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Dear Editor:
The 2013 Isanti County Safety Camp committee extends appreciation to the following businesses that made financial contributions:
Advantage Collection Professionals, Cambridge Bar & Grill, Cambridge Chiropractic Clinic, Cambridge Eye Associates, PA, Cambridge Lions Club, Cambridge State Bank, Casey's General Stores, Inc., CenterPoint Energy, Chilson Jewelers, Diversified Bronze & Manufacturing, Inc., East Central Energy, East Central Sanitation & Recycling, Friends of the Cambridge Public Library, Isanti County Law Enforcement, Isanti Subway, Isanti Tire & Auto Care, Lake State Credit Union, Lindberg & McKinnis, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians, MinnCo Credit Union, Peoples Bank of Commerce, Strike Funeral Homes, Target Stores and Training Connections.
"We are thrilled to have 24 sponsors for this year's Safety Camp," said Dave Maurer, Cambridge-Isanti Community Education Director and Safety Camp Co-Chair. "We have calculated that a $100 donation will cover 4 scholarships, 16 bike helmets or approximately 16 lunches. Because of the donations we received, we were able to work with the counselors at the Primary and Intermediate schools and extend invitations to families that needed financial assistance with the registration fee. Additionally, every child receives snacks, beverages and lunch each day of camp. This ensures that every camper is physically ready to learn and have fun. It would be impossible for the Safety Camp budget to support these costs without the generous donations of our business sponsors."
To make a donation for the 2014 Isanti County Safety Camp, contact Dave Maurer at 763-689-6220.
Jean M. Rabideau-Quesnel
Administrative Assistant to the Director
Community Education – ISD #911


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"The arts play a vital role in the life of a community, and music in particular is a unifying force that transcends age, race, and culture. Patricia and I wanted to create a legacy that would enhance and sustain the School's important work" --Dr. Phillip Frost
L-R: Dean Shelly Berg pictured with Dick and Karin Crasno, Jacqueline and Adam Malamed of Ladenburg Thalmann, at Winter Wonderfu
Dr. and Mrs. Phillip Frost's $33 million bequest to the School of Music in 2003 was the largest gift ever given to a university-based music school in the United States. Fittingly, the School of Music was officially renamed the Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music. Today, the Frosts' donation continues to be used to fund program endowments, faculty chairs, student scholarships and facility improvements.
Dr. Phillip Frost was the founder, chairman and CEO of IVAX Corporation, a Miami-based multinational pharmaceuticals company, and is currently chairman of the board of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services, and served as chairman of the board of TEVA Pharmaceuticals. He is a former chairman of the University of Miami's Board of Trustees.
Mrs. Patricia Frost is a retired educator who was the principal of the prestigious West Laboratory Elementary School, adjacent to the University of Miami campus. She currently is the former chair of the Smithsonian National Board and is currently on the Florida Board of Governors. Two new Patricia Louise Frost Music Studios North and South buildings opened in February 2015 on the University of Miami campus.
Dr. and Mrs. Frost are members of the Frost School of Music advisory board.

