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Today's MLB starting lineups: July 04
Below are today's starting lineups that have been made public by Major League Baseball's clubs.
A lineup is not official until it is handed to the umpire.
Additional lineups will be added as they become available:
Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals, 11:05 A.M. ET
|Chicago Cubs Lineup
|Washington Nationals Lineup
New York Yankees vs Minnesota Twins, 3:10 P.M. ET
|New York Yankees Lineup
|Minnesota Twins Lineup
Toronto Blue Jays vs Oakland Athletics, 4:05 P.M. ET
|Toronto Blue Jays Lineup
|Oakland Athletics Lineup
Philadelphia Phillies vs Pittsburgh Pirates, 5:05 P.M. ET
|Philadelphia Phillies Lineup
|Pittsburgh Pirates Lineup
San Francisco Giants vs San Diego Padres, 6:40 P.M. ET
|San Francisco Giants Lineup
|San Diego Padres Lineup
Kansas City Royals vs Cleveland Indians, 7:05 P.M. ET
|Kansas City Royals Lineup
|Cleveland Indians Lineup
Tampa Bay Rays vs Detroit Tigers, 7:08 P.M. ET
|Tampa Bay Rays Lineup
|Detroit Tigers Lineup
Seattle Mariners vs Chicago White Sox, 7:10 P.M. ET
|Seattle Mariners Lineup
|Chicago White Sox Lineup
Milwaukee Brewers vs Cincinnati Reds, 7:10 P.M. ET
|Milwaukee Brewers Lineup
|Cincinnati Reds Lineup
Texas Rangers vs New York Mets, 7:10 P.M. ET
|Texas Rangers Lineup
|New York Mets Lineup
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Atlanta Braves, 7:35 P.M. ET
|Arizona Diamondbacks Lineup
|Atlanta Braves Lineup
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Colorado Rockies, 8:10 P.M. ET
|Los Angeles Dodgers Lineup
|Colorado Rockies Lineup
Lineup not yet available

