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Over here at Chez Chili, we're still thinking about why we blog. I've gotten some nice comments about the post, and this one struck me:
Meg4Meg said:
When I write, I feel more whole
Yeah, me, too. I think that's part of why I do it, as well – the idea of putting words to whatever is going on and thereby tying it to expression – rather than just leaving it floating up there as amorphous experience – seems to make things more *real* somehow.
I teach English, and have a great and profound love and respect for the power of language. I'm not a "sticks and stones" kind of girl – I recognize the power that words have. Naming something makes it less scary or threatening; we're more afraid of that which we don't "know" than that which we can name and put a face on and come to some sort of terms with. It's what therapy is all about, really – putting words to experiences so that you can deal with them in productive ways. I'm not saying that blogging is therapy – though I HAVE used it to try to work through some tough stuff that I don't understand – school shootings and the like – but it serves much the same purpose of bringing things down to a concrete level so they can be properly mastered.
My best friend, though, doesn't quite see it the same way. She sent me an email that said:
I have to log in as one of those who don't get it, but I respect your need to do this. It seems like you are able to organize your thoughts through this format and it works for you. I admire how well thought out your feelings are. So often I feel like a ping pong ball. I've tried journaling and it always seems to end up as a catalog of confusion and complaints. I have felt this way about therapy too. For me, reflecting too much gets in the way of moving past stuff. I am damn sure I don't want to share that with the world!
This is part of why I blog – I WANT to hear dissenting voices and I want people to question my assertions so that I can work through them myself and decide if this really is the way I think, just as much as I want to know that people understand and agree with me every once in a while. My best friend is my best friend, in part, because she challenges me to think, to consider options I may not have considered, and to investigate not only my reasoning, but my motivations for doing and saying certain things. Many of my blogging comrades do that, too, and I'm grateful for it.
I think that Meg4Meg's comment feeds right into what I'm trying to say here – though she says it much more succinctly than I do – that we're all somehow incomplete without some means of expression – of COMMUNICATION – beyond ourselves. I may be misinterpreting her (and, Meg, please correct me if I am), but I think it's more than just the writing that fills in those spaces – it's the writing that gets put out there and taken in by other people that really slakes the hunger.
What it all comes down to is that we're all in this together. Writing for others to see, and reading each other's words – and commenting, the feedback is vitally important – makes us part of a larger community. I try to comment often. Even if I don't think I have anything profound or particularly insightful to say, just shouting out from the proverbial shadows is sometimes enough to let the writers know that someone's out here listening.


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(NNPA)—No business can guarantee success. In fact, the vast majority of business ventures fail by the second year. Yet, entrepreneurship is the backbone of our economy and the few who succeed provide more than 70 percent of all new jobs. Some of the factors that can make or break a business should be considered as you plan and build your business venture.
When you come up with the idea of creating a business, you should first do a feasibility study. Will the market accept this product, service or idea? Make sure you don't come up with the conclusion until you do due diligence. Will it answer the wants and needs of the consumers? Can the market understand it and react positively? What price will the market bare? Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald's restaurants, had five business failures before he found success. Xerox had the rights to the Internet (not Al Gore) and simply gave it away thinking the market had no use for it. If your feasibility study ends up being very positive then it is time for your business plan.
A business plan sets the strategy and guidance for the launch of your business. You cannot get any financing without a convincing business plan. Investors, bankers and potential equity partners won't go to step one without a plan. There must be facts and documentation that can be understood and no pie in the sky will make your plan realistic. Every step of the plan must be proven and justified. If you have confidence in your plan, stick with it and don't take "no" for an answer. Remember, Fred Smith of FEDEX received an "F" for his business plan while in graduate school. He did not let that stop the implementation of one of the greatest success stories in the history of our capitalistic nation. When my wife, Kay, and I started the National Black Chamber of Commerce, we used our own money in the early years. Eventually, it grew into the largest Black business association in the world.
Once your business is started and is running profitably there are various tools you need to maximize your growth and guarantee a positive future. One important tool is a rainy day fund. The economy is not constant and times come when there are many customers who become unemployed or have to cut back on spending. Interest rates on financing may become prohibitive or a major client goes under or falls into bankruptcy. All of that has a devastating affect on a small business. For instance, if you are a federal government contractor and Congress decides to cut back on the budget and cancel contracts (some of which may be yours), it will hit your cash flow and profits in a terrible way. If you have reserves (rainy day money), you might survive this. If you don't, failure is around the corner.
Another tool is medical insurance for your employees. Rates can really vary. If you have five employees, it can range from $400 monthly per employee to $2,000 monthly per employee. That makes a big difference in your bottom line—net revenue. It is extremely important to shop around a solicit bids from as many insurance companies as you can find.
Other insurances such as Life, Property and Casualty (PNC), Errors and Omissions, Freight and other types have variable rates also. Again, shop around and find the best service and lowest cost for your business. It directly affects your net profit and future of your business.
Cost of goods sold is a major factor if you are in the retail, manufacturing or distribution business. That can be a big variable and you have to find the best deal for your business and customer base. My sons have a business and they went around the world to find the best and most cost effective manufacturer of the clothing line they sell. Yes, they found that source in China and even with the duty involved in the importing, it is the best quality and lowest price they could find. Doing this, has assured them of maximizing the profits and pleasing their customers with satisfaction and affordability.
(Harry C. Alford is co-founder, president/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce.)

subset: commoncrawl


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adidas Invites Fans To Live Online Video Chat With B.J. Upton
adidas and Eastbay will host a live online video chat with Tampa Bar Rays star B.J. Upton on Tuesday, February 1 at 7 p.m. ET. Fans will have the opportunity to ask the speedy center fielder questions and view his live responses at www.eastbay.com/adidas.
Upton will also showcase the new adidas adizero Diamond King, the lightest metal baseball cleat in the game. At only 11.9 ounces, the adizero Diamond King features eight spikes for 22 percent more traction, unique cleat placement for 12 percent faster pivot motion and five forefoot cleats for an 18 percent reduction in cleat pressure. The adizero Diamond King is available now at Eastbay.com.
Entering his seventh MLB season, "Bossman Junior" finished 2010 among the league leaders in stolen bases with 42. Upton and his defending AL East Champion teammates kick off spring training on February 13 and open the 2011 MLB season on April 1 vs. Baltimore.
Over the past year, the adidas NOW portal at Eastbay.com has hosted athlete chats with stars such as Dwight Howard of the Orlando magic, C.J. Spiller of the Buffalo Bills and Justin Upton of the Arizona Diamondbacks. adidas and Eastbay will continue to host video chats with athletes throughout the year.


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Kit out your knitwear line-up with our men's sweaters and cardigans. From classic roll necks and crew neck sweaters to nibbled knits and muscle fit sweaters, we've got the knits you need to style out the new season. In must-have spring/summer shades, layer over tees and denim with denim as well as pairing with smart pants.
Was $44.00 Was $44.00 Was $44.00


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Read reviews about sightseeing and attractions across the UK and Ireland. Whether you're on holiday, a school trip or it's the town where you live, don't miss the best parks, gardens, castles, churches and other attractions. Search our Sightseeing National category by country, country region and city or town. Compare consumer reviews, services, prices and more. Use dooyoo - be informed about the UK and Ireland! You can also add your own opinion about a British or Irish shop destination you've visited.
Bamburgh Castle is probably the finest castle in England. It is perched on a basalt outcrop on the very edge of the North Sea at Bamburgh, Northumberland. Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh, Northumberland. NE69 7DF. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com. Tel: 01668 2145
* Prices may differ from that shown


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Naughty By Nature to Perform at EXXXOTICA
Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:23:48
Naughty by Nature Photos
Naughty by Nature Videos
Hip-hop hooray, oooooh, aaaaaay, ooooooh! You down wit' O.P.P.?
Sex and Naughty by Nature? Oh yes! We like it, we love it, we want some more of it.
Get down with OPP at EXXXOTICA New Jersey, the nation's leading love and sex expo, which offers more than just burlesque shows, male dancers, aerial acts and star-studded panels on stage. It now also boasts Grammy Award winners and hip-hop royalty Naughty By Nature performing a full concert set Saturday night on the RealTouch Entertainment Stage.
Hailing from nearby East Orange, NJ, Naughty By Nature invented the hip-hop anthem and topped the charts with their hits "O.P.P." and "Hip Hop Hooray." Group members Treach, Vin Rock and DJ Kay Gee will be sure to make this homecoming show at EXXXOTICA the ultimate party while they perform their setlist of hits that span over two decades.
"I can't tell you what an honor and thrill it is to have Naughty By Nature performing at EXXXOTICA New Jersey," J. Handy, director of EXXXOTICA, said. "We are all longtime fans of theirs and cannot wait to watch these guys rock the stage at our show. They are true legends, and without a doubt the biggest act we've ever had at EXXXOTICA. I already dug my 'Down Wit O.P.P.' hat out of storage!"
The rest of the EXXXOTICA lineup features fetish models and more.
The 2012 EXXXOTICA New Jersey takes place at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, New Jersey, November 9, 10 and 11. Once again, women are admitted free for "Ladies Free Friday," and to honor our troops past and present, all former and active military personnel get free admission Sunday to help celebrate Veteran's Day.
Anyone going to get their sex on at EXXXOTICA while taking in some Naughty By Nature? You down with O.P.P? Yeah, you know me.
—Amy Sciarretto


