that help them hold food while foraging, and they sometimes use rock "tools" to crush shelled prey.
Sea otter were heavily hunted for their thick, luxurious fur, and were nearly extinct in the Pacific Northwest by the early 1900s. A small population was transplanted from Alaska to Washington and B.C. coastal locations in the 1970s. The population rebounded, and today there is a growing number of sea otters in Washington state waters.
The best places to see them are sites along the Olympic Coast such as La Push, Rialto and Kalaloch; and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca at Shipwreck Point and Snow Creek.
There are three subspecies of sea otters, two of which are found in the United States.
All sea otters lack insulating blubber, and rely on their thick fur and high metabolism to maintain body heat. Sea otter fur is the thickest in the world and can have up to one million hairs per square inch. This fur insulates the body by keeping a layer of warm air between the outer surface and skin.
Sea otters spend much of their day foraging for more than fifty kinds of marine invertebrate prey including mussels, clams, abalone, octopuses, crabs and sea urchins. They burn calories at three times the rate of humans and must consume 20-30% of their body weight daily.
Sea otters are monagamous and become sexually mature at 3-5 years old. Mating occurs year round. A female otter is pregnant for about eight months and usually gives birth to a single pup weighing 3-5 pounds. Female sea otters are generally excellent mothers while males don't participate in rearing the pubs. The mother nurses the pup for 6-8 months and averages one new pup every 2 years.
Sea otters are normally seen swimming or resting on their backs, but when moving rapidly, will swim on their bellies.
Sea otters are social animals, and gather in rafts (groups) ranging from a few dozen to over one hundred animals. Rafts are sexually segregated as females avoid male feeding areas.
Hundreds of thousands of sea otters once lived along most of the Northern Pacific coast before traders hunted them nearly to extinction for their thick, luxurious pelts. By 1911 fewer than 2,000 otters remained worldwide.
In the 1960s and 70s sea otters from Alaska were relocated to sites along the coasts of Washington and British Columbia. Today there are currently over 1,000 sea otters living on Washington's outer coast and the western Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The otters are still facing conservation threats, however, and California sea otters are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Oil spills are the most serious modern concern. When sea otters are exposed to oil it destroys the insulating properties of their fur and contaminates their food.
Commercial fishing gear including gill nets can ensnare otters and commercial over harvesting of invertebrates (e.g., abalone and sea urchins) may threaten their habitats.
Sea otters are also at increased risk of diseases and parasites contracted from animals on land. One way to help is to bag and dispose of cat litter instead of flushing.
A Raft of Sea Otters by Vicki Leon, 2005
A Lot of Otters (Picture Puffins) by Barbara Berger, 2000
Sea Otters by G. R. VanBlaricom, 2001
Seattle Aquarium volunteer training materials


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Conch shell blowing contest takes place in Florida
More than 30 participants took part in a decades old conch shell blowing contest in Key West, Florida at the weekend, seeking to make music with the large seashell.
The annual competition, which goes back more than 50 years, sees competitors judged on loudness, duration and sound novelty.
© Thomson Reuters 2017 All rights reserved.


text:
Your Dog, Your Life
The Scoop
Dog News, Politics
Bark-Out-Loud Humor
Doggie Style
Gear and Glam
Wildebeest creates the perfect present for new dog parents.
Dog Breeds
Foods & Treats
Health & Care
Behavior & Training
Dogs & Cleaning
Dog of the Day
Photo Comments
I was tagged by my adopted bro Max.
I have to answer 4 Questions and tag 4 Friends!
Name 4 jobs you have:
1. Guarding my humans & home from intruders
2. Begging for food and treats.
3. Racing & wrestling with my brother Max
4. Giving hu-dad & hu-bro shampoos
Name 4 places you have lived (or stayed at):
1. My house here in Fort Worth, TX.
2. New Windsor, NY
3. North Carolina--born & lived my first 6 months
4. New Mexico--I have sniffed trail of Billy the Kid all over the place
Name 4 places you have been:
1. North Carolina
2. Southeast New Mexico
3. Lakeville, MA
4. Lots of states between NY & TX on our move out here
Name 4 places you would rather be:
1. Somewhere in the snow.
2. New Mexico sniffing all the wild animal smells
3. The beach
4. Anywhere to go on a walk
4 friends I am tagging...