subset: commoncrawl


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ELLE & the Coveteur: Garance Doré
Kelsy Panicco wears an Escada vest, and H&M top and skirt.
Thembi wears a vintage top and skirt, and Alexander Wang shoes.
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Clash a printed bag against your printed top for a bold look.
Karen wears a vintage dress, and Jeffrey Campbell shoes.
Jenni Radosevich wears a Dana Buchman jacket, vintage skirt, and H&M shorts.
Elissa Lumley wears a Theory top, Valentino shoes and bag, and Gucci sunglasses.
Caroline May wears a dress from LF, Jeffrey Campbell shoes, and a Proenza Schouler bag.
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Stud-out a leather jacket for the ultimate protection against fashion week frenzy.
Hannah Teare wears a Paul Smith coat, Moschino dress, Miu Miu shoes, and an Yves Saint Laurent bag.
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Flanked by Vice President Joe Biden, the original author of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, President Barack Obama signed a reauthorization of the legislation Thursday.
"All women deserve the right to live free from fear," the president said in his remarks before signing the bill. "That's what today is about."
The reauthorization, which includes expansion of protections to gay couples and Native American women, passed the House last month after over a year of partisan disagreement over its renewal.
It was ultimately approved by the House by a vote of 286 to 138, with a minority of Republicans joining Democrats to support it.
The bill passed the Senate earlier in February by an overwhelming majority.
"This victory shows that when the American people make their voices heard, Washington listens," Obama said.
(To read original article, visit this NBC News link)
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I have had this particular phone now for 14 months and have used it religiously since day one (plenty of time to make an informed review!)
Specification: I won't copy and paste the specification into this review because you can find that information out from a number of places - but the stand out things worth noting are: it came supplied with an 8gb Micro SD Card which is a great bonus, 4.2 inch Bravia Engine enabled screen which looks stunning when displaying HD images or videos and it has a 1ghz processer making it very fast at performing functions (I played with this alongside a friends iPhone 5 and this loaded applications faster).
Battery: If I use the phone a lot during the day to send messages, WiFi online and play games etc then it needs charging once a day (I usually do this at night). But if you are careful about what you leave open or switched on then you can make the battery last about 60 hours (you need to ensure WiFi or Data are switched off and also dim the backlight to its lowest level (this is best done indoors as it is difficult to see the screen with it dimmed outside)).
The phone battery charger cable also doubles as a USB cable. You can use this to plug your phone into your computer or laptop and drag and drop any media you wish to backup to save the phone memory or you can even charge your phone whilst on your computer and leave it running.
A spare battery for the phone can be purchased for as cheap as £10 - if you are going on holiday or plan on using the phone a lot it is worth buying a spare battery to keep fully charged on you whilst out and about.
Camera: Excellent quality camera and very easy to share pictures taken through various applications. Video quality is superb and records in 720p (be warned though the battery gets eaten up very fast if you are recording a lot of videos! I went to a Muse gig and didn't quite manage to record the whole thing, wish I had charged up my phone on the way in the car!). You can also view the pictures and video on your HD TV using the supplied HDMI cable.
Case: The phone does NOT come with a case or screen protector. I have used a case since purchase (bought off Ebay for only £3 and has been fantastic) to protect the phone, this simply wraps around the edges of the phone leaving the entire front exposed to use the touch screen easily. I have not used a screen protector at all and to be honest the screen looks pretty good for all the use it has had and the fact it is usually in my pocket amongst keys and loose change every day.
Operating System: The phone uses Android OS which has an enourmous library of applications including games, media players, e-readers (like Kindle), finance apps, translators, databases and tonnes more. If you are unsure how it compares with Apple, then you should know that Google allows a much larger amount of apps to be added to their database compared with Apple on the iPhone store - you can access roughly 10 times many apps through Android than Apple. Most are also free (with adverts) and can cost as little as 20p for an advert free version - this is good as it enables you to trial a full version technically with the adverts before buying a full version.
Overall: This is basically a pocket sized computer that can make phone calls. Its customisability (I know this isnt a word!) means the possibilities are endless - you can literally make the phone what you want it to be. It can be a games console, an MP3/Video player, a tool to plan your life if you work hard in business or it could just be a phone! I have another 10 months left on my contract and am confident this still rivals the latest phone models.
One con: The only negative thing about the phone is if you use it lots and leave lots of things open it has a tendancy to become very slow. I turn mine off and back on again every 3-5 days which usually solves the problem.
Over the last few years I've managed I've had a mixed history of phones, although I am not the type of person who swaps their phone every month because of their rolling contract upgrades or very deep pockets, I've managed to own a Blackberry and an iPhone before moving onto an Android phone this review is about, and I can say in confidents that it is the best phone I have used in my life by far!
The Xperia Arc is an Android operating system based Smartphone which was first released in April 2011 by Sony Ericsson to join the ever expanding market of Android mobile smartphones. The phone was out to compete with similar phones from their competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Nexus, Nokia X7 as well as the iPhone 3GS. Although the technology has slightly advanced the Xperia Arc still remains a respectable phone to have within the community with its many features which I will discuss further on in the review. The Arc was one of the last phones released under the Sony Ericsson name, as Sony now outright own the Smartphone business.
---Shape, Feel and Look---
The phone looks quite stylish and slim with a distinct Arc at the back (hence the name), very slick and suave with simply 3 buttons on the front and a large 4.2 inch screen which has the BRAVIA Engine, allowing for some clear and sharp images, it's surrounded with a silver bezel on the sides, top and bottom, the device looks modern and unique having the majority of the new Xperia phones based off this original design. The phone is quite light only weighing 117g compared to the iPhone 3gs which weighs 135g, and after owning the iPhone, I did notice quite a difference although it is only a minor variance of 18g.
One downfall I hate to announce is the design itself, it's too slick. The phone has no gripping features at all and doesn't naturally sit in your hand when you first acquire it, I was having quite a bit of trouble figuring out a good place to put my hand, after a year it seems thoughtless but I remember the troubles. This is even more of an issue when you're intoxicated and like most young people like to get the mobile out and upload a picture of your mate wiped out on the side of the road due to that 20th Jagerbomb (true story), the "slickness" and my hand/finger coordination caused me to drop the phone numerous times.
However, even though the phone is a floor magnet, it compensates to being extremely durable. Without having a case on the phone at all for the last year, there is quite a bit of damage on the edges due to drops and scraps, the screen seems very scratch resistant and the Arced back naturally only allows the edges to take hits. I will admit I could have looked after the phone much better, primarily by investing in a £5 case, but it has taken the test off the elements, drunkenness and anger.
---Software (Android)---
The phone is designed around the Android Platform which came out in 2007 with the HTC T-Mobile G1 and was made famous by the HTC Google Nexus One. It has since been featured as being the direct competition for the iPhone as it's in the majority of handset on the market today (not forgetting Windows Phone 7 and Symbian for Nokia). The success falls on the fact that it's an open development OS which allows anyone to get it and modify it and make it available to the consumer, hence why features are being added none stop, with significant changes in each update! It's also found on many new tablets being released by the day with many new and interesting applications to be discovered. It's free and it's amazing!
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is currently running the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update (came out with 2.3) and I must say that after getting an update and freshly applying a new OS onto the phone things significantly speed up. The OS is very good and allows extensive customisation to the homepage and how you want the applications set out; it basically offers everything the iPhone doesn't in the customisation department. This does get a bit over your head to begin with trying to get it how you want, yet only discovering the phones features can get frustrating but it does become easier by practise and watching a few YouTube tutorials.
The phone as you'd expect comes with all the basic functions of making calls and texting as well as the modern day favourites of a Music Player, Photo Gallery and Video Player with an expandable memory via Micro SD of up to 32 GB, which is a must if you like the media side of the phone.
The Android OS offers an extensive library of applications in many categories such as Games, Business, Finance, Education and Entertainment. There are lots to look through and download, you can turn your phone into whatever you want, such as an entertainment device with games and media or a business/school aid to keep notes and get assistance, and its available to everyone with lots of applications FREE and many offering more for a small price. The Google Play Store (Previously known as the Android Market Place) also allows you to by e-Books and Media more suited for larger devices like Tablets, however still available for purchase for the phone.
Unfortunately one downfall of the Android is that the manufactures insist on placing on Bloatware on our phone when we first get them and insist on resisting uninstalls. With the Xperia Arc, I got numerous stupid apps I knew I'd never use and a few couldn't be deleted; luckily there is an App for that!
Also just like any Smartphone and I've mentioned this briefly, it will start to slow down, you install and uninstall apps, take picture and the ROM clogs up with useless data as computers do, so a fresh install is often the solution so maybe look into that every 6 months?
Overall I love Android, and it works fantastically with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc.
In regards to hardware, the phone is pretty much a mini computer, but a few years ago it wouldn't surprise me to find a computer with the same specifications as this mobile phone now.
Processor - 1 GHz Scorpion (Snapdragon).
RAM - 512 MB, this is not for storage.
Storage - 1GB is built in however only 320mb is accessible for storage (the rest is software). Can take up to a 32GB MicroSD, typically (when new) is supplied with an 8GB MicroSD card.
Camera - Single 8.1 MP camera on rear of phone accompanied by Flash. Camera can take up to 8.1 3264×2448 resolution images with lots of detail thanks to the, Back-illuminated sensor Exmor R CMOS Sensor, Auto Focus, Face recognition, Image stabilizer, Smile detection and Touch focus features.
Screen - 4.2 inch screen at 854×480 resolution with a BRAVIA engine allowing it to look sharp from all angles.
Battery - Is Lithium Polymer (Li-Po) battery with 1500 mAh (removable).
Connectivity - The phone has all the basic methods of connectivity avalible with mobile phones Bluetooth (headsets and data share), microUSB (data cable and charging), 3.5 mm audio jack, Assisted GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and HDMI (Type D connector)
One of my favourite parts of the phone is the camera and probably one of the main deal makers for me when buying a phone. With a fantastic 8.1 MP Sensor giving you images of up to 3264×2448 which can be displayed fantastically on the BRAVIA Engine 4.2 inch screen. The images are of a fantastic quality and easily mistakable for Digital SLR quality on Facebook, I by far have the best photos from nights out!
The video can be shot in lovely 720p quality and it delivers great video at that quality, although the phone does tend to get a little warm when recording for a long time.
I find it quite amazing that my phone can take better picture than my mums Digital Camera, but I suppose technology advances at rapid rates.
A few major things with the camera however, even though it's very good, it's crazy slow. In order to get to the camera you need to either press the small button on the side or the Camera Icon in the menu, either way, it will take a good few seconds to get the camera up. The worst part is getting someone else to take a photo. After about a 1 minute tutorial, they still get it wrong and lose interest, so I can next get myself in any group pictures!
The videos are much easier to take and can be viewed on a HDMI compatible TV via a special HDMI to Mini HDMI wire which is provided with the phone. I've never done it but seems like a nice feature to have and very few phones have this.
I have mentioned many above, but to give a quick summary of the main faults.
- The design of the phone isn't ergonomic to the hand and can take a while to get used too.
- Software after a while will begin to slow down and a software reinstall may be required.
- Camera is slow
- Pictures take a while to load up
- Battery Life isn't good, although it does perform better on random occasion.
- Signal isn't fantastic
- Boot up time is long
---Battery Life---
As mentioned above, the battery life isn't great. But it all depends on what you are doing. If you use this phone to simply text and call throughout the day and keep the Mobile Internet and Wifi switched off, the battery should last up to 16 - 20 hours. However upon using the Internet or using any apps, especially games on the phone, the battery decreases rapidly.
The battery originally in the phone is the standard 1500 mAh battery, however upon some research on eBay; you can get a battery of up to 2680mAh for around £15. Having never tried it, I can't possibly comment on it, but if it doesn't blow up the phone, the increased power could be a big bonus.
---Accessories Available---
Unlike the iPhone, the Xperia Arc doesn't really have accessories avalible at every corner shop, so it can be quite difficult to get them anywhere but online. I was quite surprised to find quite a lot of cases and screen protectors available for the Xperia, so upon getting one, it is a worthwhile investment.
---Overall Summary---
I've had this phone just coming up to a year and I have been happy with it for that duration. Slightly frustrated with it becoming slower but the re-install of the software with the update has made it much better. The camera is fantastic although can be a bit slow, and the look and shape of the phone is eye catching and unique. I would highly recommend the phone if you're looking for something other than the iPhone and you're on a budget, because in many areas it if so much better.
------- Introduction -------
I have owned this phone for a year now and it is definitely the best phone I have ever used, its main features are listed below:
* 4.2", 854x480 pixels 16,777,216 colour TFT
* Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine
* 8.1 megapixel camera with LED flash and Auto focus
* HD video recording (720p), up to 30 frames per second
* 3D Sweep Panorama
* USB High speed 2.0 and Micro USB support
* WiFi
* HDMI output
* Internal phone storage: 1GB (up to 320MB free)
* Expansion slot: microSD, up to 32GB
------- Design & Build -------
This is an extremely stylish and ultra-thin phone at just 8.7mm. Mine is the Silver version (also available in Blue) and although its made of plastic, it still feels well built.
The screen is large at 4.2inches with a resolution of 854 x 480pixels and uses Sony's Bravia Engine to produce a sharp and bright display with excellent colours.
The only small problem I have with the design is that the on/off button is very small and recessed into the body which makes it a little fiddly to press.
------- Interface & General Performance -------
This phone runs Android Gingerbread 2.3.3 and thanks to its 1GHZ processor the capacitive touchscreen is nice and responsive and most apps open and run perfectly smoothly.
The interface is very user-friendly with 5 home screens and large icons at the bottom of the screen for quick access to media, messages, apps, contacts and phone dialler. Call quality is always excellent, clear with good volume.
------- Internet -------
Browsing the internet whether via 3G/HSDPA or wifi is good to excellent, with most pages loading within 2-5 seconds and the browser supports flash so it can be used for watching BBC iplayer.
------- Camera & Video -------
Overall the camera produces sharp, bright images with good colour reproduction, except sometimes reds can be a little on the strong side. The sweep panaroma function can produce some fantastic panoramic images but it can be a little tricky to work sometimes due to incorrect movement errors.
Macro and outdoor shots are generally excellent with good contrast and the flash performs very well, even without flash on indoor shots are usually good.
HD Video quality is generally quite good with the auto-focus doing a decent job, however I would say the quality is a little 'soft' and not quite what you would expect from 720p footage.
------- Battery Life & Connectivity -------
I manage to get a full days hard use out of this phone before needing a recharge, this would include using wifi, Bluetooth and playing games. Also the phone recharges extremely quickly, I estimate approx. 2hrs to fully charge from 0-5%. The inclusion of the micro-hdmi output allows you to watch your HD video clips and photos on your TV and it works brilliantly. Thankfully the hdmi cable is included with the package.
After having 3 htc cha chas, which i choose because of my total lack of love for touchscreens, i decided to take the plunge and get this for my next contract renewal. I was half talked into it by the store person who told me it was an excellent phone and also by my other half who has a similar phone but which is larger (not sure of the model). I decided i would give it a go, after all it doesnt seem like long before nearly all smart phones are touch screen so i thought id try and get used to it. My main concern is that i like to text while im not neccesserily looking at the phone screen, and i always find with a touch screen that if you do that half the message reads something totally different because its guessed what it thought you meant to write, and because you havent actually felt the button its much harder to aim for the exact spot of the letter you want!