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Get everything you need to polish vehicles, watercraft and other (ordinarily) shiny objects with this variable-speed polisher/sander from WEN. Use the included 7 in. rubber base pad and terry-cloth bonnet to give your prized possessions a visual revival. This gem steadily ramps up to your desired speed (600-3000 RPM) and a powerful 11-Amp motor keeps the wheel spinning at your preferred setting under ever-increasing loads. Easily transform this dual-function tool into a sander with the user-friendly spindle lock for quick accessory changes.
- Included lateral handle can be mounted on either side
- Built-in trigger lock functionality
- Includes lock nut wrench
- 1-year limited warranty
- Versatile right or left handle mount
- 1 year limited warranty
- Click here for more information on Electronic Recycling Programs


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Ezetap Gets Additional Funding From Amex To Expand Its Mobile Payment Platform Across Emerging Markets
Ezetap, a Bangalore-based mobile payment startup that uses a rectangular device to turn any mobile phone into a point-of-sales terminal when plugged in, is raising additional funding from American Express. Last month, the startup had raised $8 million in Series B funding led by Helion Advisors, Social+Capital and Berggruen Holdings. "The investment will allow us to turn on… Read More
With $8M In Fresh Funding, Ezetap Is More Than Just A Square For Emerging Markets
There are almost 900 million active cell-phone users in India now, and from newer startups to some of the biggest companies in the world, everybody is chasing the next mobile disruption that could potentially result in a business model for all of the emerging markets. One such startup is Ezetap, a mobile payment company backed by some of the biggest names in the VC industry, including… Read More


text: Boxes is a fiendish game of physics where the object of the game is to get the boxes to connect with the other box of the same color. To move the boxes through the level rotate your iPhone left and right - the more extreme the angle the faster the boxes will move. Look out for the time limit though - each level has a limited amount of time to complete before you lose a life!Lots more levels to come in the future.


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Where do young adults go to discuss what's right with the church, not just what's wrong with it? Two Eastern Mennonite Seminary alumni have created a blog and web magazine ... read more about Seminary Alums Launch Blog for Young Adults
Jantzi to Head Abrahamic Center Feasibility Study
Vernon Jantzi Vernon Jantzi has been named to coordinate a feasibility process toward the potential establishment of a Center for the Study of Abrahamic Traditions (CSAT) at EMU. The appointment ... read more about Jantzi to Head Abrahamic Center Feasibility Study


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VOICES Ideas and Insight From Explorers
Tag archives for Bermuda
December 23, 2013: Meeting Mr. Everest, Singing Songs in Space and More
This week on National Geographic, join host Boyd Matson and his guests as they summit Everest seven times, train for an Antarctic speed record, chase water while dodging cats in Africa, sing along with an astronaut, and overcome a traumatic brain injury.
Caribbean Nations Must Think Bigger and Act Boldly and Soon to Sustain Ocean Resources
I was honored to be asked to speak at the Caribbean Challenge Initiative's Summit of Political and Business Leaders, which took place in the British Virgin Islands May 17th and 18th. (See AP story for an overview of the event.) I spoke from the heart, and here is what I said: At the risk of…


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Talking to Contact Music, Zoe Saldana said, "I haven't thought about it that way, up until this Star Trek promo tour actually, when it was brought to my attention. I read scripts and if I respond well to the story and especially to the character that they want me to consider or that I'm going after, that's what I do."
Zoe Saldana added, "And then all of a sudden I stop and I go back and go, 'Oh my god! These three things have so much in common', and then I just keep going. It's not something that I'm strategically looking after or that I'm finding because I'm avoiding other things. I guess I gravitate a lot towards these kinds of characters that are very physically active."
The actress is featured alongside Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker and Dave Bautista in Guardians Of The Galaxy, which will go on the floors this summer and will be released in June 2014. Directed by James Gunn, the movie is all about a US pilot, who ends up in space in the middle of a universal conflict and goes on the run with futuristic ex-cons who have something everyone wants.
Zoe Saldana said, "I really like the director, James Gunn, I responded very, very well to the script. I loved the casting decisions they've been making so far. I can only hope we kick a** and we have a great time while we're putting the film together." She added, "And that the result of that, the audience will respond very positively to it and hopefully we'll be able to make just as much as Iron Man 3 is making right now."


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commandlinefu.com is the place to record those command-line gems that you return to again and again.
Delete that bloated snippets file you've been using and share your personal repository with the world. That way others can gain from your CLI wisdom and you from theirs too. All commands can be commented on, discussed and voted up or down.
You can sign-in using OpenID credentials, or register a traditional username and password.
First-time OpenID users will be automatically assigned a username which can be changed after signing in.
Every new command is wrapped in a tweet and posted to Twitter. Following the stream is a great way of staying abreast of the latest commands. For the more discerning, there are Twitter accounts for commands that get a minimum of 3 and 10 votes - that way only the great commands get tweeted.
» http://twitter.com/commandlinefu
» http://twitter.com/commandlinefu3
» http://twitter.com/commandlinefu10
Use your favourite RSS aggregator to stay in touch with the latest commands. There are feeds mirroring the 3 Twitter streams as well as for virtually every other subset (users, tags, functions,…):
Subscribe to the feed for:
Mass suspends all User accounts on a Cpanel server and inputs a RedirectMatch to the Rick Roll video. Learn more at rainbowblast com
If your user has sudo on the remote box, you can rsync data as root without needing to login as root. This is very helpful if the remote box does not allow root to login over SSH (which is a common security restriction).
Many Mac OS X programs, especially those in Microsoft:Office, create ASCII files with lines terminated by CRs (carriage returns). Most Unix programs expect lines separated by NLs (newlines). This little command makes it trivial to convert them.
This little command (function) shows the CSV header fields (which are field names separated by commas) as an ordered list, clearly showing the fields and their order.
Coming back to a project directory after sometime elsewhere?
Need to know what the most recently modified files are?
This little function "t" is one of my most frequent commands.
I have a tcsh alias for it also:
alias t 'ls -ltch \!* | head -20'
Ever wanted to find the most recently modified files, but couldn't remember exactly where they were in a project directory with many subdirectories? The "find" command, using a combination of "-mtime -N" and "-depth -D" can be used to find those files. If your directory structure isn't very deep, just omit the "-depth -D", but if your directory structure is very deep, then you can limit the depth of the traversal using "-depth -D", where "D" is the maximum number of directory levels to descend.
Finds all directories containing more than 99MB of files, and prints them in human readable format. The directories sizes do not include their subdirectories, so it is very useful for finding any single directory with a lot of large files.
In this case, I'm getting the package version for 'redhat-release', but of course, this can be applied to any package installed on the filesystem. This is very handy in scripts that need to determine just the version of the package, without the package name and all the sed and grep hackery to get to the data you want. To find out all the support format strings that 'rpm --qf' supports:
rpm --querytags
faster than lsof by at least x2 on my box.
This can be useful for those who have mounted NetApp file-systems with snapshot activated.
I am using .bat commands to execute Curl commands for Twitter API
when we add a new package to a aptitude (the debian package manager) we need to add the gpg, otherwise it will show warning / error for missing key
when we add a new package to a aptitude (the debian package manager) we need to add the gpg, otherwise it will show warning / error for missing key
Easily convert numbers to their representations in different bases. Passing
"ibase=16; obase=8; F2A"
to bc will convert F2A (3882 in decimal) from Hex to Octal, and so on.
Useful for quick calculations at the command line. $math_expr is any arithmetic expression (see sample output):
More options in the bc man page.
Allows for quick mass renaming, assuming the user has some familiarity with regular expressions. Basically, it replaces the original_file_name in the output of ls with
"mv -v original_file_name new_file_name"
and passes the output to sh.
parses the output of ifconfig to show only the configured ip address (in this case from interface eth0).
the regexp is quick'n'dirty im sure it can be done in a better way.
--> this alias does not show your "internet ip" when you're in a nat-environment
cdrecord must be installed.
usefull alias:
alias burniso='cdrecord -v dev=/dev/cdrom'
now iso burning is like.
burniso image.iso
release upgrades are major upgrades as from 8.04 to 8.10 or from 8.10 to 9.04
update-manager-core must be installed:
sudo apt-get install update-manager-core
in some cases you must edit '/etc/update-manager/release-upgrades' and set 'Prompt=normal'


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Excerpt from interview...
KATIE COURIC: I've covered stories in Haiti and third-world countries, but I don't think people understand how critical clean water is for our very existence. Can you explain?
MATT DAMON: That's the first hurdle we have to clear in terms of explaining this. Because it's not something Americans are equipped to understand. If we want clean water, we just go to the faucet.
GARY WHITE: Right. We can grasp HIV/AIDS in this country because we know people who are touched by it. We can almost grasp hunger because we have soup kitchens and food drives. But we just don't have that connection with water, because all the safe water you would ever want to drink is virtually free here. So I think there's that disconnect. And it is the issue for developing countries around the world. When you go into villages and talk to people that are in the middle of nowhere, who have nothing, without fail, everybody, particularly the women, say the top three things they want help with is water, water and water. Because nothing else matters until you get that done.
Related Articles
World Water Week is Underway