Max--my birth brother
I was tagged by Yukiko.
The rules for the game are:
Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to post in their Diary the rules & their 7 pawsome facts. Then choose 7 furry friends to tag and list their names. Don't forget to bark them a pmail, or send a fun rosette, letting them know that they have been tagged and to read your Diary fur the rules.
1) I have two nicknames used most often - Elvis the Pelvis and Melvis (mom gets confused with two other sons names starting with M--BOL).
2) I love treats!
3) I like to nap.
4) I love to go for rides & traveling with my humans.
5) I yanked my hu-brothers pants & undies off alot when I was a puppy.
6) I have walked the same streets as famous outlaw Billy the Kid.
7) I broke my collar & steel yard lead to chase a cat once while visting my aunt in NC.
I'm going to tag:
1) Tetsuya
2) Keegan
3) Dottie
4) Jack Sparrow
5) Blue
6) Balla
7) Ash
Copyright © I-5 Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Visit Catster


text:
Days Inn King City CA
Select your stay dates to check availability at Days Inn King City CA
Days Inn King City CA
About the Hotel
Property Location
When you stay at Days Inn King City CA in King City, you'll be within the vicinity of Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room.
Make yourself at home in one of the 46 air-conditioned rooms featuring microwaves. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Conveniences include coffee/tea makers, and both cribs/infant beds (complimentary) and rollaway/extra beds (surcharge) are available on request.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as an outdoor pool, or other amenities including complimentary wireless Internet access and barbecue grills.
A complimentary continental breakfast is served daily.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include a business center, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and a 24-hour front desk. Free self parking is available onsite.
Hotel Facilities
- Outdoor seasonal pool
- Number of buildings/towers - 2
- Free WiFi
- Business center
- Free breakfast
- Number of floors - 2
- Outdoor pool
- Free self parking
- 24-hour front desk
- Barbecue grill(s)
- Total number of rooms - 46
- Free newspapers in lobby
Room Facilities
- Coffee/tea maker
- Access via exterior corridors
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free local calls
- Microwave
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Air conditioning
- Free WiFi
- Cable TV service
- Television
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
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- The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
- Rollaway beds are available for an additional fee
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.Show all hotel policy Show less hotel policy


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Watch how to make this recipe.
Core cabbage and chop into 2-inch pieces. Clean thoroughly and let drain.
In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon halfway through. It will release its fat and be lightly browned, but still moist.
Add the cabbage, water and Smash Seasoning. Cover and reduce to a simmer and steam 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. Drain water from pot and add carrots. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes, until carrots are tender. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Mix ingredients thoroughly and keep in a tightly sealed container for up to 6 months.
Recipe courtesy of The Neely's
Count down through our top 50 most-saved recipes, like Tyler's Chicken Parmesan.


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How much involvement should clergy have in politics? It depends what you mean by politics.
Brent Was, an Episcopal priest writes of his experience with answering the question about his own level of political involvement:
"My own summer drama has me, a recently under-employed person, interviewing for jobs as an Episcopal priest, which is actually a lot more fun than it sounds. One question I am regularly asked in interviews, one that you might hear if you are a person of faith, is, "Are politics part of your religious life?"
"Of course not," I always reply. Advocating parties or candidates as a religious professional is dreadfully unethical and compromises religious not-for-profit status, and developing policy is not in the job description of most local religious leaders.
"But, if by politics," I continue, "you mean how we get along as neighbors, how we cooperate as residents of the commonwealth, how we organize ourselves as Americans (documented or otherwise) and how we exist as human beings alive in this magnificent creation, then I guess I am decidedly political in my religious life, be it from the pulpit, on a bar stool, at the beach, wherever." Church interview committees seem to like the bar stool part the best."