Anyway, after unpacking and charging it, i started using it. Its a lovely light phone, and fits nicely in your palm so you can text and use it with one hand without too much difficulty in reaching the opposite side. its easy to navigate and fairly easy to find everything you need. The app store is easy to access and gallery and camera functions are simple to use. theres the option to access your facebook account photos on you gallery as well which is nice, but depending on your network and internet access it can take a little while to bring them up clearly (they are blurred as you wait for them to load). The camera itself is excellet! really clear and beautiful photos, easy to view properly on the large screen. The only thing is for example if your trying to catch a photo of a baby or animal who wont sit still for long it takes a few seconds to snap the shot once youve pressed the button.
As for the texting...well...i suppose il get used to it, and there are options to change it so you can have different keyboard layouts and suggestions turned on or off, but it gets better the more you use it as it picks up what you use the most and suggests them for you at the top of the text box, so for part of the time you dont even have to bother typing it out. Can i do it one handed without looking at the phone...NO!
I have had the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc for around a year now and I am surprised how I still really like the phone. I usually get bored with phones and want a change after a few months but this has everything I need. The phone itself is fairly large although having a big screen is good for reading the small text on some websites and good when playing games. This also helps when texting or writing emails due to a full screen QWERTY keyboard being available when the phone is turned on it's side. There are sometime issues with the wrong character being put in but can usually be fixed by locking and unlocking the screen again. The phone may feel fairly flimsy and easy to break but I have dropped mine quite a few times and it is still in perfect working condition with minimal scratches due to a screen protector being used. Accessories like this are handy when using smart phones as the screen can be delicate and easy to scratch. Accessories for this phone are easily found on website such as Amazon and Play.com and are usually very cheap.
The battery life on this phone is a huge disadvantage due to it requiring a charge most evenings. This can be combated by downloading apps that close running programmes although if it is used for prolonged use on games, social network apps, texting etc, it will require very regular charging.
I could talk for hours about what makes a good smart phone and what sets this apart from the competition! My last 3 phones have been Sony Ericssons ... a flip phone then the Xperia and now the xperia Arc S. This model is by far the best of the bunch. It's slimmer in design, making it much easier to use and carry. The camera position has (thankfully) been repositioned from the old Xperia as the lense used to be right where your hand held the phone. On the Arc S they have one of the best cameras in the market. I am a bit of a geek when it comes to wandering the countryside snapping wildlife pics. Some of my best shots have been taken on this camera-phone instead of my all singing all dancing digital camera.
The functions on this smartphone are amazing. I made the mistake of buying my mum an iphone recently ... only then did I appreciate how easy the Arc S was to set up and personalise. With the iphon you can't even use the phone until you connect it to a pc & install itunes. With the Arc S you charge it then pick your settings and you are ready to go. You have the choice of thousands of free apps from the android marketplace as well as being able to pick any song from your music library and set it as your ringtone. You can link your phone contacts to facebook so that you get status updates alongside their pics. But above all else, what makes this phone stand out from it's predecessor is the super fast gingerbread operating platform. I know ... it's gobledgook to me too ... but it sure makes your phone respond ultra fast to any feature you try to access. Overall this is the best purchase I have ever made. Go get yours now!!!!
I'd like to consider myself up to date in terms of modern technology but in terms of my mobile phone I had been locked into a contract for two years and had slowly come to realise that mobile phone technology had hugely changed in those two years. I was getting frustrated that I couldn't get into the app market, or was spending money using the internet on the phone because I couldn't get onto a wifi network for free. So when my contract expired at Christmas I was keen to get the next generation of phones and was persuaded to get a Ericsson Ray as my next contract phone. The phone was ordered so I had to wait a few days for the phone and had to wait for it to come but so far the wait has been worth it.
The Ericsson ray came as a black rectangular mobile phone, it had a large screen and a semi-circular button at the centre of the bottom row of the phone. This semi-circle is back lit by a green light indicating the mobile is on, if the light is red then the battery is starting to go down. This phone was my first touch screen phone; it is truly accessible with only a touch of a finger. The phone has a slide screen which opens on the front page which shows missed calls, messages etc but this is only the middle of five panels. The other panels give access to the market app store, a music store and a panel showing the time, date, weather, location etc.
The phone has an additional line of applications, this is above the XPERIA word just above the semi-circular power indicator and is the true centre of the phone. There are five symbols on the bar, they are the music store, messaging centre, phone contracts, using the phone to call and the central icon which controls the phone. The central icon is a little square made up to little squares and pressing that button gives access to all the other facilities on the phone. Pressing that button allows the user to access his downloaded apps, facebook, gmail, camera, voicemail, internet access, news access, and all the other standard phone applications such as calendar, calculator etc. This is all touch screens accessible and freely accessed at a swipe of a finger, the phone is truly tactile and can be used without any problems without the traditional buttons.
Phone calls and messages
The phone can be used as a traditional phone obviously and entering the phone call section of the phone, the user can scroll down his contacts and pick the person to call. Transferring a contact from a previous phone was very easy, just put your new sim card in the phone call download the contacts and then put the sim in the new phone. This will give you all your contacts and if you update through Facebook the phone will attach any pictures from Facebook onto your phone contacts list. Very simple and very easy to use, clicking on the name gives a few options such as phone; message and email, pressing the phone icon will begin a phone call.
Messaging works in a similar manner to twitter feeds, the messages to and from your recipient are kept on a chronological order and the user can follow the messages from a contact over a few texts.
This phone has brought me up to date in terms of modern mobile phone use; I can keep in touch with football news, play games, text and phone in a much quicker and easier manner than before. The phone is easy to use, quick and is closer to a mobile computer than a mobile phone. The phone costs about £300 if bought as a non-contract phone and I'd never consider spending that on a mobile phone however I got the phone on a pretty basic contract.
Let me start by saying that, this phone is an absolute looker! It looks absolutely wonderful and is one of the best looking phones out there. Armed with 4.2 inches screen, 8 megapixels camera, 1 GHz processor and Android OS. It's pretty light and slim too, weighing in at just 117 grams. Let's start with the processor, after using it for a few months, I didn't feel it being slow or anything, the camera quality is really sweet and the video is taken in 720p. It comes with a 8 GB micro SD card but unfortunately, you will have to remove the battery to access the memory card. It also comes with Sony's Bravia technology to make the screen look crisp and, Android OS is awesome to use. One main disadvantage is that, this phone does not have a front facing camera, which might be a bummer for some people. Overall, the phone absolutely gorgeous and has all the goods to be the top dog.
I have used my xperia arc for over 3 months. And i gotta say the phone is amazing!
Lets start with the overall design of the product. This phone is unbelievably slim, when i first got it i couldn't believe how slim it is!
The screen is huge with bright and vivid colours and the images are very sharp. I do suggest to get a protective screen film, because it tends to scratch easily, especially when you carry your keys in the same pocket with your phone. The same goes for the body, invest in a case to avoid scratches, this will boost resale value and cases look cool!
The hardware on this phone is pretty sweet:
OS Android OS, v2.3 (Gingerbread), planned upgrade to v4.0
Chipset Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon
CPU 1 GHz Scorpion
GPU Adreno 205
Sensors Accelerometer, proximity, compass.
It also has GPS and it can act as a satnav, and i gotta say, it does it's job pretty well.
The camera on this phone is amazing! Best phone camera i have ever used. 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, Touch focus, image stabilization, geo-tagging, face and smile detection. The video is also amazing. 720p@30fps, continuous autofocus, video light.
So if your looking for a quite cheap, easy to use powerhouse smartphone this ones for you!
Android has been well known in the smartphone world for a little while now, however early phones sporting it suffered from being slow, laggy, and generally annoying as a result.
Sony Ericsson brought out their Xperia line with the X10 a while back, and while it was good for the time, it too suffered from being a bit slow.
Step up the Xperia Arc S. (Yes, I know this is the review page for the Arc, but Dooyoo doesn't have a page for the Arc S yet) The Arc S is speedy. Very speedy. It's got Bravia Mobile Engine, which to you and me makes the display look awesome when you're playing videos for example, and Exmor R, which is the tech in the camera sensor that makes pictures taken in low light look great, the colours actually look real.
The speed of the Arc S means it's easy to take shot after shot too - no waiting for hours for the phone to save the photo before taking another one. The shutter speed means that they're not blurry either.
It's also got Facebook baked into the Operating System, so you don't even need to fire up an app to change your status, get a notification, or like a music track.
All in all, a very worthy phone.
With its slim and glossy look to its super fast system, this phone is astonishing. The phone has a 8GB internal memory (can be expanded with a memory card) and a 8MP camera that has HD features. The phone is also an android meaning that you can download your favourite apps and you can download PingChat (if you're the chatty types like me). The technology is very good also as you can plug the phone into your HD television and view your pictures an videos on them. If you're the music types and looking for a phone that you use as an MP3, the phones speakers are loud and bassy and works well with headphones too. However, despite the phones amazing features and technology, the only known fault the phone has is that it restarts itself and I've been told that it's an hardware fault but it's not an known nor major issue with the phones so it's nothing to worry about (unlike the flaws in the Blackberry). Overall, Sony has done an excellent job with coming up with such a product and I'd recommend this to any person who's looking for a fast smartphone... it's worth the money.
As a long standing Sony Ericsson fan, since making the break from Motorola, I have owned a W810i, a K850i & and C905 - the latter despite a reputation for speaker problems was my favourite phone as it had the best camera (8mp) which was important for capturing shots of my young son as he grows up.
Hence when my contract came up for renewal I looked at my options very carefully before settling on the Arc (LT15i) as the replacement. This decision was largely based on the camera function which included Exxor technology for low light photography and the Bravia screen. The aesthetic appeal of the phone was a bonus.
I am extremely happy with my choice as the camera and HD video are truly excellent with the widescreen format (reducing the resolution slightly but also at an acceptable level) being particularly appreciated for it has allowed me to take shots which ordinarily would not have been possible.
This is my first encounter with a smartphone and the Android OS seems to be relatively stable with a great range of apps that have allowed me to customise my phone and compensate for the absence of features such as a light which I made great use of on my previous phones. Indeed there are so many free useful apps available that my phone is not far from making my computer redundant - one of only two paid for apps I have is a banking one which is as good as MS Money and better because it's mobile!
My contract permits 750mb of data per month plus unlimited wifi and I did exceed this one month and ended up with a huge bill which fortunately was written off by my network provider. Since that experience I downloaded a free app to monitor my web usage and keep me within my limits.
I use the phone for all my email accounts and to listen to both the radio and mp3's as well as play free games that I have downloaded - Angry birds, backgammon, mahjong, chess etc.
It has had some bad press for short battery life and when I first got it this was also my experience but I discovered that by tweaking the settings and being aware of what drains the battery I have managed to obtain a decent life out of it. Keeping it connected to my laptop gives it a trickle charge whilst using the usb mains plug recharges it very quickly. The main drain on the battery is the screen so playing games is the quickest way to use the battery power up whilst listening to music has very little effect.
I am certainly glad that Sony Ericsson have gone the Android route because as far as smartphones go I personally believe it is the best platform being free of ties to the manufacturer such as is the case with Apple & Blackberry.
There are times when there is a noticeable delay in an app opening and this includes the phone directory but fortunately these are few and far between and the recently launched Arc S has addressed this by increasing the processor speed.
Overall my 'Xperiance' is extremely positive such is the 'state of the Arc'!
This is a lovely handset, the screen is fantastic and the camera is second to none! Really quick web connections and the ui make it a dream to use and the 1ghz processor shifts things around at a frantic pace!
Runs all the top apps with no issues at all and runs on gingerbread! The bravia display is vibrant and easily compares to my samsung galaxy s, one of the let downs are the tiny amount of space for apps (about 300mb compared to my galaxy s 2gb) and the wifi is horrendous, it seems to cut out when using the web for over 5 minutes or 1 minute of streaming on youtube, apart from that which will hopefully be resolved with a software update this phone really does rock! Im actually in love with the exmor camera surely the best camera on any handset even in low light conditions!!
I was eager to know what actually Android is all about. At the first look of this Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, I started to fall in love with it! The first thing that catches my eyes is the look and design. It has ultra-thin design, beautiful screen and the interface of art is better than the previous version of smart phones. Using the platform of Gingerbread Android 2.3. , it was built with super incredible features such as 4.2 inch screen, has 16 million colors, and the resolution is 480 x 854 pixel FWVGA.
Sometimes I see it looks slippery since the top form of Sony Ericsson is made of plastic frame and the polished long-held can be sweaty but two thick curved design makes the machine kept stronger. The phone is also very slim and light. However, this model equipped with 4.2 inch wide screen, so I found it a little bit large for me. The 8-megapixel camera is really cool in my opinion. The camera has flash, auto focus, and HD 720p video at 30 frames per second!
Since I said that this Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is the best in design, it was proof with the uses of Exmor R sensor cameras into it. The pictures that are taken from the Arc is very well in full light conditions, image sharpness, and shutter photography. Although it is not excellent as a professional camera models, but compared to other phones, this is a necessary photography was possible. But, this phone has no front camera to make video conversations. About the performance, I feel that that the call quality is very good. It has the anti-noise capability and allow for an audible when on a noisy street, so it is really helpful when I have to make an important call at a busy street. This phone take some cost but its satisfy me.
So, for the reasons above, I would highly recommend you this phone. It suits for a high and classy personality.
I am currently the user of an HTC Desire, but work in a mobile phone store. We recently got this phone in with a model that we can play around with. I must say that the phone is one of the best available at the moment in my opinion.
I runs on the Google Android platform with the new 2.3 version. If you are not familiar with Android then this allows you to access the Market and download for hundreds of thousand of free apps from it's open source catalogue. Top apps included Angry Birds (game), Amazon Kindle book reader, Google Maps, and many many more to allow you to personalise the phone.
The screen is of exceptional quality benefitting from the Sony Bravia technology used in Sony's TVs. The screen displays in HD making watching videos very clear. The camera also benefits from Exor technology allowing the camera to take fantistic quality photos in low light conditions.
The phone itself is very slim and light, and has a slight curve (that's why they call it the arc) which adds to the ergonomic design and feels great in the hand.
It has a high price tag of £35 per month on contract (and about £450 to buy outright) but if you love your tech, and are not brainwashed by the word iPhone then I highly recommend this phone.