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Let us know when your receive great advice so we can thank our lawyers and point others with similar questions in the right direction.Got it!
I am the owner of a dance music record label. In the midst of renegotiating a deal with one of my past artists, our emails got heated. This artist has now taken it upon himself, without my knowledge of posting our entire email thread to his blog which is frequented by highly respected industry people. Is this illegal or at the very least slander or defamation?
Disclaimer: The materials provided below are informational and should not be relied upon as legal advice.
This is an invasion of your privacy and can be actionable. Do you know how this person accessed your e-mails? If they hacked into your e-mail account, you may also be able to sue them on some electronice piracy charge. You should consult your own attorney to protect your legal rights.Ask a similar question
@Robin, the OP clearly stated he sent these emails to the recipient. Therefore, any "hacking" or piracy issues do not apply.
I disagree somewhat with counselor Mashal.
If what he has posted to his blog are the messages you actually sent, then you have little recourse. You cannot have a reasonable expectation of privacy in something you knowingly expose to public inspection, and sending him an email is no different.
The perfect defense to slander and defamation is truth. If he puports that those messages are your words and they in fact are, there is no foul.
As far as being without your knowledge, he does not have to inform you that he intends to publish your words.Ask a similar question
Post a free question on our public forum.Ask a Question
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IDM 5.1 and Java memory heap size
This is really getting annoying. I have an ASA 5510 with SSM-10, and I'm trying to use the IDM. I'm running Windows XP SP3 with 1 gig of RAM. When I try to load the IDM, I get the error message:
"Your current Java memory heap size is less than 256 MB. You must increase the Java memory heap size before launching IDM."
Ok. I've done that, and it still doesn't work. I was running the latest version of Java. I then read advice to downgrade to Java 5, so I downgraded to 5u22 and tried it again. Same error message. So I once again adjusted the memory heap under Control Panel | Java, Java Applet Runtime Settings. There, on the only entry on the list (JRE 1..0_22), I added the runtime parameters "-Xms256 -Xmx512". I tried yet again and still get the error message.
What's going on with this?


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Sorry folks for my absence and the lack of posts; just when i had planned to make a series of posts for slowly examining "The Compleat Warlock" rpg, i stumbled upon an old game (and i fell in love!) a game that i had almost forgotten- i mean, it's not that i forgot this very well known rpg, but this particular edition (the 3rd) and it's charm had eluded me and had almost waned from my teenage memories.
I am talking about Runequest 3rd edition published in 1987 by Avalon hill/ Games workshop...i recently got a copy of this and i was, well,...mesmerized-
This 3rd edition is lavishly illustrated and the paintings are gorgeous in UK "White dwarf style", and moreover the content seems to be straight my cup of tea, with several "not-so-easy" rules tables to grasp in what looks like an attempt at providing realism (particularly, combat realism).
But, man! The monster volume which accompanies this volume was the last strike and paralyzed my will. The fantastic and malignant illustrations to be found therein, along with stats such as "monster fatigue points"...i'm in love. I think that's my game. And there's even "Advanced Runequest" with more rules for those inclined to achieve more precision whilst gaming...how was it that these three volumes skipped my radar for so long?
Actually it's not that i was not aware of their existence, but they were like buried in my memories, but i vividly recall that as a teenager they impressed me and sparked my imagination just by looking at the covers (yes, the covers are that important). But i had never physically owned them. Until now.
So now i am in the process of reading it, hence my silence. It seems that i am embarking in a new and exciting journey. As always, the motto "too many games, too little time" is still true and reasonates with me.
Besides, i acquired a copy of the very first edition of "Thieves Guild" by Gamelords and all the ten supplements....so now more than ever i am surrounded by any kind of old fantasy system imaginable since my collection has grown really too big at this point and i must admit that i am confused :)
Fantasy rpg history: The Complete Warlock (August 1975) (Page 7)
I was amazed today to read this long explanation of how Magic works, considering that it was written in August, 1975.
Doesn't it pre-dates the AD&D magic system? (I mean, everything that it describes without taking into account the spell points system). That is, the maximum spell level attainable by magic users, how many spells he can cast, etc...
Also, i find it highly commendable that, as you can read, a distinction has been drew between magic and miracles.
Fantasy rpg history: The Complete Warlock (August 1975) (Page 6)
Whereas we find an amusing look at how much a character is entitled to progress during each adventure, and where we are told the first basics of how Magic works.
Fantasy rpg history: The Complete Warlock (August 1975) (Page 5)
Here i am. Continuing this virtual reading room of "The Complete Warlock", page 5.
I decided to start this series about "Fantasy RPG history", basically because that has always been what i started this blog for. Due to my chronic lack of time nowadays, what i can allow myself is reading with you, page after page, a set of rules. This slow method allows me to keep up the blog without having to succumb to the "time is tyrant" syndrome.
One drop at a time. One page at a time. In my personal experience, in this way you can do pretty anything, from reading a book to whatever. I learnt in life that if you try waiting for the right time to sit down and have plenty of time ahead of you, it is likely that will never happen. So i learnt to take advantage of every single set of minutes in my life to accomplish my goals.
Ok, let's go back to rpg.
Keep in mind that i am reading the very first version, contained in "The Spartan" magazine (orange cover), dated August 1975 and NOT the final version that you see in the image over my laptop.
I think the differences are not overwhelming, but i'm not sure. Also, i would appreciate if folks out there who are more conversant with OD&D than me (i definitely am NOT conversant with that game) may point out differences between these two games, because as far as i am concerned, it seems to me that "The Complete Warlock" was made as a response to it (again, let us never forget that it was written in August 1975 and OD&D was published just one year before [though on the RPG encyclopedia it says 1973]).
So, without digressing. Here we learn that Constitution score is also will (or will force), and that dexterity also means "quickness of mind".
Also, pay attention to the fact that magic users act in order of their dexterity score, because that score represents "quickness of mind and eye for both archery and magic". This is news to me. I never saw in a fantasy game that mages should act during the round according to dexterity, and i have no idea if in OD&D is the same.
Last, the second part of each phase is called "archery", and in this phase we read that not only missiles are hurled, but this is also the time when "dragon breath" takes place. Another news for me.
Does this mean that just because "dragon breath" is not a "melee" attack but instead takes place from a distance, it has to be considered "archery"?
Fantasy rpg history: The Complete Warlock (August 1975) (Page 1-4)
Here, at the dawning of Dungeons & Dragons (only one year after its appearance on the market) there were already guys around trying to tweak its rules.
What i love in this first page is the fact that mages can use magical swords in addition to (normal) daggers. This is quite fascinating. I can easily imagine a group of adventurers entering a dungeon chamber where they find a loot in which there is a sword. The mage uses a spell in order to see if it is enchanted and once he realizes it is, he starts an argument with the fighter because both wanted to take possession of it. But at the same time, isn't it a bit illogical for a mage to be able to wield a sword, albeit magical? I am not 100% sure that i would implent this rule without thinking about it.
Last unusual thing we see here is the characteristic named "Size". We will see later what it means and its functions in the game.
Prisoners of the maze (Intro)
This is the introductory scenario found at the beginning of "Maze of Zayene" adventure module, published in 1987 by Creations unlimited.
It is enticing, isn't it?
Die Andere Welt
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Russ Karablin's SSUR is one of streetwear's oldest and most respected brands, notable for using clothing as a canvas for art and cultural dialogue. Most recently, the label's Comme Des Fuckdown sub-line has been a runaway hit, endorsed by everyone from A$AP Rocky to industry professionals and streetwear aficionados. The Comme Des Fuckdown socks feature an embroidered signature logo, available now in black or white.
For more information about returns please click here.


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East London Runners' Katrina Dixon endured hot and sticky conditions to complete the Mangalore half marathon in India.
Dixon, who is working in India for a few weeks and used the event to continue her training for the London Marathon, wore her East London Runners' shirt with pride as she finished 70th in a time of 2.06.44.
Closer to home, Thomas Grimes came first at the St Luke's Hospice ten-mile run in a time of 56.27.
Mark Wyatt and Will Pearce were 12th and 14th respectively.
Meanwhile, Patrick Brown led the way for Runners at the Wanstead Flats 5km park run, coming third in a time of 18.10.
Mark Boulton and James Wilson were hot on Brown's heels finishing fourth and fifth respectively, while Gavin Stebbing recorded a course personal best for eighth place.
Derek Wright, Regis Martin, Mark Wyatt, Lisa Mullen and Anna Charlton completed the Runners group.
Tim le Rasle crossed the line in seventh at the Valentine park run with a time of 19.48.
Ninette Fernandes completed the Hackney Marshes park run in 25.34, which was enough for 22nd position.
Dan Spinks came 26th in the Black Park park run, stopping the clock on 21.12, while Allan Todd set a personal best of 18.59, which saw him finish fourth at Woodley Park.
Also setting a personal best was Mohammed Aklaqul-Ambea, who came second at Eton Dorney with a time of 19.10.