From here.
Is that a fair division to draw? Or is a clever way to avoid the real issue?
Dan Webster, also an Episcopal priest, takes the subject on directly in his essay on ENS:
I expect to hear the Gospel of Mark (12:17) quoted to justify separation of church and state. In this passage, Jesus is challenged by opponents about paying taxes to the emperor. He responds by telling them to give the emperor what was his and give to God what is God's. What he said may have satisfied critics but in reality, everything belongs to God.
Jesus was cunning in his reply. Like the Jews of his time, his teaching was always anchored in the words of the prophets. From Isaiah and Jeremiah to Amos, Micah and Jonah, the prophets spoke up, calling on leaders to act in accordance with God's law. They consistently advocated for justice.
Now, I certainly agree that religious leaders should not be preaching about candidates. Partisan politics has no place in the pulpit.
But matters of justice, matters that have an impact on the poor, hungry, the imprisoned and the stranger need to be addressed by church leaders in the pulpit, online, in the media and wherever else we can proclaim Gospel values. The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, of which the Episcopal Church is a member, even has a list of principles to guide Christian voters during elections.
What do you think?
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Our comment policy requires that you use your real first and last names and provide an email address (your email will not be published). Comments that use non-PG rated language, include personal attacks, that are not provable as fact or that we deem in any way to to be counter to our mission of fostering respectful dialogue will not be posted. We also ask that you limit your comments to no more than four comments per story per day.
The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, of which the Episcopal Church is a member, even has a list of principles to guide Christian voters during elections.
…but you can bet that other churches publish a "list of principles" (at least! And sometimes, much more specific) which "guide Christian voters" to do the EXACT OPPOSITE (all drawing on the same Bible, of course).
The Gospel IS political . . . and yet, it's always a struggle to find a balance (and within the law!) to urge and nudge on Gospel principles (esp. *knowing* that other Christians view things very differently) in the election booth.
Even something as simple as "Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly w/ Your God": how does THAT translate at election time? 100 Christians will give a 100 answers (but mainly, they'll divide 50-50. Oy Vey!)
JC Fisher
Interesting you should ask. Heres' the quote we have on the home page of the All Saints Church website at the moment:
"Faith in action is called politics. Spirituality without action is fruitless and social action without spirituality is heartless. We are boldly political without being partisan. Having a partisan-free place to stand liberates the religious patriot to see clearly, speak courageously, and act daringly." The Rev. J. Edwin Bacon, Jr.
Susan Russell
Comments are closed.


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Re: st: problem with .png graph export in Stata 10
"Michael Blasnik" <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Re: st: problem with .png graph export in Stata 10
Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:59:02 -0400
Worth a try, but that isn't the issue. I have seen the problem in an html document (viewed in both Firefox and IE) and I also when viewed in Irfanview and in the built-in Windows viewer. Thanks anyway. I guess I will have to try to see if it could somehow be related to graph schemes (seems unlikely) or other default settings about the graph exporting. It's especially frustrating since I don't have Stata 10 to replicate it, but I can see that the files are wrong.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Sebastian F. Büchte" <email@example.com>
To: <email@example.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 2:54 PM
Subject: Re: st: problem with .png graph export in Stata 10
I tried the following (on my Stata 10.0/MP; last updated 15 Oct 2007):
sysuse auto
scatter mpg price
gr export png_test.png
Afterwards I used the MS Paint (Version 5.1 Build 2600; MS XP Pro
ServPack 2) to display the png. Everything looked as expected. Maybe
it is not the "png"-file that is broken but perhaps the software that
you use to display it?