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Organize your favourite listings
Sign up to keep track of your favourite spaces and revisit them later.
Contact Vince for more information about this suite.
Selected units ONLY (ends Oct. 31st, 2015). Units optimal for a variety of commercial owner/users. Precast concrete construction with contemporary design. IB zoning (Industrial Business). High efficiency lighting and mechanical fixtures. Prime north east intersection with easy public access. Immediate possession.


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A FIRE broke out at the Pound Bakery in Bolton town centre.
The blaze, which started in the Market Street branch at about 8.40am today, was tackled by two fire engines.
Passers by reported a "horrible burning smell" permeating the town centre as smoke billowed out into the street.
Witness Faruk Kara who works in the nearby ADM newsagent said he heard a "massive bang" when the fire started.
He added: "I was outside the shop as I was going to deliver papers when the massive bang happened and I heard a lady scream.
"I looked inside and saw the staff members running out of the back door."
All the front windows of the bakery have been smashed, although it is not clear how this happened.
One firefighter fell inside the building and dislocated his shoulder.
Crews believe the blaze started because of an electrical fault.
Watch manager Ian Ainsworth said: "We think it started around the incoming electrical supply but we are waiting for the supply to be isolated before we can investigate.
"We entered via the back door and the building was heavily smoke-logged.
"A fire around the electiricty supply was reaching the ceiling, so we used hose reels but had to be careful because of the electricity.
"All the food was damaged - I think the pasties are a bit too well done."
Staff were inside the bakery at the time, but they all escaped unhurt, and have now been transferred to the Newport Street branch.
Pound bakery operations manager David Silvester said he was pleased that everyone got out unhurt and that the firm would be "working into the night" to make sure the shop can reopen as soon as possible.
Smoke filled the neighbouring businesses, Shaws Amusements, the Mary Jane clothes shop and ADM newsagents.
Asif Adam, who works at Mary Jane clothes shop said the smoke had entered his store and damaged clothing.
He added: "The firefighters have used a fan to blow the smoke out which has helped but with the loss of trade we could lose about £1,000."
It's all happening in Bolton this morning. #poundbakery amazing quick response from fire brigade pic.twitter.com/DtN93jHpuE— Room31 (@Room31fashion) August 6, 2014


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Every summer, we are invited to the lavish home of wealthy relatives for a long lunch. Every year, they serve mediocre wine. If we bring something good, they never open it. What can we do?
I sometimes wonder if there might be an inverse relationship between the amounts of money certain people spend on cars and what they spend on wine. I'm talking about the individuals - we know who they are - who drive $200,000 SUVs but whose fridges at home are stacked with sub-$10 whites. Can they not detect quality unless it comes with a German automobile manufacturer's badge attached?
Do their car repayments leave them too skint to drink anything better? We may never know. Anyway, I'm off-topic: you mentioned your relatives' house, not their cars.
The bottom line is, they're the hosts, you're the guests, and there's no polite way of forcing them to pour what you've brought. Odds are you'll have to swallow what you're served, or - if the plonk is truly terrible - feign an ailment that has placed you temporarily on the wagon.
You may adopt the time-honoured tactic of bringing pre-opened bottles of red on the grounds that ''they needed to breathe for a few hours''. This ruse won't work for whites: you're pretty much stuck with dropping the hint inherent in bringing a bottle already chilled.
As a last resort, you could say you brought the wine for other lunch guests to try (''I know Jane and John have been waiting for the new vintage of the Stringbag Estate chardonnay, I thought I'd bring it along for them - shall we crack it now?''). Of course, that will depend on whether you know anyone else present well enough to cook up a convincing story.
Whatever you do, never take anything too special if you know it might go unopened - you risk being embittered as well as thirsty, and you'll only have yourself to blame.
Remember that line about not being able to choose your relatives, and save the good stuff for your friends.
Are you struck with wine angst? Contact our Agony Aunt at firstname.lastname@example.com or leave a question for her in the comments below.


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Hmmm…. maybe I'm not so silly after all, with my 2011-07-23 "Malcolm, PM with Party of One" suggesting Labor offer Malcolm Turnbull the Lodge as non-ALP PM leading a Labor/Green/Indy minority government – given the 2011-08-03 Essential Poll putting Malcolm Turnbull as number 3 preferred ALP leader, at 11%, just one point below Julia Gillard on 12%, (with Kevin Rudd at 37% and the useless Steven Smith on 7%).
Posts Tagged 'ALP leadership'
Hmmm – my Turnbull notion was not that silly
Posted by Dave Bath on 2011-08-05
Posted in Australia, Politics | Tagged: ALP leadership, Malcolm Turnbull | Leave a Comment »


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Reactome is hosting a new series of webinars that will introduce the website and our suite of pathway and network visualization and analysis tools. Two sessions have been scheduled for December.
The first webinar on Monday 2nd December will describe Using Reactome Pathway Database. On Thursday 5th December, the second session will introduce the Reactome Functional Interaction Network Cytoscape plugin. If you are interesting in participating, please register at Eventbrite.
Feel free to pass this invitation along to colleagues who may benefit from learning about Reactome.
Registrants will receive detailed instructions about accessing the webinar via e-mail the Friday prior to the event. (Anyone registering between Friday and the close of registration will receive the message shortly after the registration is received, within normal business hours.)


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Jessee was named Saint Leo women's basketball head coach on April 11, 2011.
Jessee just completed her second year at the helm of the program and it was one of the most successful in program history. Jessee guided the Lions to a 14-15 record, the best team record since the 1998-98 season. In Sunshine State Conference play the Lions broke the previous record for conference wins in a season (6), finishing conference play at 7-9. Two of the Lions' seven conference wins came against Top 25 teams with Saint Leo topping eventual NCAA South Region champion No. 17 Nova Southeastern and No. 15 Tampa. It was Saint Leo's first win at Tampa since 2003.
A No. 7 seed in the Sunshine State Conference tournament, Saint Leo beat No. 2 Lynn in the opening round. It was the first time in SSC tournament history that a No. 7 seed has beaten a No. 2 seed. Following the win against Lynn the Lions beat Tampa for the second time this year to advance to the SSC Tournament Championship for the first time in program history.
Under Jessee's tutelage, junior Teresa Manigrasso received First Team All-SSC honors, in addition to being named to the All-South Region Second Team.
In 2011-12 Jessee completed her first season for the Lions guiding them to seven wins. Posting six consecutive wins to the start the campaign, the Lions earned key victories over West Florida and Valdosta State. The Lions, who finished the season playing competitive basketball, saw both Chelsea Williams and Chelsea Connelly make a dent in the Sunshine State Conference statistical standings as Williams finished in the top-15 in scoring and Connelly finished in the top-five in blocks.
Previously, Jessee served as the assistant women's basketball coach at Sunshine State Conference perennial contender the University of Tampa. Jessee is the 11th coach in program history.
Familiar with Division II and the Sunshine State Conference, Jessee has developed a lengthy and successful resume with over 15 years of coaching. Her latest head coaching stint came with Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. While there, she helped turn the Fighting Knights' squad into an instant competitor in the Sunshine State Conference, guiding them to a program-best 14-2 start while also earning national recognition in the WBCA Top-25 poll and NCAA South Region rankings, both team firsts. Her squad also posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 13 seasons, while posting a program-record for points in a season. She capped-off her time at Lynn with four All-Sunshine State Conference selections, as well as a SSC Freshman of the Year.
Prior to her time with the Fighting Knights, Jessee was tabbed as the head coach of Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee. At Martin, she guided the team to the best start in program history at 13-2, collected the team's first conference tournament win, all while compiling the most wins in school history. She guided the team to their highest national ranking in program history, while recruiting three all-conference players.
Jessee has also manned successful sidelines as an assistant over the course of her career, her latest coming at the University of Tampa where she served as the assistant under head coach and husband, Tom Jessee. In 2009-10, she aided the Spartans to a regular season Sunshine State Conference Championship. The team spent the entire season ranked in the top-25, tying the school record for wins in a year at 26 and recruting another SSC Freshman of the Year.
In addition, prior to her arrival at Martin Methodist College, Jessee coached at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn., where she was the recruiting coordinator from 2003-04. She spent two years, 2000-02, at Campbell University, where she helped guide the Lady Camels to an Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship and runner-up finish at the Atlantic Sun Tournament.
A Florida native, she began her coaching career in Lakeland, Fla., where she helped guide George Jenkins High School to the State Finals in the 1999-2000 season. After spending time as an assistant at Campbell University, she earned the head spot at Lyman High School in Orlando, Fla.
A local talent, Jessee competed as a high school All-American at Lakeland High School before taking her talents to the University of Florida in one of the top recruiting classes in the country as she was one of the top-50 players in the country. She was a three-time player of the year, while earning Miss Florida Runner-Up. She is Lakeland High School's all-time leading scorer, sinking 50 points in a single game. After two years in the blue and orange, Jessee dressed for conference opponent Rollins College for the final three years of her career. At Rollins, Jessee was a three-time all-conference selection, earning team MVP honors. A Sunshine State Conference Tournament MVP, Jessee was voted Female Athlete of the Year, Central Florida Female Athlete of the Year, and holds a top-10 spot in multiple Rollins' women's basketball categories, including scoring, three-point baskets made, three-point field goal percentage, free throws made, free throw percentage, and blocks.
Topping-off her playing career, Jessee signed a professional contract with the Thames Valley Tigers of Bracknell, England where she led the club in scoring and rebounding.
Transitioning onto the sidelines, Jessee brings a well-rounded vision to the Lions' program as she looks to secure success in the community, the classroom, and the hardwood.
She graduated from Rollins in 1999 with a Bachelors Degree in English and received her Master's from Campbell University in 2001 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She is the youngest of five children, and has a twin sister.
The former Nikki Sullivan, her daughter Rudi, and her husband Tom reside in Dover, Fla.