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Murdoch Children's Institute research: diet can affect identical twins
Ever met a set of twins who look identical but were chalk and cheese in terms of personality? Those differences could be down to epigenetics, and their mother's diet while they were still in the womb. Natasha Bita explains.
This article originally appeared on news.com.au.
Identical twins could develop lifelong differences while they are still "womb mates", new research shows.
A Murdoch Children's Research Institute study of 251 sets of twins has found that a mother's diet during pregnancy can affect each child's "epigenetics" – the chemical switches that trigger or silence genes.
The study's leader, Professor Jeff Craig, hopes to discover why identical twins develop differently – even though they grow up in the same family and eat the same food.
Peas in a pod … or not?
"At 18 months we were surprised to find identical twins in which one twin had frequent infections like bronchitis and the other didn't," he said.
"How does this happen if twins spend their whole waking and sleeping life together?
"They're touching each other all the time, so why don't both get sick?"
Professor Craig said unpublished findings by the institute showed that even though twins share the same womb, they can experience different environments in utero.
He said the size and position of the placenta and umbilical cord could affect how much nutrition reaches each baby from the mother's bloodstream – changing the epigenetics of each twin.
"It's fascinating," he said. "We found a huge variety in the umbilical cords – some are really fat and some are thin – in the same mother.
"More than 90 percent of twins sit in their own sac (in the womb) and each sac has its own umbilical cord.
"But does the cord get most of the goodies from Mum or does it go out at a weird angle? Can it bend or kink?"
The Murdoch Children's Research Institute is the largest child health research organisation in Australia and is based at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.
Professor Craig said the research team was still trying to determine the link, by studying ultrasound scans and cell samples taken from the placenta, and monitoring the twins as they grow.
Non-identical personalities
Four-year-old Melbourne twins Nina and Hermione Kapoulitsas have grown from identical babies into little girls with personalities that are poles apart.
"They eat the same things, they sleep in the same room and they are read the same books," their mother Dimi Kapoulitsas said yesterday.
"But they've got different personalities – one is very determined and stubborn and the other is flexible.
"Hermione was a little bit bigger at birth than Nina.
"She was more of a quiet baby, and tends to not communicate what's wrong, but Nina will communicate more effectively."
Nina is more of a tomboy, while Hermione prefers dolls.
"Nina loves using Lego and is probably a bit more interested in learning letters and words and numbers," Mrs Kapoulitsas said.
"Hermione is a bit more of a girlie girl – she loves dolls, doing their hair and dressing them."
More from Kidspot:
- Epigenetics, you and your kids
- Twins or more: signs of a multiple pregnancy
- Pregnancy health and diet weeks 6-13
More related reading:
- Why your DNA may NOT be your destiny from Live Science
- Diet, exercise…epigenetics? from Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News
- Epigenetics can predict post partum depression from Bioscience Technology
Do you have a set of identical twins? Are they similar or completely different when it comes to personality?


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About Us
Protecting and improving the quality of life in
Waterville Valley is achieved by 6 Full-time
members, 4 Part-time members, 1 Administrative
Assistant, Per Diem personnel, and Call people from
the Department of Public Safety,
Waterville Valley had long been a vacation
destination since the early 1800's. Waterville was
incorporated in 1829 and later changed the name to
Waterville Valley in 1966. Development of the valley
started to boom with winter recreation
and a new ski area at Mt. Tecumseh
in the late 1960's.
February 23, 1967 would be a day
that changed public safety for
Waterville Valley. The Waterville Inn,
was the most popular and historical
lodging in the valley since the 1800's.
During that evening in February, a fire started in the
kitchen and workers had thought they had put it out.
The fire soon spread from within the walls.
Several fire departments were called from around
the county to respond. The responding departments
were slowed by one of the largest snow storms of
the year. The Inn was a total loss.
March 14, 1967 -Stuart Currier was appointed
as the first Police Chief.
March 1968 - The Waterville Company agrees
to add a bay to the service station on Tripoli
Road to house a fire truck.
March, 1969 - The town approves an article to
purchase its' own fire truck for $30,000.
May, 1970 Town approves $57,000 to build a
new fire station. (Our current location)
for EMERGENCY
Waterville Valley, NH Department of Public Safety
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Waterville Valley, New Hampshire 03215
Office: 603-236-8809
Dispatch: 603-236-4732 or Duty Cell Phone: 603-254-6708
Fax: 603-236-2056
Current WVDPS Shoulder Patch
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Firebase Reactor is a multiplayer map in Mass Effect 3. It is located on Cyone.[1] In single player, the Galaxy at War mission N7: Fuel Reactors takes place on this map.
Description Edit
The planet Cyone was assaulted more than a dozen times during the Krogan Rebellions by foes eager to gain access to its vast resources and specialized factories; however, it was never occupied by more than token forces before asari and turian allies drove the krogan out. Among the elite forces currently defending the planet are matriarchs that survived those attacks, and they have vowed that Cyone will never fall.
Hazard Version Edit
Mass Effect 3: Retaliation adds a version of Firebase Reactor that is set during a meltdown. The Reactor Core area will periodically become filled with radiation and needs to be vented. During venting, the doors to the core will close, downing any players inside and killing most types of enemies. Players can manually trigger the venting when radiation build-up is high enough by interacting with switches near the doors.
Locations Edit
Loading BayEdit
The entrance to the plant at the upper level. Players begin and extract at this location. Connects directly to the Overlook, Sector H1 by ladder, and A1 by ramp.
Upper level area that connects the Loading Bay with B1 and to A1 via ladder.
Sector A1Edit
Lower level area with access to the reactor. Leads up to the Loading Bay, H1 and the Overlook (via ladder), and B1 through a ramp.
Sector H1Edit
Small multi-level area that connects directly to A1 and to H1 through a ladder.
Reactor CoreEdit
The central power source for the facility. Contains a T-shaped path that connects Sectors A1, C1, and E1.
Sector B1Edit
Multi-level corner area. Connects the Overlook and C1 directly, and A1 via ramp.
Sector C1Edit
Multi-level area overlooking the right entrance to the reactor. Connects to the Reactor Core, B1, and D1.
Sector D1Edit
Multi-level corner area. Connects Sectors C1 and E1.
Sector E1Edit
Area containing a computer readout of the reactor. Connects to D1 and the Reactor Core.
Player Notes Edit
- The map is semi-circular, sporting 4 main sections. The outside of the semi circle is cut into 3 and there is a single "main" room that connects to all 3 and provides a shortcut to running around the edge of the map to get to a single area.
- Almost any class can make advantage of this map, and almost any weapon has its advantages as well. Snipers and Vanguards can take advantage of the center room as a choke-point for easy sniping and close-quarters combat. Adepts and Assault rifle users can use the fairly large sections of the map for crowd-control.
- The extraction on this map is arguably the hardest to perform on any map, as enemies approach from a 180 degree arc. Although cover is plentiful, players will often find themselves either under fire from all directions or standing upright in a close range firefight. Brutes, Banshees, Pyros and Phantoms are particularly troublesome here.
- With the exception of some high-level enemies, most opponents will die if trapped inside of the Reactor Core during emergency venting. This hazard can be used as a great crowd control weapon against groups of enemies.
- Once the Reactor Core doors close there will be four waves of heat that will damage everything inside. Activating an Ops Survival Pack just beforehand can possibly allow you to survive.
- Geth Juggernauts have enough health and shields to survive the reactor blast. A Juggernaut built for maximum shields can lure enemies into the reactor while another teammate triggers the vent.
- N7 Slayers and Furies can teleport through the reactor doors by dodging. Cabal Vanguards can also escape using Poison Strike.
- Banshees will also be able to teleport through these doors.
- Praetorians can sometimes fly through the doors of the reactor.
- N7 Paladins with their Omni shields deployed are capable of surviving the reactor blast with zero damage.
References Edit
|Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Maps
|Original Maps
|Firebase Dagger • Firebase Ghost • Firebase Giant • Firebase Reactor • Firebase Glacier • Firebase White
|Resurgence Maps
|Firebase Hydra • Firebase Condor
|Rebellion Maps
|Firebase Jade • Firebase Goddess
|Earth Maps
|Firebase Rio • Firebase Vancouver • Firebase London


text:
The Conference Board reports consumer confidence rose to 81.4 in June from 74.3 in May – beating estimates of 75.4.
The Commerce Department reports sales of new, single-family homes rose 2.1% in May from April to an annual rate of 476,000 units. Wall Street expected sales to come in at an annual rate of 462,000 units. The reading was the highest since July 2008.
Need a little good news? U.S. consumer confidence jumps in June, new home sales at highest level since July '08
Current Status: Published (4)
Seeded on Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:59 PM
keyboard shortcuts: V vote up article J next comment K previous comment


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The Romika Mikado 66 is an indoor women's slipper that will make house guests jealous! The environmentally friendly and recyclable wool felt is woven into a design, unique to each slipper, that evokes a handmade appeal. Finally your feet are insulated from the cold with a thick outsole that is flexible, supportive, and durable – exactly as you expect from all Romika footwear.
- Natural wool felt upper & lining.
- Wool felt footbed.
- Round toe for roomy comfort.
- Direct-injected PU soles are extremely flexible yet supportive.
- Heel: 2.5 cm / Platform: 1.3 cm
- Width: G (Medium)


text:
Link Ink: 'The Walking Dead' Action Figures, Matt Smith Sticking With 'Doctor Who' and Bryan Lee O'Malley's 1988 Transformers Comic
Toys: Between McFarlane Toys and MTV, you can get a solid look at six upcoming The Walking Dead TV/Comic action figures including Officer Rick Grimes, Michonne, Zombie Lurker, Zombie Roamer, Daryl Dixon and Zombie Walker. [MTV Splash Page]
Movies: The Michael Bay/Brad Fuller/Andrew Form-helmed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie reboot now has writers in the form of Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol's Josh Appelbaum and Andrew Nemec. [Deadline]
TV: Anyone worried about a regeneration has until at least next season to worry about it. Matt Smith's on board for another year of Doctor Who. [Blastr]
Video: Thousand Pounds reveals a trailer for their upcoming 20 minute short, Naruto: Dreamers Fight. Their ninja way is making awesome-looking fan films, apparently. [Topless Robot]
Art: Years before (back in '88, y'all) the world got to know his Scott Pilgrim comics, Bryan Lee O'Malley was crafting Transformers tales of titanic proportions at home. [Flickr]
Getting Crunk: io9 looks back at the time the Decepticons got totally drunk. [io9]
Art: Scott Wegna gives readers a look at Atomic Robo's evolution over the years (old Robo on the left, new Robo on the right). Personally, I like them both! [TwitPic]
Music: TheWarpZone covers Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" from a mutant perspective after seeing X-Men: First Class. [TDW]
Threads: Vincent Bocognani's da Vinci Bob-omb is up for voting on Threadless. Something tells me it could explode. [Gamma Squad]


text:
The Partenopei's latest signing is hoping to repay the club's faith in him while revealing his admiration for Marek Hamsik and childhood hero Zinedine Zidane
The Belgian-born Moroccan midfielder completed a move just last week from Brescia to the southern outfit and gave special thanks to Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, for making him feel at home.
"The president's words made me really happy, but now I have to prove myself on the field, and I am only too happy to do so," he was quoted by Sport.it.
The 22-year-old then went on to talk about his admiration for Marek Hamsik whilst revealing who his childhood hero was.
"Achieving what Marek Hamsik has done here would be great. But, Hamsik has scored 60 goals in Serie A. I have much to prove if I am to be compared with him," he continued.
"As a child I idolised Zinedine Zidane, both as a player and as a person."