2007/10/25, Michael Blasnik <email@example.com>:
Thanks for the advice. They say they have updated their Stata. Unlike in your
examples, the width and height options are not specified in the export command
(no options are specified). Do they have an impact on this problem?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Friedrich Huebler" <email@example.com>
To: <email@example.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 11:16 AM
Subject: Re: st: problem with .png graph export in Stata 10
> Michael,
> I have Stata/SE 10 for Windows and cannot reproduce the behavior you > observed.
> sysuse auto
> scatter mpg weight
> graph export test.png, width(1650) height(1200)
> graph export test2.png, width(600) height(400)
> Is your colleague's Stata fully updated? The initial release of Stata
> 10 had a bug in export to PNG format when the width or height options
> were specified. This bug was fixed with the update of July 25.
> Friedrich
> On 10/25/07, Michael Blasnik <firstname.lastname@example.com> wrote:
>> I have found that, in Stata 10/SE for Windows, graphs exported as .png >> files
>> contain a small copy of the graph located in the upper left corner of a >> large
>> black rectangle (1650 x 1200 pixels). This behavior does not occur in >> Stata
>> 9.
>> Has anyone else noticed this? Is there some setting to correct this or is >> it
>> a
>> bug?
>> Michael Blasnik
>> firstname.lastname@example.com
>> p.s. The graphs were sent to me by a colleague running a do file I sent to
>> them.
>> I don't have a copy of Stata 10 myself to reproduce the problem, but I >> have
>> the
>> graphic files.
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Paradigm Housing does not manage a waiting list for our properties. If you wish to move you should contact the relevant council/local authority and request to be registered on their housing list; this will probably be a similar process to that of moving into your current property.
If you wish to transfer with the tenant of another housing association or council-owned property - often called a 'mutual exchange', you can register on the HomeSwapper website www.homeswapper.co.uk and/or the Exchange Locata website www.exchangelocata.org.uk
These web services will contact you with potential swap details. When you have found an exchange partner please contact Paradigm Customer Services and request a 'mutual exchange form'. If you are eligible for the mutual exchange scheme we will process your application. Please note a decision on your application can take up to 42 days and will involve a visit to your home. Once the processing is complete, you can make your arrangements to move.
If you would like any more information on transfers and exchanges, or any assistance in registering with HomeSwapper and/or Exchange Locata, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Services on 0300 303 1010. Alternatively you can download our mutual exchange frequently asked questions.


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Time To Prune The IvyChristopher Farrell
Poor teaching. Arcane research. Skyrocketing tuition. Racial strife. These days, there seems to be less and less to admire about America's most valuable economic asset: its colleges and universities.
Long the crown jewel in America's educational system and the envy of the world, academe has failed to rein in its soaring costs. Between 1980 and 1992, the tuition, room, and board for attending a private college swelled 9.2% a year--twice the rate of overall inflation and even higher than the much bemoaned medical inflation. The cost of going to a public college increased at a 7.8% annual rate, with much of the jump in costs coming in the past several years.
With family income hardly keeping up with economywide inflation, it's no wonder that more and more people are finding it harder to finance a college education. College costs as a share of median family income jumped from 26.6% to 39.9% for a student at a private school and from 12.1% to 15.9% at a public one.
Outcries about rising tuition aren't new. For years, university defenders dismissed the price squeeze as a concern: Look at the return on investment from a college education, they said. Scholarships and loans pick up part of the tab, they added. But now, the lethal combination of a stagnant economy and government fiscal retrenchment has thrown universities into a huge financial crunch. And schools are encountering fierce resistance to covering budget shortfalls by raising tuitions.
Like many U.S. companies, colleges have no alternative but to boost productivity and streamline operations. Higher education is a huge, sprawling enterprise with sclerotic bureaucracies and too many marginal operations. "We see departments and staff people that duplicate and triplicate responsibilities," complains Craig Greenberg, president of the University of Michigan student assembly. Says Robert Zemsky, director of the Institute for Research on Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania: "All the forces that are driving IBM and General Motors to restructure are sweeping universities."