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Raise Funds ~ Raise Awareness
Join PSI Members around the world by hosting or attending a fun and delicious event in your community!
The PSI office will provide the technical and creative support you need to create your event.
Your event will support Postpartum Support International (PSI), our global, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the emotional and mental health needs of pregnant and postpartum families. You can meet other community members, learn about local resources, raise funds to support PSI programs and services, and increase awareness of the importance of supporting the needs of childbearing families. Come share our commitment and passion for sustaining accessible support networks and professional training through Postpartum Support International programs and services.
PSI Community Celebrations can be planned to match the needs, resources, and style of your community. From wine and cheese in Maine, brunch in New Jersey, a Happy Hour party in Portland Oregon, every event works to bring together community members, volunteers, and supporters. This diversity is one of the strengths of PSI and we love to celebrate it.
Please contact the PSI office at firstname.lastname@example.com or 503-894-9453 if you would like to host, attend, or contribute to a gathering in your community. We will provide technical support, templates, artwork, and inspiration if needed.


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Blog Directory
Browse the Blog Directory
Browse blogs from wide range of categorized blogs on our blog directory. Whether you are looking for niche blogs, personal blogs, Russia blogs, Society blogs, Issues blogs you can find them all in our blog directory.
Submit your Blog
Or, Submit your blog and be included on our search engine friendly blog directory.
Russia IssuesBrowsing Russia Blogs » Society Blogs » Issues Blogs
Discover the most visited blog sites about issues and society at BlogsDB. Add Issues blogs and get listed on our most visited blog directory on cyberspace.
No blogs are found on this category yet.


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DETROIT - Thursday an elderly woman on Detroit's west side was attacked and her dog was stolen.
That heartbroken woman is hoping someone can help bring her dog named Sugar Daddy home.
Sunday was another sleepless night for 82-year-old Audrey, who didn't want her last name used.
"I was unable to sleep, I wake up all in the middle of the night thinking about him. Every time I close my eyes I see him," she said.
The men who robbed Audrey were not looking for money, they wanted something priceless from her, they wanted her Shih Tzu.
Surveillance video from a nearby home shows a car backing up to Audrey's house on Basil on Detroit's West Side.
Then a man can be seen grabbing Sugar Daddy and throwing him in the car. Another man went for Audrey's other dog named Baby Doll, but she gets away.
Audrey's daughter believes her mom was targeted. "They came after her for the dogs," said daughter Catherine Coleman.
Coleman is hoping to mend her mother's broken heart. She is putting up posters around town and offering a $2,000 reward to find Sugar Daddy.
"Drop him off somewhere where we can go get him and we will pay the reward," said Audrey. "I just want my baby back. I want my dog back."
If you have any information on the missing dog please call 313-544-8299 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800- SPEAK-UP.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Sexiest. Kickstarter. Video. Ever. Men + Cupcakes! Cupcakes + Men!
Author Babe Scott and four HAWT semi-naked bakers doing wild things with cupcakes in this Kickstarter video.
-PJ Gach
Babe Scott, author of Delicious Dating and The Lazy Hostess is at it again! She's working on her newest book, Man Candy and Cupcakes. Once again it combines food, dating and fun. Babe's got a wicked sense of humor, one of the titles of her HuffPo column is called How Chardonnay Saved My Life.
For her new book Man Candy and Cupcakes, she's looking for backers–hence the Kickstarter campaign. Not only is she looking for "Frosting Fabios" to showcase in the book, her book backers can enjoy a bunch of rewards include according to the press release, "visiting the set to see the sparks fly in the kitchen and perhaps even helping apply the vats of baby oil. It also includes limited edition print copies of the book, signed photographs of sexy bakers and Man Candy t-shirts. The book will initially be launched in digital format and will be 100 pages in full color and will feature more than 50 seductive cupcake recipes. Babe is hoping to raise $18,000 in 33 days to get this delicious project cooking."
Read Capturing Elegance: The Stunning, Shimmering Jewelry of Suz Somersall
How did Babe get her inspiration for this latest project? She said in the press release "Every time I posted a photo of a hot guy in the kitchen, my Facebook followers would go wild. It was like ladies night online. I realized I needed to serve up more regular servings of Man Candy and so I began running regular photographs of cute guys with cupcakes and the book idea was born."
Here's the extremely tasty video. I dare you to watch it only once!
PJ Gach is Senior Editor: Style + Beauty at BettyConfidential.


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MLB.com Columnist
Phil Rogers
Polanco, Pirates likely to gain from demotion
Nice move by the Pirates today. If Gregory Polanco can't be in Clint Hurdle's lineup on a regular basis, he needs to go somewhere that he can play.
While Polanco will hate the return trip to Triple-A Indianapolis, it will unquestionably be the best thing for both him and the organization. His inability to hit left-handers, along with timely hitting by Travis Snider, left him as the odd man out in the outfield. Jose Tabata, who had been drawing his $3 million salary in the International League, is a much better fit as a fourth outfielder than the kid who was one of the most anticipated prospects in the game when he arrived in Pittsburgh on June 10.
It would have been a lot of fun watching Polanco trade blows with Oscar Taveras this week at PNC Park. But these are all-hands-on-deck games for the Pirates, who are coming off a strong series in Milwaukee over the weekend, not prospect showcases.
We never should have expected so much, so soon, from Polanco. It's unfair to look at anyone who is one year removed from playing in the low Minors as a difference-maker on a team with October expectations.
Hurdle and the Bucs did their best to create an environment where Polanco could slide in. But that's not possible anymore -- not with 24/7 baseball online and over the air -- and the blame belongs on those of us who sometimes expect ballplayers to be superhumans, not on the players who fail.
You don't have to look further than Mike Trout's first taste of the big leagues to see how tough it can be to succeed. Remember when a 19-year-old Trout batted .220 for the Angels?
Yes, Polanco looked like he was ready. He dominated winter ball playing for Escogido in his native Dominican Republic and then absolutely scorched the ball at the start of the season, hitting .347 with a .945 OPS in 62 games in Triple-A.
Like Starling Marte, Polanco had played center field in the Minor Leagues but could move to right field for the Pirates, flanking 2013 National League MVP Award winner Andrew McCutchen. It seemed like the perfect fit for one of the NL's most exciting teams, but it's impossible to gauge the learning curve that comes with handling Major League pitching and the high level of public accountability.
The 22-year-old Polanco is hitting .241 with a .308 on-base percentage and a .349 slugging percentage. His .657 OPS ranked seventh among eight NL rookies and 16th among the 21 Major League rookies who have at least 250 plate appearances this season.
Raise your hand if you expected the following guys to outhit Polanco: David Peralta, Travis d'Arnaud, Tommy La Stella, Billy Hamilton, Kolten Wong, Kevin Kiermaier and Rougned Odor.
No, there aren't many hands in the air at this point.
That's the uncertainty of baseball, and it shouldn't be seen as a major knock on Polanco, who had fallen into a 1-for-26 slump. He'd been an everyday player throughout his career, and that was the plan when he got to Pittsburgh.
Polanco started his Major League career with an 11-game hitting streak, including a 5-for-7 effort in Miami in which his 13th-inning homer off left-handed reliever Mike Dunn was the game-winner. Hurdle started him in 35 consecutive games, but along the way, Polanco stopped hitting left-handers, and the issue snowballed.
Hurdle began platooning Polanco when McCutchen went on the disabled list, and he recently had installed Snider as the guy against right-handers and left-handers. Polanco was batting only .156 with a .427 OPS against lefties. That's not serviceable, especially under the gun in late August.
Long-term, Polanco should be better for these struggles. He may even bounce back to get hot in September. With Polanco's speed and defensive skills, he could be a useful bench piece for the stretch run. But Tabata is a better fit at this point.
The right-handed-hitting Tabata was batting .281 in 39 games for Indianapolis, including a 13-for-30 surge in his last eight games. He's owed $8.5 million for the next two seasons under the terms of a deal he signed after only 102 games in the Major Leagues, and you can't blame general manager Neal Huntington for hoping he'll do something to make him movable in the offseason.
But the payroll stuff really doesn't matter that much at the moment. The Bucs know they have to do everything they can to keep from being buried by a seven-game losing streak that ended Wednesday.
On Aug. 12, they were 64-55 -- only 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the Central and leading the NL Wild Card race. But by the time they'd been beat around by the Tigers, Nationals and Braves, they were seven back in the division and in fourth place for the two Wild Card spots, 2 1/2 games behind the second-place Giants.
Their current six-game homestand against the Cardinals and Reds is huge for the Pirates, who have the second-best home record in the NL. They can't afford to slide further behind the Brewers, Cards, Giants and Braves.
For the Bucs to feed off the relentless optimism from Hurdle and his coaching staff, they need to get better results from Opening Day starter Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole and the rest of the starting rotation. They currently rank 10th in the NL with a 3.91 ERA from their starters and have Charlie Morton, their innings leader, on the disabled list, pending possible surgery to repair a sports hernia.
As much as we had figured that Polanco would be a big piece of the outcome for these Pirates, they need to look out for him, too. The unexpected return to Triple-A shouldn't lessen the expectations for him in future seasons. We shouldn't build these guys up like we do, but when you love watching the kids with the fresh legs, it's just what you do.
Phil Rogers is a columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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It always seems like vacations just fly by. I can't believe it's over. I can't believe I'm back at work the next day. Ugh...its 9:40am but my body is trying to tell me its 4:40pm still. Power through it is the only thing to do. I'm going to be updating my blog over the next few days (weeks, how ever long it takes) to share some of the food, beers and other things with you guys if you don't mind. This is just day one, BTW.
Romerberg Plaza, or the Old Town. Actually, it's not all that old as they had to rebuild it after WWII, but they tried to match it as closely as they could to its original state.
Beers on Romerberg Plaza
Schnitzel - This was a fellow husband of one of Mrs. G's co-workers meal. It was outstanding
Jager Scnitzel - MRs. G loves mushrooms, so it was a no brainer that she ordered this.
Nurnberger Bratwurst - I had to choose the sausage. Very tasty but not like brats you get here.
I hope you checked on my blog while I was gone. I had guest posters subbing in for me and they made pulled pork, smoked 'loney, chile rellenos, a breakfast fatty and some marinated grilled steak. They all looked wonderful and I can't wait to try and duplicate some of them myself.