text:
Hi, I had a chin implant previously to give my face a more aligned profile.
I had originally envisioned a 'hollywood chin' i.e one where the lower lip is alligned to the chin. (Think Lucy liu's chin for eg)
Nevertheless, a few months after surgery, I find that my side profile is still weak (stronger then before but still weak). My Dr did not want to put in a larger chin implant as he said it would look unnatural, and there would be a 'gap' between the lip and chin implant especially when i smile.
- lack of using imagery to clearly envision the dr's and patients idea of outcome
- i did it because i wanted a stronger side profile
- my chin is originally slightly weak (it is not severe)I just wanted to ask for a second opinion regarding how chin implants impact your side profile especially when you smile and how large you should go/ how far you should differ your chin from your original one.


text:
Welcome, United States Customer!
Choose your location and preferred currency for a localized shopping experience.
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Note: Note: In the event of a pricing error or fraud alert, we may refuse or cancel any orders placed for that item in accordance with our Terms & Conditions. We will notify you of any cancellation. Also, because manufacturers continually change product specifications without notice. While we try our best to keep product descriptions up to date, they do not necessarily reflect the latest information available from the manufacturer. We are not responsible for incorrect or outdated product descriptions and/or images. It is your responsibility to know what products are legal or illegal in your country. FDA: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.


text:
2013 PRism Award Winners
The 2013 PRism Awards were held November 6 in Los Angeles. Congratulations to the PRism Award winners. Need to order duplicate awards? Please use this form.
|Entry Title
|Entry Contact Organization
|Crisis Communications
|Mammoth Community Water District – Stop the LADWP Water Grab
|Cerrell Associates, Inc.
|Reputation/Brand Management – Corporate/Business
|VivoPools Revolutionizing The Pool Care Industry
|Konnect PR
|Reputation/Brand Management – Non-Profit Organizations
|Celebrating the Successful Conclusion of the Living Proof Campaign
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|New Product/Service Launch – Campaigns or Programs, Under $50,000 launch budget
|Hot Iron Holster Is No Hair Out of Place; Increases Revenue Three-Fold
|Marketing Maven
|New Product/Service Launch – Campaigns or Programs, $50,000 to $100,000 Launch Budget
|Two Publishers, One Campaign: Overcoming an Ownership Change in Launching Company of Heroes 2
|Wonacott Communications, LLC
|New Product/Service Launch – Campaigns or Programs, $100,000 and More Launch Budget
|Let the Fur Fly!: BEST Foundation Launches Tunnel Tail, a Mobile Game with a Mission
|Citizen Relations
|Ongoing Product or Service Program – Consumer
|Get Crackin' Gangnam Style: Wonderful Pistachios' First-Ever Super Bowl Commercial
|Roll Global
|Ongoing Product or Service Program – Business-to-Business
|Collaborate Anywhere with Bluebeam Revu
|Bluebeam Software
|Ongoing Product or Service Program – Non-Profit
|An Infusion of New Leadership and New Programs Energize the Heart Institute at Children's Hospital
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Cause-Related Marketing Campaign – Cause-Related Marketing Campaign
|Powering AT&T Technology to Drive Autism Awareness and Education
|AT&T with FleishmanHillard
|Community Relations
|Napa Pipe: A New Vision for Napans
|Davies Public Affairs
|Public Affairs
|Rosemont: Bridging to a Sustainable Future
|Davies Public Affairs
|Public Education
|Being Water Smart
|The Wolcott Company
|Non-Profit Campaign
|POPP's Path to Middle Class Pay: Arresting Interest in Police Work for Inner City Kids
|Olmstead Williams Communications
|One-Time Media or Special Events – Corporate/Brand: Under $50,000 Budget
|Whole Foods Market Media Event: A Day of Beauty, Health and Wellness
|One-Time Media or Special Events – Corporate/Brand: $50,000 to $100,000 Budget
|Princess Cruises Generates Earned Media Results Fit for a (future) Queen with Royal Princess Christening
|Citizen Relations
|One-Time Media or Special Events – Corporate/Brand: $100,000 Budget or More
|Corolla Elevated: 2014 Toyota Corolla Launch Event
|One-Time Media or Special Events – Non-Profit: Under $25,000 Budget
|SCOTUS Prop 8 Rally/Viewing Party/Press Conference
|Equality California
|One-Time Media or Special Events – Non-Profit: $25,000 Budget or More
|Launch of Each Mind Matters: California's Mental Health Movement
|Citizen Relations
|Internal Communications/Employee Relations
|Going on Record – A Hospital Implements Electronic Medical Records
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Internal Communications/Employee
|It's About Time – a Hospital Implements a New Time and Attendance System
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Diversity Communications Program – Corporate/Brand
|Powering AT&T Technology to Support the Autism Community
|AT&T and FleishmanHillard
|Diversity Communications Program – Associations/Government/Non-Profit Organizations
|Spanish-language Communications Initiative
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Green/Sustainability Programs – One-Time or Special Event – Corp/Consumer Brand
|Chiquita Canyon Landfill's Sustainability in Found Art
|Chiquita Canyon
|Green/Sustainability Programs – One-Time or Special Event – Corp/Consumer Brand
|Chiquita Canyon Landfill's Sustainability in Found Art
|The Musella Group
|Green/Sustainability Programs – Ongoing: Corporate/Consumer Brand
|An End is a Cool, New Start: will.i.am and The Coca-Cola Company Launch EKOCYCLE
|Rogers & Cowan
|Healthcare Programs – Ongoing Program
|L.A. Fathers – Targeted Support for a Complex Problem
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Healthcare Programs – One-Time Event
|Medtronics Diabetes with Merryman Communications, Inc.
|Entertainment Programs – One-Time or Special Event
|Love for Levon
|Rogers & Cowan
|Entertainment Programs – Ongoing: Organization/Corporate
|The Relaunch of Myspace
|Rogers & Cowan
|Entertainment Programs – Personality, Series, Music, Film or DVD
|Imagine: A Celebration of Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Sports Programs – One-Time or Special Event
|Riding to PR Success – USA Pro Cycling Challenge
|Rogers & Cowan
|Sports Programs – Ongoing: Organization/Corporate
|Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Hits a Home Run with The Sandlot (20th Anniv. Ed.)
|Hill+Knowlton Strategies
|Sports Programs – Athlete, Personality, Team or Property
|Visa Goes for Innovation Gold
|Travel, Tourism, Hospitality Programs
|Tourism Australia – World's Best Jobs
|Pro Bono Program – Services at No Charge
|Inclusion NOW for All Gay Boy Scouts and Leaders: Western LA County Council Sends Clear Message
|Olmstead Williams Communications
|Digital PR Tactics (Online Communications) – Blogger Campaign
|California Avocados: All Avocados are Not Created Equal
|Digital PR Programs/Social Media Campaigns
|Old Spice & Dikembe Mutombo Save the World in 4 ½ Weeks w/ Real-Time Digital Video Game
|Citizen Relations
|Digital PR Tactics/Online Communications/Websites
|Old Spice & Dikembe Mutombo Save the World in 4 ½ Weeks w/ Real-Time Digital Video Game
|Citizen Relations
|Digital PR Tactics/Online Communications/Social Media
|RN Remedies
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Digital PR Tactics/Online Communications/Blogs
|Real Estate Matters
|The Hoyt Organization
|Press Conferences
|Wii U PREVIEW EVENT
|Press Conferences
|Kicking Off the Nestlé Crunch 75th Birthday Showdown
|Writing/News Release
|Shifting the Focus of Sustainable Design in Higher Education
|The Hoyt Organization
|Writing/Social Media
|RN Remedies
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Writing/Backgrounder, White Paper or Technical
|Kaleida Health Stroke Study White Paper/Infographic
|The Auto Industry: Architects of the Future
|Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
|Reaching OCTAN's Perfect Audience with the Perfect Message
|Annual Report/Non-profit Organizations
|The California Wellness Foundation 2011 Annual Report
|The California Wellness Foundation
|Media/Press Kits
|2012 California Peace Prize Media Kit
|The California Wellness Foundation
|The Islands of Tahiti: Incentive Guide
|Newsletter/Hardcopy or Electronic – Corporate
|Monrovia "Plant Savvy" Gardening Newsletter
|Newsletter/Hardcopy or Electronic – Non-profit Organizations
|"Grantee" Magazine
|The California Wellness Foundation
|Newsletter/Hardcopy or Electronic – Government/Association
|Network for a Healthy California Champion Chats
|Citizen Relations
|Creative Tactics/Photography
|Hana Hwang Meets a New Caregiver
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Creative Tactics/Graphic Illustration
|Noche de Niños Enchanted Forest Invitation
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Creative Tactics/Logo/Identity Design
|Washington Good Spirits Council
|Cerrell Associates, Inc.
|Creative Tactics/Video
|Bluebeam Revu 11 Webisodes Series
|Bluebeam Software
|Creative Tactics/Teaser or Other Collateral
|Dog Therapy Trading Cards
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Media Placement/Broadcast
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles Takes Center Stage on FOX's American Idol
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Media Placement/Print
|A Big Idea for Small Patients: Infant Organ Regeneration
|Children's Hospital Los Angeles
|Media Placement/Online
|The Next Evolution in Architecture: A Firm Profile
|The Hoyt Organization