"MORE SELECTIVE." A growing number of universities are embracing the restructuring mantra and hacking away at administrative and faculty bloat. They are trying to move away from an overemphasis on research and toward teaching. More are adopting new technologies to improve teaching and the dissemination of information. Some are shifting money and talent into fields where they have a comparative advantage. "We can't do everything anymore. We have to be more selective," says L. Jay Oliva, president of New York University. Adds Michael Granfield, vice-chancellor of the University of California at Los Angeles: "We're committed to no more across-the-board cuts. We'll preserve the highest-quality departments and schools."
So far, the restructuring is holding down tuition increases--at least this year. Private college hikes are running on average at about 6%, the lowest rate of increase in more than a decade, albeit still twice the consumer price index. Public college tuitions should also be less than last year's 10% hike.
Still, restructuring in higher education will spark a lot of infighting and will take many more years than the typical corporate overhaul. College heads wield limited authority, and campuswide decisions typically involve countless committee meetings. Last year, Brandeis University adopted its restructuring plan, but only after nine months of committee work by faculty and administrators, intensive campus consultations, and two "town" meetings for the faculty to question the administration. At most universities, faculty members jealously guard their turf, and they worry that corporate-inspired restructurings have no place in academe. "A restructuring is very difficult to accomplish politically in a university environment," says Eamon M. Kelly, president of Tulane
In addition, too many university boards aren't pressing hard enough to restructure their institutions. The typical board at an independent college has 28 members and meets three or four times a year, usually for less than a day. "There is a wake-up call in the air for trustees," says William F. Massy, formerly chief financial officer and currently professor of education at Stanford University.
SUPPORT SERVICES. What drove college budgets so far into the stratosphere? Several things. In the past few decades, course offerings and academic fields have proliferated. Rarely were old departments weeded out or programs cut back as new ones were added. A lot more money went toward scholarships, especially at private universities and liberal arts colleges. Research costs jumped, with scientists requiring state-of-the-art equipment. Average faculty salaries almost doubled in the 1980s, after badly lagging behind inflation in the 1970s. And confronted with fewer qualified applicants, schools poured money into sprucing up campus amenities and support services to entice students.
University empire-builders hired an army of administrative bureaucrats to staff their enterprises. Between 1975 and 1985, nonteaching professional staff at colleges and universities expanded by 61%, while the number of faculty grew by only 6%, according to an Education Dept. study. In the 1980s, administrative expenditures for each full-time student in public universities rose 19%, compared with 5% for instruction expenditures per student, after adjusting for inflation. At private universities, administrative costs rose 34%, vs. 26% for instruction costs.
Some cost pressures won't abate much in the years ahead. Research spending is still mounting at many universities. So is the demand for scholarship money. And the battle for qualified students remains fierce. To attract the best applicants, Georgia Institute of Technology is building a new student center and pouring an additional $100 million into expanding the school's intercollegiate athletic facilities. Georgia Tech President John P. Crecine is lobbying for a big jump in state funding and says much higher tuition is almost inevitable.
But more and more universities and colleges will contain costs by slimming down. Tulane in New Orleans recently closed a projected $18 million budget gap by overhauling its administrative structure. More than 200 staff jobs were cut by combining departments and substituting computers and advanced technology for middle managers. About three dozen faculty jobs will be eliminated over two years through attrition and early retirement. The university reduced its enrollment from 1,375 to 1,225, and annual tuition increases will be kept to 3%. The university is now studying how to reallocate resources among its academic departments.
Syracuse University, under Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw, is reducing its enrollment by 20% and has cut tenured faculty by more than 120 and administrative staff by nearly 300. The university has also slashed its computer science budget by 50% and engineering by 30%. Over the years, both departments' budgets had grown modestly, even though enrollment fell by half. But Syracuse isn't just cutting. It has added $1 million to the budget of its Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and increased spending in its architecture, arts, and communications departments. Brandeis University is dialing back in some fields while boosting its Near Eastern & Judaic Studies and international economics budgets.