subset: commoncrawl


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BEIJING, China and KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept, 4, 2012 — Dalian Wanda Group Co., Ltd. ("Wanda"), a leading Chinese private conglomerate and China's largest investor in cultural and entertainment activities, and AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. ("AMC"), a preeminent U.S. movie exhibitor, today announced the successful completion of Wanda's acquisition of AMC, creating the world's largest cinema owner. The transaction is valued at approximately US$2.6 billion.
Wanda Chairman and President Wang Jianlin said, "We are very pleased to have completed the acquisition of AMC and begin this new chapter in Wanda's international development. Throughout this entire process we have been impressed with the expertise and dedication of AMC's management team and associates. We now look forward to working with AMC's CEO Gerry Lopez and his team to invest in and build on the company's widely-recognized brand and the incomparable entertainment experience AMC offers to its millions of customers."
Gerry Lopez, chief executive officer and president of AMC, said, "All of us at AMC are thrilled about our future with Wanda. It allows us to continue expanding and innovating in what is the world's largest movie market. More so, we are enthusiastic about combining AMC's leadership in the US with Wanda's leadership in China, the world's fastest-growing market. We strongly believe in our shared common interests in advancing the movie industry and we feel this partnership creates one of the world's premier location-based entertainment companies."
Wanda will operate AMC as a wholly owned subsidiary under its existing brand while investing up to an additional US$500 million in the unit over time to fund strategic and operating initiatives. AMC will continue to control film programming and remain headquartered in the Kansas City metropolitan area, with more than 17,000 associates operating theaters in 32 states across the United States.
The transaction creates the world's largest global cinema owner by combining Wanda's 94 theatres, 805 screens and large-scale stage show, film production and distribution, entertainment chains with AMC's 338 multiplex theatres and 4,865 screens, including 2,171 3-D screens and 124 IMAX screens, making it the world's largest operator of IMAX screens. Approximately 200 million people watched movies in AMC theatres in 2011.
It's Official: Wanda Group Closes $2.6B Purchase of AMC Entertainment
15 Comments
How do regulators let such a large portion of film content distribution fall under Chinese ownership? Would the US ever allow this kind of purchase made of a tv broadcast network? Not to mention, the CEO of this company has been under arrest at least a couple times in the last year due to his ties to Bo Xilai. I'm confused about how regulators scrutinize these transactions in order to approve or not approve them.
LOL. Exactly. No American company would be allowed to own a major Chinese media company. Chinese law prevents foreign ownership of major assets. Why shouldn't the U.S. have reciprocal laws in place?
Will AMC prevent any films that might show China in a bad light from being distributed? We already know that the new film "Red Dawn" changed its villain from China to North Korea. What other films follow suit for fear of not finding a home at one of the U.S.'s largest theater chains?
Oh well. Regulations are bad.
and so the take over by the Chinese begins.
They have no idea how hard it is to be an Exhibitor.
Between our staggering debt to China and selling off our land, our companies and assets to China….what's left?? The only way I can express my dissatisfaction is to add AMC to the list of companies I will not patronize. If you care at all about the future of America try not to buy Chinese products and avoid patronizing Chinese owned companies if possible. I know it's difficult when in some stores you can hardly find an item NOT made in China. But it's worth the effort to try.
Well you know when you hear people bitching about the Americanization of their culture. This. This is what it feels like.
So, having a Regal Card suddenly makes me a patriot?
One of the largest Chinese banks (ICBC) recently purchased an American based bank (Bank of East Asia in NY)…this purchase was recently approved by the FDIC and represents a first in American Banking. So yes, indeed, the take over by the Chinese has begun.
Don't panic, remember when everybody thought that Japan was buying up America and it's food belt? What happened there will repeat itself.
@Confusing, I know, huh … have we already forgotten that $2Billion of the purchase price was to clear up debt? AMC has been grossly mis-managed. If any of the management team believe they have a future there they are failing to look at their past! They are further not looking at the new owners, their culture and belief systems. The Chinese are far more interested in exceeding quotas than they are in keeping agreements, or even meeting regulations, contractual or legal.
Wanda bought real estate; a whole pile of real estate in downtown areas of every major market in the U.S. That's what they bought. That along with the infrastructure to deliver content to U.S. ticket buyers. Oh, and 200 million people did not go to the movies in the U.S. last year; 13 million saw 14 or 15 movies each, that's the reality of it.
The most relevant point this purchase makes is this; U.S. exhibitors are getting out of the business. The exhibitors are the most conservative in the food chain. They know exactly what is going on with the audiences and they are getting out. Wanda had enough money to get them out so out they went, debt free, and a little something for the stockholders. Look for a quiet sell off in AMC stock over the next few days/weeks.
Watch now as Wanda starts selling off prime retail locations around the country to recoup their payout. In the next ten years we'll see a wide-release reduced to 500 screens. Ticket prices will be as high as they are for the NFL. Going to see a movie will be a major family outing that may include travel, a hotel stay, and will certainly mean 3D/IMAX/Surround Sound Pounding Action! Spectacles sell better than stories these days and the numbers bear all that out.
Everything else will go to internet and satellite/cable distribution, PPV, PPC, etc., then free on Netflix. Look for advertising and promotional budgets to go from double to triple the production costs as distributors are forced to reach the broadest possible audience. Watch the Satellite channels now. Satellite distribution is going to grow by 850% in the next five years; something along the order of 1,300 channels will be providing service. That's over a billion hours a year in content needed and you can only have so many junk sports and re-run channels. The studios will do 20 films a year and rent out production space for everyone else.
The internet has flattened the playing field for movie makers. Imagination is driving a ton of non-physical (digital) delivery, and the results so far are astounding. The next five years are going to be very exciting from the perspective of possibility. Remember, the studios make the movies the exhibitors will buy and the exhibitors buy the movies for which their audiences will pay. Innovation and imagination have now become the exclusive territory of we, the people. Your dentist will make a movie that goes directly to internet.
Wide screen now means turning your Android sideways.
You may quote me but only if you give me credit.
Have you ever talked to a theater owner?
Frankly I find these comments very nationalistic in a globalising environment. Do you Americans only recognise globalisation when it suits you. The fact of the matter is that money talks or else walks. China has the war chest of cash whilst the Americans and Europeans are drowning in debt, because of their consumption driven growth path. The structure of the world investment is changing, the chinese dragons are going to invest in prime cheap assets from you American and Europeans, whether you like it or not
AMC= American Multi-Cinema. What happened to the AMERICAN??
Exhibition in the US will always be around but AMC overbuilt and over leased for what is coming next. Have fun. At the same time not thrilled with this