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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Luke Wright hammered an unbeaten 99 to steer defending champion England to a crushing 116-run win over Afghanistan in their World Twenty20 match on Friday.
England made a formidable 196 for five in its 20 overs after being sent in to bat, and then bowled out Afghanistan for 80 in the 18th over at R. Premadasa Stadium. Wright and Alex Hales joined in a 69-run stand, and Wright shared 72 runs with Eoin Morgan.
The game ended Afghanistan's short campaign in the tournament after losing to India by 23 runs in its first Group A match on Wednesday.
Wright said that England knew Afghans were a dangerous team after watching their spirited effort against India on television. But he added: "The way we came back and bowled them out was a superb effort."
Wright played down his disappointment at missing out on England's first Twenty20 century by a single run.


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Did you know?
The first Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival took place in 1983. Introduced to attract people to this seaside town during the quiet winter period, it has succeeded beyond all expectations.
The Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival is a 10-day event aimed at foodies, sports lovers and families.
Oyster eating, oyster shucking, oyster farm tours, oyster recipe challenges and gourmet oyster-themed dinners happen throughout the festival, along with wine and champagne tastings.
The oyster festival attracts over 70 000 visitors annually; particularly food lovers who slurp and swallow their way through more than 200 000 oysters at over 20 dedicated oyster venues. Here the delectable molluscs can be eaten au naturel or cooked in a variety of ways.
Besides oysters, the festival hosts two top-notch competitive sporting events: the Pick n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Cycle Tour and the Pick n Pay Cape Times Knysna Marathon. Both are booked up months in advance due to their popularity.
The Oyster Festival has a packed and varied programme of adventure, sports and culture for the whole family. It includes everything from paddling, golf, bowls, soccer, angling and mountain biking to music concerts, theatre shows, craft workshops, cooking demonstrations and even bridge contests.
Not to be missed is the Hansa Waterfront Rush, a time-based obstacle course set on and in the water. Held at the Knysna Waterfront it's a thrill-a-minute spectacle for spectators and participants alike.
There is a special focus on activities for children at the Pick n Pay Young Oyster Festival. Tots to teens can attend youth theatre and puppet shows, creative art workshops and cooking courses.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival
Tel: +27 (0)44 382 5510
How to get here
Knysna can be easily accessed by road as it lies on the N2 between Cape Town (500 km) and Port Elizabeth (280 km). Knysna's biggest neighbouring towns are George (60 km) and Plettenberg Bay (35 km). George Airport is a mere 65 km away and provides a variety of daily flight options to and from major cities.
Best time to visit
The Oyster Festival takes place in July every year.
Around the area
Bloukrans Bridge is the world's highest bungee jump at 216 m, and it's very near Knysna.
Length of stay
The festival lasts for 10 days but a day trip to surrounding areas will also be worth it.
Where to stay
Knysna has a great number of accommodation options – from budget to luxury.


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Visitors can find brain-related information from across the agency in one place
Credit and Larger Version
On the first anniversary of President Obama's BRAIN Initiative announcement, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has launched a new portal at NSF.gov/brain dedicated to the agency's brain research-related funding opportunities and news.
"NSF-supported researchers explore the brain from all angles--from atoms to thoughts and behavior--resulting in some of the greatest neuroscience breakthroughs in our lifetime," said NSF Deputy Director Cora Marrett. "While NSF is committed to supporting brain research across disciplines and scales, we are equally committed to effective communication of these efforts and opportunities."
NSF funds potentially transformative, fundamental brain research across all areas of science and engineering. The Understanding the Brain portal allows visitors to find NSF brain-related information in one place.
The website also includes NSF's specific thematic research areas for the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative, the latest funding and event announcements and a list of core programs that support neuroscience research, as well as public-facing articles and videos about new findings.
Also, visit the NSF BRAIN YouTube channel for more videos.
Media Contacts Sarah Bates, NSF, (703) 292-7738, firstname.lastname@example.com
Lily Whiteman, NSF, (703) 292-8070, email@example.com
Lily Whiteman, NSF, (703) 292-8070, firstname.lastname@example.com
Related WebsitesUnderstanding the Brain homepage: http://www.nsf.gov/brain
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2014, its budget is $7.2 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly.
Useful NSF Web Sites:
NSF Home Page:
NSF Home Page:
NSF News:
NSF News:
For the News Media:
For the News Media:
Science and Engineering Statistics:
Science and Engineering Statistics:
Awards Searches:
Awards Searches:
The National Science Foundation (NSF)
Guillermo Gonzalo Sánchez Achutegui


text:
Provides a comprehensive snapshot of the most influential regional content from researchers in South Korea, including citation data.
Classic Catalog | OhioLINK | Lane Public | WorldCat |
More Options:
Research by Subject |
Databases A-Z
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OhioLINK Home |
OhioLINK Catalog |
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Miami University Directory
Staff Spotlight: Ariel Shirley
New in Leisure Reading!
Investigating How Chinese Students Conduct Research
Carla Myers selected as OhioLINK Open Textbook Network System Leader


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Small Peptide Self-Assembling Drug-Delivery Vesicles
Reference Number: K 09-08
Inventors: Tomich, John M.; Iwamoto, Takeo; Hiromasa, Yasuaki; Gudlur, Sushanth
Owner: Kansas State University Research Foundation
USPTO Link:
Invention Summary
The present invention is a novel vesicle-forming technology, useful for various applications including a potential new drug-delivery platform. Traditionally, physicians introduce anti-cancer drugs and other highly toxic materials to the patient systemically, thus creating many harmful side effects to healthy bystander tissues. For a more targeted approach, some companies employ the use of lipids to encapsulate the drugs in an attempt to deliver the drugs to the appropriate receptor prior to the body breaking down the delivery vehicle. Often, the immune system recognizes these lipids and destroys them before they reach their appropriate target, thus causing premature release of the enclosed substance and damaging surrounding tissues. Lipids also require many processing steps including extrusion and sonication in order to encapsulate the appropriate drug, thus making them undesirable for many applications.
The present technology involves a mixture of small peptides that spontaneously self-assemble in water to form vesicles. The resulting vesicles range in size from less than 50 nm in diameter to over 1 µm in diameter depending on the processing conditions and time. The individual peptides have a Critical Assembly Concentration (CAC) of less than 10 µm, making this technology attractive for drug delivery applications. The peptides can be made such that they evade the body's immune system, and thus the vesicles can "cryptically" deliver the enclosed substances to the appropriate cellular targets. Furthermore, as these vesicles spontaneously form, it is not necessary to perform many of the processing steps required for lipid formation. This technology is essentially a hollow sphere that can potentially deliver many different types of molecules including small RNAs and DNAs, high toxicity compounds such as anti-cancer and anti-infection drugs, and insoluble compounds.
Peptide Vesicles do not face immune system reaction problems that competing encapsulation technologies encounter
Allows for the creation of various sized vesicles
Delivers toxic materials and anti-cancer drugs with minimal side effects
Time-release drug delivery
"Cryptic" delivery of toxic materials
Industrial Applications
Platform technology for various substance encapsulation


text:
It's flu season and that means keeping our hands clean is of paramount importance. To that end, let us be the first to introduce you to the food-obsessed ManHands soap. This soap will wash away dirt and grime using 'manly' scents such as buttered popcorn, coffee and red wine. Also, because this is a product for sale in the world in 2013, there is a bacon scent.
Don't worry; if you want to get your digits clean without reeking of wine, there are also varieties that are totally unrelated to food. However, these scents are perhaps even stranger. Case in point, you can buy both Republican and Democrat scents. What would those two smell like? We have no idea. Maybe like an elephant and a donkey?
You can get your manly hands on some of this soap for $6 a pop. Also, just to be safe, do not try to eat the popcorn-scented soap. We have better ways to get your popcorn fix.