Undergraduate teaching is also getting a new emphasis. At Cornell University and New Jersey's Drew University, a professor's teaching ability now counts for half the tenure decision. For years, "universities concentrated on research, and teaching was an afterthought," says Thomas Kean, head of Drew and former Governor of New Jersey. "Now, the pendulum is swinging back, and there is a return toward the value mf teaching."
LUSH RESEARCH. A number of schools are experimenting with new technologies to transform the teaching of students and reach pupils outside the university. Interactive computer systems, for example, are changing the teaching of foreign languages. Carnegie Mellon University (box) sees a growing market for reaching out to companies that face budget and time constraints. Many companies can't afford to lose workers for even a week. So CMU's business school has developed a training program for traders that can be sent to the student's personal computer at work.
To bring in more money to fund research, universities are expanding their ties to industry. And the payoff from such links are enormous. Academic research is critical to advances in computers, biotechnology, and other high-tech industries that are boosting U.S. competitiveness. The rate of return on academic research is a lush 28% per year, including indirect benefits to the economy, according to Edwin Mansfield, economist at the University of Pennsylvania. "What happens in universities will have a huge impact on the economy," adds Paul Romer, an economist at the University of California at Berkeley.
Clearly, the stakes are high. Done wrong, university restructuring could drive away faculty, alienate students, and eventually damage the nation's productivity growth. Done right, the world's best system of higher education could become even better.
WHAT IS DRIVING UP COLLEGE COSTS Expenditure per full-time student Public Public Private Private in constant 1989-90 dollars 4-year 4-year 4-year 4-year Percentage change 1981-90 university college university college Scholarships & fellowships 34% 5% 52% 64% Administration 19 12 34 26 Research 21 21 19 17 Student Services 8 2 34 31 Instruction (includes salaries and benefits) 5 2 26 18 Libraries 5 -13 17 5 Operation & maintenance of plant -6 -17 5 -4 DATA: NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICSUNIVERSITY STRATEGIES FOR TOUGH TIMES BRANDEIS Aims to reduce a $12 million budget deficit over four years. Full-time faculty will be cut from 362 to 315 and will take on a greater course load. Administrative staff will be cut by 3% on top of a prior 3% reduction. CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK Wants to consolidate some programs at its several major campuses, while expanding offerings in science, math, and various health fields. SYRACUSE Will shrink enrollment by 20%. Some department budgets being slashed by up to 50%, while others receive budget hikes. TULANE To close a projected $18 million budget gap, reduced administrative staff by more than 200. Faculty will be reduced by 33. Studying restructuring of academic departments. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Adopted a five-year plan to reduce spending by 2%. No salary increases this year for staff making more than $25,000. Decentralizing power to school units. Teaching quality management techniques to all employees.


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|Up a level
Number of items: 2.
Radzi, Z. and Abu Kasim, N.H. and Yahya, NA and Gan, SN (2007) Impact strength of an experimental polyurethane-based polymer. Annal Dent Univ Malaya, 14. pp. 46-51.
Radzi, Z. and Yahya, NA and Abu Kasim, N.H. and Ismail, NH and Ismail, N. and Zamzam, N. (2006) Shear bond strength of orthodontic adhesives on different tooth types: an in vitro study. Annals of dentistry, 13 (1).


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Tue, 03/4/2014 - 12:16pm
There will be a special celebration in their honor tonight (March 4, 2014) beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Brennan High School auditorium.
Each celebration will be live webcast at NISD's website, per the following schedule.
Elementary First Year and Veteran Educators of the Year – Tuesday, March 4
Secondary First Year and Veteran Educators of the Year – Thursday, March 6
Annabelle Gomez
Abbey Olson


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Nostalgia shouldn't be a thing of the past. Here's the second part of a trip down memory lane...
If you missed the previous article, read it after the jump.