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St Martin, French West Indies
Situated across 55 acres of pristine sand and tropical garden, Belmond La Samanna is considered one of the best St. Martin beach resorts. It is just 15 minutes from Marigot, the capital of French St. Martin in the French West Indies, and a short drive from the fabulous restaurants of Grand Case.
The resort's crescent-shaped beach on Baie Longue is recognized as one of the finest and most secluded in the world. No other hotels share Baie Longue, which means our guests enjoy complete privacy and tranquility.
See more of the Baie Longue with our panoramic virtual tour >
Getting Here
Nearby Princess Juliana International Airport makes St. Martin easily accessible by air, with daily direct flights from the US, Canada, France and the Netherlands.
Additionally, there are a number of daily flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico on Jet Blue and Insel Air.
Private Airport Transfer
On request, our concierge desk can arrange for a private chauffeur to be waiting for you at the airport, assist with baggage and transport you to Belmond La Samanna in a luxury vehicle.
Upon your departure, the chauffeur will ensure your smooth onward travel. Transfer amenities include cold towels and bottled water. Private chauffeur services are charged by the hour.
Car Rental
Prestige Car Rental offers a variety of rental options, giving you the opportunity to explore the island of St. Martin with ease. For your convenience, a Prestige rental desk is located in the resort.