text:
Southbound I-75 near Tampa reopens after crash
Published: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 8:29 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 6:53 p.m.
WESLEY CHAPEL — One of the Interstate 75 southbound lanes in Pasco County reopened Thursday evening following a fiery crash between a tractor trailer carrying mail and a dump truck, the Florida Highway Patrol reported
Crews repaired the damaged asphalt on one lane, and the second lane was expected to be finished later Thursday, FHP spokesman Steve Gaskins said. Northbound traffic remained open throughout the day.
No one was seriously injured in the morning crash. Both drivers got out of their vehicles and were taken to hospitals for observation.
Officials from the U.S. Postal Service were at the scene to collect mail, much of which was burned or destroyed in the fire. Postal service spokeswoman Debby Fetterly said the truck was carrying magazines and third-class mail from Jacksonville to Tampa. Customers who believe they may have had mail on the truck should call the postal service's consumer affairs office at 813-354-6265.
Gaskins said southbound traffic was cleared from I-75 by about 9:30 a.m. Traffic was being diverted to exit 279 toward State Road 54.
The mail truck crashed into a construction zone guardrail before partially jackknifing into the center median. A dump truck crashed into the truck, resulting in the fire.
FHP said the truck was operated by Jacksonville-based Pat Salmon & Sons of Florida. Driver Mark Alan Berrier, 55, was taken to University Community Hospital in Tampa. The dump truck's driver, Manuel Francisco Rodriguez Rivera, 42, was taken to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. His truck belongs to R & D Hauling of Land 'O Lakes.
An investigation is continuing.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Game 2 of the regular season. Oh. Right. Nevermind.
Ya boys were supposed to be visiting Jumbo Softshelled Shrimp Joe Thornton and his San Jose Shrimps tonight. Then fly back across the continent for an ECF rematch with the Devils at the Rock Wednesday. Yeesh.
Me? I'm still tethered to the Yankees, though it's pretty bleak. They're 0-2 and facing Justin Verlander tomorrow in Detroit, with a lineup that has four prominent guys who couldn't hit a bull in the behind with a snowshovel.
So they've got that going for them.
I have a couple of good guest posts ready to go the next few days, and might be able to post some pics from the continued Garden remodeling and the new "Garden 366" and "Defining Moments" displays.
'Til then.


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The 2013 E. Eric Muirhead Hypertension Research
Day, hosted by the Cardiovascular-Renal Center at The University of Tennessee
Health Science Center, will be held Wednesday, November 13, 2013 at 8:00 a.m.
in room A117 Coleman (956 Court Ave., Memphis, TN 38163). Please go to www.uthsc.edu/hrd or contact Michelle
Lester at 901-448-2634 for more information. This is a CME Accredited event.
Hypertension Research Day 2013 Speakers and
8:00 a.m. - Medicine Grand Rounds
Arterial stiffness - what does it add when I
already know the blood pressure?
By Raymond R. Townsend, M.D.
Professor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
9:00 a.m. - Leonard Share Memorial Lecture
Discovery of hydrogen sulfide as a
gasotransmitter in the cardiovascular system
By Rui Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Vice President of Research, Economic Development
and Innovation
Lakehead University
10:15 a.m. - E. Eric Muirhead Hypertension
Research Day Lecture
Oxidative stress and hypertension
By Robin L. Davisson, Ph.D.
The Andrew Dickson White Professor of Molecular
Cornell University
11:15 a.m. - University of Tennessee Health
Science Center Lecture
Hypertension treatment guidelines in patients
with chronic kidney disease: Is it appropriate to extrapolate from the general
By Csaba P. Kovesdy, M.D.
The Fred Hatch Professor of Medicine
Director, Clinical Outcomes and Clinical Trials
Program in Nephrology
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Memphis, TN 38163
Browse Events At This Location
Email: Phone: 901-448-2634
Website: Click to Visit
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text:
Love It or Hate It? Lily Collins + More at the Costume Designers Guild Awards
We're having some trouble making up our minds about the red carpet fashion choices from last night's Costume Designers Guild Awards. Love 'em or hate 'em? Weigh in here!
-Lucia Peters
It's almost Oscar time! To gear up for award season's biggest show (and biggest sendoff), let's have a look at the red carpet fashion from last night's Costume Designers Guild Awards, shall we? From Kristen Wiig to Anne Hathaway, I can't help but think that the dress choices were all either really bland or really out there—and as such, I'm having a little bit of trouble making up my mind about them. What do you think? Check out the full list of award winners here—and tell us how you feel about all these red carpet looks in the comments!