Perfect Dark (Nintendo 64 – first played 2000)
Perfect Dark (PD), to coin an irritating phrase: "the spiritual successor to Goldeneye". Being a staunch Playstation fanboy, it took a fair amount of inner persuasion to succumb to the N64's charms, and as such, I was about three years late buying and playing Goldeneye. The positive side to this, however, was that I didn't have to wait long for Rare's follow up shooter in 2000.
The main thing I remember about PD was the accumulated price you had to pay to be granted full access to the playable content; £50 for the cartridge itself, followed by another £30 or so for the expansion lump to stick in the top of the console. Being only 13 at the time, this took a good few months of menial employment and scrounging to be able to afford.
As far as I was concerned though, any game where I could use a piece of martian technology that could shoot people through walls was worth the steep asking price and more. I spent hours earning all the gold medals on the firing range and trying in vain to complete the campaign on 'perfect agent' difficulty.
The sheer variety of weapons at your disposal, the hugely customisable multiplayer/bot sim modes and the challenges, meant that there was a wealth of replay value in PD that was relatively unrivalled at the time. Fair enough, Joanna Dark was unnecessarily irritating for a lead protagonist and the less said about Elvis the better, but PD had the arsenal to blow these small gripes out of the water.
The recent release of Perfect Dark on XBLA was a sad reminder that many games find it almost impossible to stand the test of time, feeling dated in almost every department. Still, nothing will take away the memory of wielding the Farsight for the very first time (though admittedly a completely unfair gun). Sure, historically speaking, PD will never receive the same accolades as 007's most memorable foray into gaming, yet it remains one of the N64's stand-out releases.
Shenmue (Sega Dreamcast - first played 1999 )
There were so many Dreamcast games I loved (Ready 2 Rumble, Crazy Taxi, Soul Calibur, Quake 3: Arena) that picking one was a tough process, but after some deliberation I picked Shenmue. What intrigues me the most, is how back then before the sandbox genre had really made its mark on gaming, how much freedom it seemed that Shenmue granted the player.
Nowadays, the epic worlds of Oblivion or GTA IV, make Shenmue look like more of a toddler's shoebox than expansive sandbox, but in 1999 it felt like the pinnacle of free choice and exploration within the confines of a videogame.
I may be mistaken, but Shenmue was the first game where you could play a game within a game. Going to the local arcade and playing Super Hang on was a true throwback to my Mega Drive days, not to mention birthing the Quick Time Event (QTE), which even to this day remain a regular gameplay inclusion in third person action titles.
Although essentially a laborious task, having to work nine to five in Shenmue was actually a rather fun and rewarding experience. Replicating everyday tasks bought a sense of immersion to the gameplay and overall plot, a concept that current games such as Heavy Rain rely on to drive the narrative and build up the player/character relationship.
A play of Shenmue now (like many games on this list) shows how what we perceived to be the cutting edge of next generation gaming over a decade ago, truly does pale in comparison to the huge environments and HD graphics were treated to today. It's such a shame that the series never went beyond Shenmue 2. I don't think there'd be one person who played the first two in the series who wouldn't love to see a third instalment for the 360 or PS3. We can but dream…
Timesplitters 2 (Playstation 2 – first played 2002)
Good old Timesplitters, an FPS that certainly approached the shoot 'em up genre with tongue firmly implanted in cheek. Whether it was hearing gun wielding snowmen screaming pathetically "I'm meeeelting!" when they got fried with a flamethrower, or unloading a plasma rifle into a small army of 'handymen', Timesplitters 2 always had fun as its focal point.
Although the game was a light hearted affair in terms of mood, I remember getting terrified when playing the virus mode. You're the last one left alive, frantically running away from a bunch of screaming infected through a disused hospital, seconds from getting the platinum award; pure adrenaline pumping tension. Stone golems chasing after you brandishing grenade launchers was also a stand out brown trouser moment.
With Free Radical going out of business it seems that we're no closer to getting a next-gen instalment any time in the near future. Sad news indeed. It's not too often that bucket loads of humour and FPS's go hand in hand successfully, but the Timesplitters series made the union seem effortless.