text:
When most people think about a cruise these days, they visualize a behemoth of a an ocean liner zipping from one crowded port to another. There is another way to cruise that provides an experience completely apart from this image, while still pampering passengers with luxury and exceptional service. It is called river cruising, and it is an amazing way to travel. In fact, river cruising is currently the fastest growing segment of the travel industry.
What makes river cruises different from traditional ocean cruises? For one thing, the size of the ships. While oceangoing cruise ships just keep growing from huge to enormous, river cruise ships generally carry only 100 to 300 passengers. (One sailing the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia carries only 66 passengers.) Besides the advantages of more personal attention and a more intimate environment, the small ships also allow you to disembark the ship right in town, meaning no long bus rides to and from. Also, most river cruises include more amenities, such as shore excursions when you are in port and beer and wine at meals. Dining on a river ship is usually on an open-seating basis, allowing you to dine when you want and with whom you like on any given night.
At first the leisurely pace of river cruising may take some getting used to, but you'll soon come to appreciate the opportunity to truly see the countryside and get a feel for daily life in the countries you visit. The flat bottom shape of most river ships ensures a safe and smooth ride without worries of motion sickness.
Most of the ports of call on a river cruise are not available to ocean vessels. Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Moscow … many of the world's great cities grew up along waterways, so the logical way to see them is of course via these waterways. In Europe you can cruise the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Rhone and the Elba rivers. In Russia the Volga and the Svir rivers, and in Egypt the Nile. In China sail the Yangtze, in Vietnam and Cambodia the Mekong. There are even a few river cruises in the United States.
Let me know if you need more information on specific itineraries and ships so we can help you find just the right match.
Michael Downer, the "Travel Guy," has been helping people see the world since 1986. An affiliate of America's Vacation Center/American Express, he can be reached at (916) 933-2360 or by e-mail at email@example.com.


text:
Reader comment: William Gunn says,
There's no evidence meth is flavored to appeal to children, and there's no masking the taste.Cory Stroik says,
On the contrary, there's an established tradition of drug dealers coloring and styling their wares, as a brief look at http://www.ecstasydata.org/ will make evident. The purpose of this is to create a reputation for a certain "brand" of drug, allowing a dealer to promote his product over the other guys.
"Pink champagne" meth(with residual red dye from sudafed tablets) is one such brand and has been around forever. The rumor that "the pink stuff is the good stuff" is almost certainly the inspiration for this. Also, amphetamines are about the most vile thing you could ever taste, and a pinch of Kool-Aid isn't going to change this.
I found the article on pop rocks combined with meth-amphetamine very interesting (what an odd combination?) I must say though, I felt a slight cringe when reading the first sentence "In an effort to sell more meth to children"
And I mean no offense by this, it would be a lot easier to sell candy to children then clandestinely produced powder, but really I cant see anything else that this implies that it was an effort to sell "to children"
There are several things that seem logical to me, for one wouldn't pop rocks look a lot less inconspicuous then a white powder? Drug dealers and smugglers have been using techniques like this for years to smuggle drugs. We've all heard of heroin lolipops, but of course those were not intended to actually be eaten as lolipops, just for smuggling.
Also, just because a drug comes in a form thats a bit more appealing by taste doesn't mean its aimed at children, we're all familiar with "hash brownies"
I also found the mention of "cheese" in one of the articles interesting, as I had heard it used before in an article also claiming somehow this introduces the drug to children, somehow. More likely it seems the inclusion of benedryl into heroin would be to offset the itchiness opiates cause, something opiate users have been doing since antihistamines have existed.
And the bigger question, why really would a meth dealer want to sell to school children? Wouldn't there be a much greater chance of a child getting caught and instantly telling where he got it from? Or worst yet, how much more likely is it for an 80 pound child to die from an overdose on meth? The whole thing just doesn't add up in that context.
So really, while this article is fascinating and true for the most part, to instantly jump to the conclusion that its "to get children hooked" seems more like the over sensationalized drama thats come out of the drug war.