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Cognizant Latest Offshore Outsourcer To Post Double-Digit Growth Sales jump 52% in first quarter.
IBM Workers In Europe May Strike Over Offshoring Shareholders at IBM's annual meeting this week will vote on an anti-offshoring resolution.
Strong Outsourcing Sales Drive Wipro Earnings The company is the latest Indian IT services provider to report rapid sales growth.
The Flatness of Thomas L. Friedman New York Times reporter Thomas L. Friedman is one of our more insightful commentators on the mid-East, globalization and international affairs. But it's also true that Friedman at times gets carried away with himself. In his new book, The World Is Flat, Friedman draws a bit too much meaning from East/West, new world/old world, hi tech/low tech juxtapositions that by now are commonplace. For instance, Friedman seems almost dumbstruck by this banal utterance from Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani: "Tom
Analysts: Offshoring Will Continue To Boom Despite Setbacks Long-term factors driving offshore outsourcing, including cost and lack of in-house IT staff, are still prevalent.
Outsourcing Successes Rival Those Of Marriage Companies don't outsource core competencies. It's a concept carved in stone. But exactly what is or isn't a core competency? You might be surprised that routine processes commonly outsourced might be core to a company's bottom line. Take, for instance, accounts payable.
IBM Needs A Shakeup In the wake of a tepid first quarter, IBM officials say a "sizeable restructuring" is imminent at the company. Given its recent string of underwhelming financial reports, nothing less would seem in order.
Cognizant Buys Business Systems Consulting Firm Fathom Solutions, the acquired company, has application-development expertise in a number of vertical industries.
Kerry's Latest Benedict Arnold is Heinz During the 2004 presidential campaign, Democratic candidate John Kerry vilified corporate heads who presided over the outsourcing of jobs overseas as "Benedict Arnold CEOs." Kerry can now add another industry chieftain to his list of those he considers to be national traitors: William R. Johnson, president, CEO, and chairman of H.J. Heinz Company-the multi-billion dollar food empire founded by Teresa Heinz Kerry's late, fo
Gartner: Indian Outsourcer Fraud No Big Deal A recent incident of outsourced call center fraud in India won't be a significant damper on offshore outsourcing, a research firm says.
GE Mulls Massive ERP Implementation Company could adopt outsourcing model for enterprise applications, executive says.
Northwestern Mutual Looks To Protect Customer Data Outsourced To India Effort allows insurance company to use Indian service provider to test and maintain business applications.
Outsourcing: Back In The USSR Russia wants a bigger piece of the global outsourcing business, and it is launching a drive next week on its way to becoming what it calls "the next global leader in outsourcing."


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Ciovacco Capital is located in Downtown Atlanta, GA in the Museum Tower Building near Centennial Olympic Park.


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So I have dated a few girls, but still have never had a girlfriend nor sex. The only thing I realized was that I needed to change the way I dress which still is kind of whack. So I am trying to change, most of the time now you might see me in a polo shirt and some jeans. Once in a while I will either pull out a button up or a regular t-shirt (I am chubby so I try to steer clear of certain things. Yet I am never sure what to wear, because of being chubby). That is besides the point right now, because I go to the gym (even though it is taking real long to lose this weight.), I am also changing over my clothes. My thing is I have either heard if you like a girl to keep chasing her (be persistent), but on the flip side I hear don't come off to strong and make yourself scarce so she misses you. The thing is I want the girl know that I like her so for me it still doesn't make much sense to me the whole don't act like you like her (or making yourself scarce). The only thing that I can think of as writing this is that I might come put myself out there and come off as desperate. My thing is if a girl doesn't respond to me after I text/call and wait a little bit I will try again a couple days later. Then if that doesn't work then just let it go (due to this I have been told by a few people that I give up to easily). I just don't know what exactly I am doing wrong that is chasing girls away. I try to mix things up, but still end up single. Right now it sucks to be single, because when you see other people with someone and others always making it seem like being single is like the Bubonic plague it does get you a little down and I guess desperate so to speak.
Most Helpful Girl
Be sweet, comfortable with yourself and not defensive or self loathing.. be available to her but not overly and too eager.. like do things like a good morning text with a smiley face.. and give her a 5 min good night phone call (once you've started to date a girl.. you need to lead into these so that she gets a chance to want this from you). Do you have a good group of friends? A girl wants a guy that she knows is OK with out her and doesn't need her.. but has a life already that she's becoming part of.. ask her advice about what one of your friends should do about a girl who doesn't treat him right.. things like that that say I care about your opinion, am inviting you to know what's going on with my friends and life and that you're moral..00|00|0


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Initially premiering this holiday season, the drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio is hoping for larger audience in summer next year.
"The Great Gatsby" is off the list of holiday movies this year. The studio Warner Bros. announced on Monday, August 6 that they have decided to push back the Baz Luhrmann-directed film from Christmas Day to summer 2013 in order to net larger audience.
"Based on what we've seen, Baz Luhrmann's incredible work is all we anticipated and so much more. It truly brings Fitzgerald's American classic to life in a completely immersive, visually stunning and exiting way. We think movieogers of all ages are going to embrace it, and it makes sense to ensure this unique film reaches the largest audience possible," WB president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman said.
Should "Gatsby" retain its former release date, it would have gone head to head with Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" which also stars Leonardo DiCaprio. However, WB have enough ammo this holiday season with the first of "The Hobbit" trilogy, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", premiering a week before Christmas.