Here's hoping that the monkey-obsessed franchise can be resurrected one day, especially with the wealth of online options we now have access to. 16 player snowman/flamethrower deathmatch on Xbox Live? Yes please.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Playstation 2- first played 2004)
Still my favourite in the long running series to date and one of my most loved games of all time. Of course, technically GTA IV was miles the superior game, but San Andreas is the one that evoked the most emotion in me whilst playing it.
From the sun soaked streets of Los Santos to the high rolling Casinos of Las Venturas, San Andreas made me feel a sense of journey that I've yet to come across in game since. It's the ultimate rags to riches story with so much variety crammed into the sandbox that still makes it a joy to play.
Even now I'll listen to all the K Rose songs on YouTube, remembering riding across the desert at sunset blasting out Juice Newton's 'Queen Of Hearts' at top volume and singing along, or leading the police on an epic chase across the countryside with 'One Step Forward, Two Steps Back' as the soundtrack.
From monster trucks to superbikes, jet fighters to jetpacks, the vehicles of San Andreas were undoubtedly the most outrageous and fun of the series. Fair enough GTA IV went for a more gritty, realistic approach, but piloting airliners and soaring around on jetpacks mercilessly slaughtering innocent people was unrivalled entertainment.
I loved the balance between the urban and rural environments. After spending the first five or six hours in the gang ridden ghettos of Los Santos, when you come too in Angel Pine, there is a real sense of being stranded miles away from home, capturing the essence of two completely different worlds perfectly.
The scale of San Andreas took everyone by surprise when it first came out, dwarfing Vice City in comparison. Just walking/driving/flying around exploring, shooting and soaking up the atmosphere, to me was more fun than the actual missions, and an experience that will forever be etched in my gaming psyche. Is a San Andreas Stories too much to ask for? I hardly ever play the PSP but that would be one release I'd make an exception for.
Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube – first played 2005)
After reading numerous high scoring reviews and critical appraisals for RE4, the only thing I could physically think about doing was buying a Gamecube before its impending release. I thought RE4 would be good but not that good. It got to the stage when even my non -gaming friends were inviting themselves round just to sit and watch me play it.
All three of the main areas felt unique and dealt the horror out in generous brain splattering amounts. Every boss fight was unique and memorable, from hideously mutated fish and mountainous ogres to the tentacle lashing deformity of Salazar.
Some critics cited that for a 'survival horror' title, the game was too action orientated, but the vast majority praised the bold new direction the rapidly stagnated series had chosen to explore.
The very moment I finished RE4, I immediately started again, something I don't often do with games. It was that brilliant that you never wanted the experience to end and although through replay you know what to expect, the essence of tension and struggle for survival remained ingrained during every play through.
Let's be honest RE4 was a hard act to follow and RE5 fell quite a way short, but that's the price Capcom had to pay for setting the bar so high. Being a follower from the very first, painfully slow door-opening debacles of the original mansion to RE5, I can say with clarity that personally, RE4 was the outstanding moment of genius from the franchise's lifespan. When I think about all the reasons why I loved and still love the game, the sudden urge to dust off the old Gamecube one more time is almost too much to resist. Who says nostalgia can't be a wonderfully horrific experience too?
So there it is. I didn't want to go too much further than 2005 as the closer it is to the present day, the less 'nostalgic' it becomes and more of just a recent memory. As I said in part one, I'd love to hear which games readers cast their minds back to most fondly and for what reasons, which titles, that when you reminisce about them had a profound impact on your gaming life.
It's all good getting all hyped up for future blockbusters, but the odd bit of reflection certainly doesn't go amiss either.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
A Nod to Nostalgia - part twoPosted by Unknown
7/24/2010 08:00:00 pm Dreamcast, Gamecube, Grand Theft Auto, N64, Perfect Dark, Playstation, Resident Evil, retro, Shenmue, Timesplitters No comments