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5 Posts
Alhambra: Power of the Sultan
Alhambra: The Power of the Sultan - A Detailed Review
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Neil Thomson
New South Wales
BorderCon was a blast this year!!!
This review continues my series of detailed reviews that attempt to be part review, part resource for anyone not totally familiar with the game. For this reason I expect readers to skip to the sections that are of most interest.
Game Type -
Board Game (Tile)
Play Time:
80-90 minutes
Number of Players:
Mechanics –
Set Collection, Tile Laying, Resource Management
Difficulty –
Moderate (Can be learnt in under 30 minutes)
Components -
Image Courtesy of
This is the fifth in a series of reviews that will analyse each of the 5 Alhambra expansions. I will outline each expansion on its own merits and then comment on how well it interacts with other expansions in the Alhambra Family.
As each Boxed Expansion for Alhambra includes 4 Mini-Expansions, I will refer to a box as an Expansion Set and each of the 4 additions within each box as Mini-Expansions. This will hopefully avoid confusion as I discuss each in turn.
At the end of this review is a series of links to help find my other Alhambra Reviews.
#17 – The New Score Cards
Components -
This Mini-Expansion consists of two component types. First there is the Scoring Round Template, which essentially outlines the points available for each round (as per the original Reserve Tile Player Boards).
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
This is essential now though due to the 2nd set of components, which are the alternate Scoring Tokens. There are 18 in all and they effectively randomize the relative values of each building type for each Scoring Round. These are of a size that allows them to sit snuggly into the brackets of the Scoring Round Template.
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
Impact –
The New Score Cards have major implications for how a game of Alhambra will play out. Randomising the scoring of each building type means that the building type that is king one moment, may be all but worthless in the next. What results is some careful analysis at the start of the game to calculate the relative value of each building type over the course of all 3 scoring rounds. This will appeal to some and not to others.
The other implication is the availability of each building type. The base game was deliberately designed to have fewer of the lower scoring buildings and more of the higher scoring ones. This meant that there was more competition to gain a majority for the high scoring Towers and Gardens and with a greater number on offer, there was less chance to miss out on them if you were in 'the wrong place at the wrong time' which Alhambra can suffer from.
Now of course this is not the case and those 7 Pavillions and Seraglios (blue and red buildings) may now be worth major points. Heaven help the players that are just unlucky to see them come out and get purchased before they have a chance.
Strategy –
I'll state it again, but it is imperative to know the relative values of each building type at the start of the game as this will help you to calculate which buildings are worth overbidding for and which ones are not.
It can also be quite important to gain
'The Power of the Sultan'
(see Mini-Expansion summary below)!
Interaction with other Expansion Sets –
The Power of the Sultan is another Mini-Expansion in this Expansion Box that allows players to nab buildings of a given colour when they are added to the Market. Having one of more Sultan cards at your disposal can be crucial in gaining buildings that are in limited supply or are worth big points at scoring.
Naturally the Vizier's Favour is another very handy power to use at the right time.
Feelings –
Personally I am a little conflicted about the value of this expansion. Does it throw up an interesting set of considerations, which adds to the analysis and decision making required to play the game, or is it simply another level of randomness that could possibly throw the final result into total chaos and allow for score blowouts?
The reality is I don't really know after only 2 plays but I must confess that our scores were really close despite this ( a 2 point and 9 point win in each game). For that reason I suspect that the varying values of buildings probably even themselves out on the majority of occasions and as long as all players know the 'lay of the land' from the beginning, we are all using the same information to inform our in-game decisions.
Not upset by it and not totally in love either.
Rating –
#18 - The Power of the Sultan
Components –
So lets look at this Mini-Expansion namesake then. It consists of 8 cards. Each card is worth 7 to buy and they are placed into stacks 1-3 at the beginning of the game. For each currency there are 2 cards present, which are identical. The cards feature a dice icon in the centre and to the top and bottom of the card is a depiction of each building type.
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
A nicely engraved die is included. It features each of the building types and each building is coloured accordingly. It is of the same design as the dice featured in -
Alhambra: The Dice Game
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
The other components required of this expansion are small black cubes, called Marker Cubes. These are used for several Mini-Expansions in this Expansion Box.
Impact –
When a Power of the Sultan Card is revealed it is placed to one side and another money card is drawn to replace it. The Sultan Dice must then be rolled and the result will determine which of the buildings on the card is marked with a Marker Cube.
Any Sultan Cards in play can then be purchased as an action instead of doing something else. If the exact amount is paid in the correct currency, a bonus action is taken. When a Sultan Card is bought, the new owner can choose to leave the Marker Cube where it is or they can choose to roll again. The building type that is rolled or the building type on the opposite face must be taken as the new value and the Marker Cube moved accordingly. In this way a player has a 1 in 3 chance of rolling the building type they were after.
The benefit of the Sultan Card is that it allows a player to interrupt the natural flow of play when a building of the type they have marked on their card is added to the Marketplace. They can then chose to take that building for free (which requires the disposal of their Sultan Card) or they can let play continue as per normal.
This is obviously very powerful indeed as it works in much the same way as the Vizier's Favour Mini-Expansion, but in this case the cost has been paid up front and may be less than the cost of the building itself.
If multiple players have Sultan Cards with the same building type showing, the order of play (as with the Vizier's Favour) is used to determine who has first choice.
If playing with both this and the Vizier's Favour Mini-Expansions, the Power of the Sultan has priority over Vizier Tokens.
Also note that Exchange Cards, Diamonds and Coins can all be used to help reach the purchase price of a Sultan Card.
Master Builder Cards are not listed as a method for acquiring Sultan Cards however, as I assume, they can only be used to purchase buildings?!
Strategy –
Quite simply Sultan Cards are pretty hard to go past and as a general rule they should be purchased when they become available. They are actually far more powerful than the Vizier's Favour purely because there is less chance that other players will have a Sultan Card with the same building type as you do, meaning you won't have to worry about turn order.
That said I have played games where red buildings (for example) were worth big points and this meant that 3 different Sultan Cards were in play with a red building power. This meant that their power was diluted considerably as turn order became critical. In this situation when acquiring a new Sultan Card it may be best to avoid that competition altogether.
Another important consideration is the potential cost of Sultan Cards in the early game. A cost of 7 is no small amount in the early game and it is likely that you will not use the card's power till later in the game. This can effectively mean that you acquire 1-2 buildings less before the 1st Scoring Round as a result, which can lead to another player earning a reasonable lead if they acquired a good number of buildings.
Interaction with other Expansion Sets –
The main reason why Sultan Cards are so vital is in the options they give a player in relation to many other Mini-Expansions. The Art of the Moors Mini-Expansion (below) is all about acquiring buildings of a given value. The Power of the Sultan Cards may allow a key building to be nabbed to boost the value of an Art of the Moor relic.
But it doesn't end there. The same can be said for gaining access to buildings for the purpose of; boosting the value of Worker Huts and Bazaars, for placing Treasure Chests (Treasure Chamber), acquiring Scout Cards and securing one or more of your Bonus Card Buildings (Expansion Set #1).
The only Expansion Set to not have a Mini-Expansion affected by The Power of the Sultan is Expansion Set #3 (The Thief's Turn).
Feelings –
I really like this Mini-Expansion because it is yet another sink hole for the player's income, which can become quite vast due to other Mini-Expansions. I like how a player must weigh up the relative value of the card now, versus the other options they have with that money.
In general I think Sultan Cards are pretty powerful period. But that does mean that you want to be in a position to nab them as soon as they come up, else they will likely be gone. The dice rolling may seem like yet another random element and will likely annoy some people, but with a 1 in 3 chance of getting what you want (if it wasn't already rolled initially anyway), I haven't seen to many people screwed by this aspect.
Rating –
#19 – The Art of the Moors
Components –
The Art of the Moors utilizes three types of components. First there is the Docking Strips, which are nothing more (pun intended
) than pretty cardboard strips with triangular indents.
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
Into these indents then are placed the Art of the Moors (see above) as they are acquired. These are hexagonal tiles similar in thickness to a Carcassonne Tile, and these have a value (just below the image in the middle). Tiles with the same value (ranging from 6-13) feature the same trinket, which presumably represents treasures and artworks created by the Moorish people (of which I have no knowledge to draw on).
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
The Art of the Moor tiles feature various numbers around the outside and little black cube symbols. The black Marker Cubes are then used to represent the maximum value of each Art tile as the game develops. All of these features and mechanics are explained below.
Impact –
This is without a doubt the meat of this Mini-Expansion. The Art of the Moors can earn a player big, big points, but they also come at a cost.
How do you get them? –
To earn one a player must acquire 2 buildings of the same cost. If a player achieves that they are then entitled to take an Art of the Moor tile of the same value. Each tile is identical in its features, so the selection of which tile is irrelevant. Do note however that Moor Tiles range from value 6-13, therefore buildings of cost 2-5 will not help secure a Moor Tile.
Once earned a Docking Strip is taken and the Moor Tile is slotted into one of the positions with the 0 pointing to the top. A black Marker Cube is then placed on the furthest most position, depicting the number of buildings of that value (cost) that is currently held by the player (which will always be 2 when first acquired). Depending on the value of the Moor Tile this location will be 1-3 spots from the starting position.
It does not matter if a player's building tiles of the same value are located in their Alhambra or their Reserve.
What does it Mean? –
The number at the top most point is the value of that artwork at the present time. The location of the Marker Cube is the maximum value of the Moor Tile at the present time.
How can I change the values? –
On a player's turn, they can forfeit a regular action to turn all tiles in their Docking Strip(s) (a player can have more than one Strip if they fill the first) one space anti-clockwise, thereby increasing the value of the Artwork. However a tile can never be turned beyond the point where a Marker Cube is located.
To move a Marker Cube to a higher value, a player must acquire more buildings of the same value. Doing so allows the Marker Cube to be moved to the furthest most point that correlates to the number of buildings they have of that cost.
For Example –
In the following image look to the middle tile in the Docking Strip. At present the player has 2 buildings of value 7, hence the current location of the Marker Cube on the furthest most 2 square location (value of 2). If the player acquired a 3rd building of value 7 then the Marker Cube would move to the furthest most point for 3 buildings, jumping past the 4 point value to the 6 point value location.
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
When do Moor Tiles Score? –
All Art of the Moor Tiles will earn the points as indicated by the top most value on each tile during each scoring phase.
How Many Moor Tiles can I have? –
It is only possible to have 1 Tile of each value and there are 7 different valued tiles in all. The amount of each tile type available however is dependent on how many buildings there are of each value (cost) in the game. So there are as many as four 8 value Moor Tiles, but only one 12/13 value Moor Tile.
Strategy –
The Art of the Moors can be worth big points by the 2nd and 3rd scoring phases if a player has acquired buildings well. But they do come at a very big cost in terms of forfeiting actions.
It is imperative to pick the moment carefully when you choose to rotate your tiles. Preferably always rotate them when you have more than one as you will gain maximum points with a minimum of rotations. Try to time your rotations just prior to a Scoring Phase or at points in the game when the buildings and money on offer are not that helpful to you. And finally, try to rotate them using a bonus action where possible as this means you have still done something valuable for a turn and ensured you can earn bonus points during the next scoring.