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Results 1 to 20 of 21
The trend of not checking the facts when you hear a rumour (DRM related)
Under today's Ubisoft DRM article some folks say they're not buying various games due to UbiDRM, including Driver: San Francisco.
I left a comment saying Driver has no stupid DRM. Someone replied with a link to an August article. That article quotes Ubisoft's PR, who says you only need to sign in at launch.
That left me a bit puzzled. I played the game just fine when uPlay was down two weeks ago.
So I unplugged my Internet cable... and I started the game. It works. I even started to play, just to make sure it won't get stuck in the menu.
Now, I admit that Ubisoft's DRM policy is confusing. Searching for some articles related to Driver I found some that interpreted the above statement as having to sign in only once, not every time you start the game. A bit more googling revealed forum posts which confirm that Driver and many other Ubisoft games work offline.
This got me thinking.
How come people are so anchored to the first thing they hear about something? In the case of UbiDRM, we see folks filling the comments section with angry messages about having to be online constantly (for unreleased games too). Ruse was released in September 2010, is a Steamworks game yet I've seen people that ignore it because of UbiDRM! In the case of Origin, some dumbass on the Escapist forums started unfounded rumours that people still believe now, 6 months later.
Or the SOPA thing. I've seen many people yesterday that criticised Wikipedia for shutting down because SOPA was shelved. But SOPA will be discussed again next month, it's just a delay. Why do I know this and others don't? Yeah, the first link when I search "SOPA shelved" thinks SOPA is dead, but the ones below know what's up.
I don't get it. I usually search for a bit more info before I post something. It's not like it takes more than 10-20 seconds to see if there are any updates on a certain matter.
What do you think?
I think the constant back-peddaling, lies and unpredictable acts of benevolence have created a real mess, especially for Ubisoft.
There's no clear policy, you've got no idea what you're getting with the game any more unless you go out of your way to find out. Even then who's to say it won't change in a week or two, or that you get the whole story off the bat (e.g. hardware changes now require reactivation). It's safer to just ignore their games and get your kicks elsewhere - it ain't exactly a sparse market.
So the confusion is definately there, and for some people it's enough to prevent a purchase. Or delay a purchase until the game is seemingly old-hat and not really worth bothering with.
People refusing to buy Ubisoft games because of an ideological stance of a more generalised nature I think we've covered elsewhere on this forum...
- Join Date
- Dec 2011
- Posts
- 99
Dunno about Driver, but here's my history with Assassin's Creed 2, which I got on Steam; I start that up, and Uplay tells me it couldn't connect. Again and again for a week. I checked every single thingie on my PC to be sure it was not my fault - cable, firewall settings, every damn thing - to no avail. Checked forums online and found out lots of people complaining having the same problem - and not a single word from Ubisoft, not even the "whoops sorry we're in maintenance". So I told myself, why put up with this crap? and got a cracked .dll, installed it and bypassed completely the useless Uplay.
Long story short: I checked to be sure it wasn't a problem on MY side before coming to the conclusion that Ubi DRM is a steaming mound of manure. And yes, I won't be buying any Ubisoft stuff in the future, unless I find from reliable sources they somehow got their common sense working again.
When there's outrage to be had, there's no time to check facts! A lot of people seem to enjoy the spectacle and circus of hopping on the hate train without making sure that their logic is sound, and that what they're angry about is indeed the case for a particular circumstance. Welcome to the Internet and all that. :p But yeah, that's why I like reading this forum. Folks here are a lot more levelheaded, and don't tend to get swept up in all of that mumbo jumbo.
Unfortunately for some companies, though, their reputation proceeds them. UbiSoft's DRM has been a mess for a long time, so if they have the rare game without the stuff, people tend not to think about that, and focus more on the problematic games.
The only games that I seriously and whole-heartedly avoid are games that use GfWL..and that's not because I'm super-paranoid about DRM but because it just sucks (and I do this after the trouble I had to go through in order to play Batman:AA. And GTA 4 It's a shame I won't be playing AC, but oh well..).
I didn't buy any of the always-on UbiGames, but it's quite hard to avoid games that have something to do with Ubisoft these days, and after all they seem to have turned it down a bit, so no big deal.
Regarding Origin: I never had a problem with it (per-ordered BF3) and just stood by and wondered about how stupid some people can be..just parroting something they read without thinking for themselves. But I guess that's just the old story: one person alone might be smart, but in a herd brains don't matter..
But you're right..publishers should make the used DRM-method more clear..it's just bad style having to hunt for this information. At least Steam (mostly) tells you about 3rd-party DRM..Steam-Id inside.
Today the "Unsubscribe" button vanished for some TOR players. Obviously it's a bug, because come on, nobody is that stupid to stop people from unsubscribing. I bet next summer some people will still bring this up as proof of how evil EA is and how BioWare sucks.
This is a problem of labelling.
If uPlay / GFWL etc. are 'enhancements', then flog it as such...
Games with Steamworks come with that on the packaging. And I know what that means.
"A Ubisoft account is required" can mean all sorts of things.
There are games which once had always-on, such as Splinter-Cell:Conviction, which now don;t Some, such as Settlers 7, still do.
What we need to make these decisions are very clear statements on retail sites. Steam has stopped doing this, few digital outlets do, retail packaging is even worse.
So without clear information as a consumer, I can't make a decision, so I hold off purchasing. I'd like to get Driver, but with no real way of knowing what its current DRM is like, after patching, I can't make that decision..."KING GEORGE IS A FROG
le BANG~__-MICHEAL FUCK OFF~~__-INTERPOL KNOW YOU WELLBIENG~
- Join Date
- Jul 2011
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- 936
The issue is that the rumour can be true or that it can randomly change or anything.
Like From Dust's "OH YES THERE'S DRM" to "OH NO THERE'S NO DRM" to *SILENCE* (just before release, where it was quickly discovered that yes there was DRM) to "OH NO THERE'S NO DRM" to "OH YEAH THERE'S BEEN DRM LOL THERE'S BEEN A POST HERE ON THE FORUMS THE ENTIRE TIME WE DIDN'T JUST EDIT IT IN".
Just take a look at EA's constant bullshitting about Origin. One second it's a game's platform, the next it's a downloader (for singleplayer games that come on a disc?), the next it's just a store etc.
SOE also do it fucking constantly (the unsubscribe button for Star Wars Galaxies was literally broken for about two months after the NGE went live), but they're just as bad.
My gripe is with Ubi's inconsistency. You have draconian install limit policies but you have measures in place to provide additional activations? I can choke that down, I guess. Oh, but you require a constant online connection for this single-player game? Blech! I can't play it with my current setup! But this other game can be played offline but has single-player content--including equipment and friggin' saves--tied to the online account? That's even worse, since it's practically a bait-and-switch! Then some games don't have much of anything, tied only to whatever digital distribution service you bought them from.
If they would just make up their minds I could decide what stance to take. They're not bad at all about console games, and if they'd just release all of their games on PS3 I would just buy the console version and then we'd both be happier. It's not like Heroes of Might & Magic is so complex to play that a controller wouldn't work, and if you further diminished or even removed the combat from Anno (the absolute worst part of that franchise) it would work just fine, too.
As it is, they're a company that I pretty much have to hate because they refuse to stop making titles I would like to play that are PC-exclusive, even though it's obvious they have zero respect for PC customers. I don't want to do ten hours of research just to decide if I want to buy a game.
- Join Date
- Nov 2011
- Posts
- 33
Right now Ubisoft have a really bad image on PC. The draconian install limit is insane. Thing is if you argue with them over it, you are a dirty pirate, hows that for pr.
Most people I know wont touch a ubisoft game over there drm. Right now some companys simply think they can push there drm threw and in the long term it will become accepted. Plus it does not help that some games company's are just to stubborn.
It doesn't help that they are a publisher and a developer. So there is this inherit inconsistency with their own products vs. things they publish and whatever criteria get tacked on for that. I bought DriverSF, From Dust, and Anno 2070, and was only unhappy with Anno, which I immediately cracked. Actual UBI games like the latest Asscreed I am still undecided on, and may end up pirating or buy/cracking again. I might spend an hour or so reading torrent comments vs. support forums and see which version has more issues.All times I have enjoyed greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those that loved me, and alone.
everyone explained how ubi being confusing, makes everyone confused. Good to hear about ubi drm and only one single activation required to actually play. How many activation do you have (if there is a limit).
what I am worried about is the unsubscribe button disappearing in TOR. that... is very very wrong thing to happen. For how long did it disappear? Will people get their money if they wanted to unsubscribe but couldn't and therefore got charged for extra month?
Technically, you only ever have one activation if it's a UPlay-enabled game, as like Steamworks/EA games the code ties itself to your account and cannot be removed. The amount of times you can install a game depends on the other DRM, though. Anno 2070 allows for 3 different hardware configurations due to Tagés/TAGES/Tages/Whatever it's called now, but The Settlers 7 allows for unlimited installs across unlimited computers. As far as I can remember, TS7 doesn't even have SecuROM or anything. There's no disc check, nothing. It's insanely light on the DRM beyond the Always-On component.
I don't know what the current situation is with Ubisoft's DRM and don't care. They made their bed.
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
- Posts
- 175
I had this to say about the matter a few days ago on another forum :P
I'm honestly confused and I don't know anymore lately... I thought they are just prone to stupid business-moves but maybe it's some sort of systematic self-sabotage with deeper reasoning?
After using both some of the most controversial as well as longest unchallenged DRM with StarForce and deciding to dump it in 2006 as well as deciding to release the newest Prince of Persia without DRM in 2008, they've been going crazy and jumping back and forth ever since...
They started using their Always-On DRM back in 2010 for Assassin's Creed 2, Settlers 7, Splinter Cell: Conviction and a range of other games, after both having several weeks long problems and their servers coming under DDOS-attacks they decided to drop the DRM on a few selective titles early last year.
Since then, some of their newest titles are set to ship without Always-On DRM. They've both called their Always-On DRM a success, others said that their PC sales might have gone down up to 90% (although that's Pachter, take that with a grain of salt).
Some of their newest titles like Driver: San Francisco were set to come with the often-hated DRM, then they decided against it.
They introduced UPlay in the meantime and UPlay Passport for consoles further confusing things.
Their game From Dust was set to come out without the DRM, after the Release people found out that they lied and after a proper shitstorm decided to (partially?) remove it again. Many of their titles since then require UPlay to play, some less, some more integrated into the platform, for instance with Heroes VI Online and Offline Saves aren't compatible with each other, and you need to be Online to be able to use certain weapons and get some abilities.
Ofcourse UPlay has also been down for several days with people unable to properly play games like the latest Assassin's Creed, Heroes VI or Anno 2070, here's a thread about it.
Lately they've even been in the business of insulting PC gamers
"We've heard loud and clear that PC gamers are bitching about there being no version for them, but are these people just making noise just because there's no version or because it's a game they actually want to play? Would they buy it if we made it?"
They've also un-announced Ghost Recon: Future Soldier just to deem that it's coming to PC after all mere two weeks later after managing to piss everyone off with this stroke of genius:
"When we started Ghost Recon Online we were thinking about Ghost Recon: Future Solider; having something ported in the classical way without any deep development, because we know that 95 per cent of our consumers will pirate the game."
Can I at least ask for some consistency and a line to their attitude... I really am confused, as well about which of their games has what kind and level of draconian DRM incorporated as with their overall strategy they are trying to follow if there is one...
Cause the only thing their "strategy" seems to manage at the moment is to properly piss everyone off and scare off their customers.
Last edited by Dexter; 19-01-2012 at 09:50 PM.
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
- Posts
- 994
It's getting to the point where the only people who really ought to care what Ubisoft say from one day to the next are the people paid to.
A lot of the DRM love came from the reboot of Prince of Persia which was released without any DRM at all. The game wasn't well received, sold poorly and, of course, the only explanation for a game not selling well is because of piracy.
What I would like would be some site with that information updated. Sure retailers should have it, but not even Ubisoft have that information on their site. For now the only thing to do is asking around in forums, but most people have a blind hatred, and do exactly as you said, quote outdated information. I was about to buy Driver, but suddenly there was a wave of people saying that there was always-on-DRM, others that don't, and I got confused, so I didn't risk it.
http://steamdrm.flibitijibibo.com/the-big-drm-list/ This is a good start, but updates on older games are scarce, mostly just new additions.


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What a night to be a Republican.
Below is the cheat sheet I posted Sunday, re-sorted from what I thought was most likely to flip to the GOP, to least likely, and updated with wins and losses. To summarize, I predicted that Republicans would gain a net of 63 seats, +/-3; by my count, Republicans have won 66 seats, have lost three, and may nab two more Democrat-held seats that are currently too-close-to-call ("2C2C"). So, 63 seats, with two potentially waiting in the wings. Analysis follows.
Republicans outperformed my predictions in Illinois, Texas, and Minnesota; they underperformed in Arizona, Kentucky, Oregon, and Georgia. So, a slight update is in order to accurately describe today's state-by-state House delegation gains and losses, as compared to 2004. We've moved from this net outcome possibility: (red- net GOP gain over 2004, blue- net GOP loss, gray – no change)
To this:
The wins are still deep, and still likely to be enduring (as I've argued before.) Strong wins across the board, with lots of welcome surprises not demonstrated in this map. (For instance, Illinois now has a majority GOP delegation. Arizona's delegation is now by my count five Republicans to three Democrats. Etc.) Depending on how the House race in CA-11 turns out, even California could turn a redder hue before this year's map is complete.
The Republicans may not have done as well as we'd hoped in the Senate, but it's these races in the House and those at the state level that are really the most destructive for Democrats. From Allahpundit's post, a House Democrat close to Madam (for now) Speaker:
"I think it's going to take us a while to get beyond this," said a House Democrat close to Pelosi. "10 years, maybe 20 years. I don't know if we'll get back the majority while I'm here."…
When the toll inflicted on Democrats in a state legislature is best described as a "bloodbath," yes, there's long term damage involved here. Erick Erickson notes:
There will be 18 states subject to reapportionment. The Republicans will control a majority of those — at least ten and maybe a dozen or more. More significantly, a minimum of seventeen state legislative houses have flipped to the Republican Party.
The North Carolina Legislature is Republican for the first time since 1870. Yes, that is Eighteen Seventy.
The Alabama Legislature is Republican for the first time since 1876.
For those saying this is nothing because it is the South, consider these:
The entire Wisconsin and New Hampshire legislatures have flipped to the GOP by wide margins.
The State Houses in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Montana, and Colorado flipped to the GOP.
The Maine and Minnesota Senates flipped to the GOP.
Go to the link for the rest.
Can Republicans mess this windfall up? Sure. Do I assume they will? No. I think it is clear that Democrats have emerged as an urban, bi-coastal regional party whose influence has been decimated in the interior, and which will soon to be subjected to more damage when Census reapportionment and redistricting begins. The Blue Dogs have been vanquished. The San Francisco-style Democrat has prevailed, resulting in a Democrat caucus probably more liberal and narrow than it ever has been. A New York Times screenshot of the current House landscape helps to re-emphasize this point.
The Democratic Party is not dead and should not be taken lightly. It is undoubtedly alive. It's just not altogether "well," and probably won't be for some time.
Update: So how many legislatures does the GOP control outright? Click here or the image for the breakdown.
This post was promoted from GreenRoom to HotAir.com.
To see the comments on the original post, look here.