As a point of interest, I managed to win a game at my second attempt with only 1 Moor Tile and it was at value 0 by the end of the game. This was in comparison to a player who earned some 9 and 15 points from Moor Tiles in the last 2 scoring rounds. I achieved the win because I had instead focused on building a big wall and gained a majority in the two highest valued building types for the final round. By contrast he had taken buildings with walls that did not align well in order to match the values of his tiles in order to gain Art of the Moor Tiles. He had also forgone the purchase of important tiles in order to rotate his Moor Tiles. The combination of these factors let me slip past for a 9 point win.
So tread carefully is the message I guess. Any one thing done in Alhambra comes as an opportunity cost to doing something else!
Interaction with other Expansion Sets –
This is a good example of a Mini-Expansion that was designed to have a major bearing on the game but only create links, in terms of strategy, with other Mini-Expansions from its own Expansion Set. In this case the Art of the Moors links up beautifully with the Power of the Sultan Cards, as they can be used to nab a building of a particular value in order to gain access to a Moor Tile or increase a Moor Tile's value.
Feelings –
The Art of the Moors is the real winner within this Expansion Set for me. They are enticing to acquire, they can offer real value if used cleverly and yet they can be a real distraction from other methods of earning points if handled poorly. This then amounts to a Mini-Expansion that is very thought provoking and unlike some others on offer, the luck factor here is low to non-existent. Great stuff.
Jump down to the '
Additional Resources
' section to learn about some aids that come with the game to help with this and the Power of the Sultan Mini-Expansions.
Rating –
#20 – The Caravanserai
Components –
This Mini-Expansion consists of 8 more cards and each card is double sided. The back features a depiction of a building under a blue desert sky. The numbers 8, 4 and 2 are depicted at the top and a series of tile icons are depicted at the bottom (more on these features in a moment).
The reverse side depicts a money track of sorts. One of the Alhambra currencies is present in a vertical line up the middle and the other 3 currency types feature once at various junctures. Values are listed down the side ranging from 0 to 5.
A Black Marker Cube is used to depict the value of a Caravanserai Card once acquired.
With 8 cards in all, there are 2 cards that feature each currency type down the centre.
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
Impact –
This Mini-Expansion allows players to earn additional income (presumably from owning a Caravan, or Market selling goods, if theme is important to you). But that extra income may well come at a fairly significant cost.
All Caravanserai Cards are laid out with the rear or sky blue side face up. This side of the card(s) serves to denote the cost to acquire a Caravanserai.
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
The icons at the bottom of the card denote how many buildings of different types a player must have before a Caravanserai Card can be purchased. The top of the card denotes what that cost is before it can be bought. Therefore the maximum cost is 8 and a player must have at least 4 buildings of different types in their possession before this is possible. Having 5 different building types will reduce the cost to 4 and having all 6 makes them a bargain at a cost of 2.
These buildings must be built within a player's Alhambra and cannot be located in a player's Reserve.
Buying a Caravanserai Card takes an action, and a bonus action can be used for this purpose. Paying for one of these cards must be done with a single currency type and paying the exact amount will earn a bonus action as well.
Once a Caravanserai Card is purchased, the cards can be looked at and a particular card chosen. A Black Marker Cube is then taken and placed on the black zero starting location.
Using a Caravanserai Card –
Using the card is dead simple (hooray). At the start of a player's turn they can increase the value of any one card (not both should they have 2) by moving their Marker Cube up one space or across one space if they were at a junction. Movement can only ever be up or across, never down.
At any point a player chooses to pay for something, they can add the current value of one or more of their Caravanserai cards (denoted by the values on the left hand side) to money from their hand.
In the following example the value that could be added by the Caravanserai Card would be 2 in the blue currency.
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
Once a Caravanserai Card is used, its value is returned to 0 and will begin to build again from that player's next turn.
It is important to note that values from Caravanserai Cards can be added to currency in hand at the end of the game to secure left over buildings in the Marketplace.
Strategy –
Naturally Caravanserai Cards can offer the most value if they are secured early in the game. But this is no easy task as at least 4 buildings of different types must be acquired to allow a purchase and even then they are not cheap.
Then there is the realisation that doing so (acquiring buildings of different types) is actually counter-productive to the game's main goal of gaining majorities in order to score points in the scoring rounds.
So this Mini-Expansion throws up a dilemma from the get-go. What it does do however is dovetail beautifully with the Art of the Moor Mini-Expansion from this Expansion Set as it is possible to acquire like valued tiles, to satisfy the Moor Tile requirement, and acquire buildings of different types, to help secure Caravanserai Cards, at the same time.
By my reckoning if this is possible then I think it is worth pursuing a Caravanserai and hoping that the short term pain is worth the longer term gain. Exactly how early a player should acquire a Caravanserai Card and what they should pay depends on the position of the game and what other cost based Mini-Expansions are in play. Ideally, a cost of 4 or less is ideal, but it must be weighed up with how long is left in the game.
It is also worth noting that a viable strategy may be to keep the cost of these cards low as it may be more helpful when adding them to cash from your hand to pay an exact amount for something, thus earning a bonus turn. Of course this will depend on whether you are drawing high or low valued cards.
Interaction with other Expansion Sets –
As mentioned above, this Mini-Expansion dovetails beautifully with the Art of the Moors Mini-Expansion. Other than that it is of potential value with any other Mini-Expansion that requires investment.
Feelings –
This is another very strong addition to the Alhambra family, not necessarily due to the benefit it bestows, but more for the conundrum it poses to players. Do I pursue them or will they cost me VP's in the long run? When has the time come to abandon my plans for them (when is the relative value less than the cost to purchase), how best can I use any extra income gained and should I increase the value or branch out to a different currency? These are all questions posed by this Mini-Expansion and as such I think it is well designed.
Rating –
Additional Resources
Unlike other Expansion Sets, this one comes with a set of resources in the form of double sided cards and they are mighty helpful. Two of the Mini-Expansions (Sultan Cards and Moor Tiles) really do require that the players are aware of the building tiles that come in each colour and their relative values, as both of these features are key.
So these double sided resource cards depict on one side all tiles by wall structure and which colours are associated with each (on the right of the image below) and on the other; which tiles are present at each cost (left of image below). These cards are very helpful when used in conjunction with a quick scan of each player's Alhambra, to identify which tiles have yet to enter play and are still available.
Image Courtesy of
Uncle G
The Final Word
So overall we have 2 very strong Mini-Expansions on offer here and 2 others that may well come down to personal taste.
Looking at the total score below I see that a rating of 15
's puts this Expansion Set 3rd out of the 5, coming in 1
behind The City Gates. But on the balance of things I feel that it is on a level footing with that Expansion Set.
This review has been longer than most others as there is more intricacy in explaining the Mini-Expansions found here. However that intricacy is harder to explain than it is to implement. So don't be frightened by The Power of the Sultan at all as this is another quality inclusion to the Alhambra family.
The real question now is – "Is this the end for Alhambra Expansions?" The release of the Alhambra Big Box would suggest that this is possibly so and 20 is a nice number to finish at. But the Carcassonne Big Box didn't stop the flow of expansions either so I guess we will have to wait and see.
Overall Rating -
's out of 20
Mini-Expansion Summary
Well with my Alhambra review journey seemingly at an end, I thought it would be a good idea to list all the scores for the Mini-Expansions in one spot so they are easy to compare.
I do reserve the right to alter these over the coming months as I play the game with all the expansions again. If I do so I will make an edit to note any changes and why I thought they were warranted.
Expansion Set #1 – The Vizier's Favour
The Vizier's Favour -
The Bureau de Change -
The Worker's Huts -
The Bonus Cards -
Total – 11
Expansion Set #2 – The City Gates
The City Gates -
The Diamonds -
The Characters -
The Camps -
Total – 16
Expansion Set #3 – The Thief's Turn
The City Walls -
The Thieves -
The Change -
The Street Trader -
Total – 12
Expansion Set #4 – The Treasure Chamber
The Treasure Chamber -
The Master Builders -
The Invaders -
The Bazaars -
Total – 17.5
Expansion Set #5 – The Power of the Sultan
The New Score Cards -
The Power of the Sultan -
The Art of the Moors -
The Caravanserai -
Total – 15
For a full list of my 300+ reviews in a search-able Geeklist -
My Review Geeklist for Easy Reference
Other Links
Alhambra - A Detailed Review
Expansion Set #1 - The Vizier's Favour
Expansion Set #2 - The City Gates
Expansion Set #3 - The Thief's Turn
Expansion Set #4 - The Treasure Chamber
Alhambra - The Dice Game
Last edited Wed Oct 12, 2011 12:50 am (Total Number of Edits: 1)
Posted Tue Nov 3, 2009 7:40 am
[+] Dice rolls
Graham Dean
Uncle G
United Kingdom
Another excellent review, as usual. I would recommend anyone interested in Alhambra to check out your detailed reviews on all the other expansions as well - they were an enormous help to me when I was deciding on what games I wanted to buy.
Good to see that my pictures proved useful as well.
Posted Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:40 am
[+] Dice rolls
Neil Thomson
New South Wales
BorderCon was a blast this year!!!
Uncle G wrote:
Another excellent review, as usual. I would recommend anyone interested in Alhambra to check out your detailed reviews on all the other expansions as well - they were an enormous help to me when I was deciding on what games I wanted to buy.
Good to see that my pictures proved useful as well.
Yeah cheers mate - not many of my reviews use the one source quite so frequently but yours were quality.
Posted Tue Nov 3, 2009 10:35 am
[+] Dice rolls
Brian Foster
United States
Very impressive! As usual, you do a superior job of providing the essential details. I recently purchased the Big Box and am looking forward to adding some of the expansions as we learn the game. Thanks also for providing a summary of all of the expansion reviews; it is so helpful to have this available in one place. These review are the main reason I bought the game.
Posted Tue Nov 3, 2009 6:36 pm
[+] Dice rolls
Thank you again for your great work on this review. I have all the expansions for Alhambra, except this one. Somehow it was all becoming a bit much and I couldn't decide if it would really add anything to the game. Maybe looking over your review a few times will help me decide one way or the other....
Posted Tue Nov 3, 2009 7:49 pm
[+] Dice rolls
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text:
By Cathy Pickles, NWHM staff member
I just spent a wonderful weekend in Philadelphia, which included a long overdue pilgrimage to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. There is something deeply stirring about being in the presence of such a potent symbol of the struggle for our nation's independence. But it was a display a few yards from the venerable bell itself which both taught me a valuable history lesson and literally made my heart swell with pride. It was the story of the "Justice Bell" financed by a Pennsylvania suffragist in 1915.
Katharine Wentworth Ruschenberger commissioned a replica of the Liberty Bell to help spread the cause of woman suffrage in Pennsylvania. The inscription on the bell likened the denial of votes for women to the tyranny of English rule which fueled the American Revolution. It differed from its brother only in that it lacked a crack and bore the inscription, Establish Justice.
The 2,000 pound bell became something of a sensation. It toured 5,000 miles in a flatbed truck built specifically for this purpose, criss-crossing Pennsylvania. It eventually appeared at suffrage events in Chicago and Washington, DC. Its travels were marked by large crowds and band-led parades. Miniature versions of the bell were sold to defray the cost of its tour.
It was a media darling.
The bell's clapper was chained into silence until the passage of the 19th Amendment. In a ceremony held in Independence Square in September, 1920, the bell was raised and rung by a woman dressed as Justice, signaling true liberty in the United States: suffrage for women. The Justice Bell now resides in the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge.
I was ecstatic that this powerful (and unknown to me) chapter of women's history was featured prominently in the presence of one of our most enduring national symbols. But in the same moment, I couldn't help thinking about the thousands of inspiring women's stories just like it scattered across the country. Unless a little girl living in Nevada, Kansas or Georgia visits the Liberty Bell or stumbles upon this story while surfing the web, she will never be have a chance to be inspired by the Justice Bell. That is precisely why the National Women's History Museum must become a brick-and-mortar depository for chronicling the lives and achievements of American women. There has to be a place for all Americans to gather to celebrate and learn from the lives of their grandmothers, mothers, sisters and daughters.
Women who wanted the vote helped finance the Justice Bell tour with their spare "nickels and dimes" and did so during wartime. Current economic times are also hard, though nickels and dimes are now dollars. I think of our generous donors and supporters doing everything they can to help us make the Museum a reality. Soon I hope we can ring few bells in honor of a permanent home for women's history.