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Kathleen Lockie died May 2. She was 73.
Mrs. Lockie was born Sept. 25, 1939. She served as principal in elementary schools in Oregon and Washington. She was assistant superintendent for Spokane Catholic Schools, director of education for the Sisters of St. Mary's of Oregon campus schools, adjunct teacher at Gonzaga University and supervisor of student teachers at Marylhurst University and University of Portland. She was a member of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon for 24 years and a member of the Sisters of the Holy Names for eight years.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her sisters, Bobbie Anne Guest and Phyllis Borough. She is survived by her brother, Larry Lockie (Sharon); and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Wednesday, May 15, at Holy Family Church. Memorial donations can be made to the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon, Marylhurst University, or Sisters of the Holy Names.


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UK football Mark Stoops talks to the media following the Blue-White game. Video courtesy of Kentucky WildcatsTV.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Video: Coach Stoops 2013 Spring Blue-White Postgame Interview
Posted by Wildcats Thunder Blog at 12:30 PM Labels: Interviews, Links, NCAA FOOTBALL, SEC Football, UK Coaches, UK Football, UK Sports, Video, YouTube
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LoudTronix Upgrades are coming soon…
Thank you to everyone who supports LoudTronix and shares it with their friends and family!
Our Traffic grew more than we were expecting over the past month or two! To celebrate we've ordered a round of upgrades on us! =)  This is a win-win situation for both LoudTronix and its visitors.
We have to keep up with our traffic. So the more people discover (or get referred to) LoudTronix, the more we work to keep the site up, fast, functional, and just awesome in general! 😛
*Knock on wood* in the last 2 months we had a total of 1 hour downtime.
This is awesome compared to 5+ months ago when we had intense server issues.
Anyways, some of the upgrades that we have in store for you will include:
- Faster YouTube MP3 Downloads (currently take about 60-65seconds to convert)
- Faster Website & Results loading
- Some Layout Changes (not sure whether it'll be a major/minor change...but we'll see and keep you posted)
- A Mobile Friendly version of LoudTronix (you may have to be a member in order to use it tho...it's still free)
- ...and a couple more minor things like cleaning up some sources and just regular maintenance. I think LoudTronix deserves to be refreshed a bit after such flawless good and hard work! 🙂
LoudTronix.com is back online!
The LoudTronix Server is back up and online!
Sorry for the downtime.
If you're still being redirected to this blog,  be sure to clear your temporary internet files/history/cache.
We're adding the new YouTube Converter now, so be ready for some faster downloads! 😉
If you have any problems, please email us:
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Regional News of Thursday, 24 April 2014
Source: GNA
The Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) has condemned the assault of a Community Health Nurse at the Kajelow Community Clinic, who refused to grant a patient's request for more drugs.
The nurse, Ms. Rebecca Pokua, was assaulted by a male patient, one Wepia Lawrence, who demanded that the nurse gives him enough medicine at her facility in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region.
When the nurse declined and explained to him that at the clinic level, that was what she could prescribe for him and that, if he needed more drugs, he could go to the Health Centre at Paga, it did not go down well with the patient and he brutally assaulted the nurse.
A statement released to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and signed by the Regional Chairman of the Association, Mr. Samuel Alagkora, warned that the Association will not accept such a misbehaviour towards any health worker.
The nurse who was admitted at the War Memorial Hospital for multiple injuries, had her neck twisted by the attacker, apparently to attempt to strangulate her.
Her eyes were also injured, leading to the temporal loss of her sight.
She has since been discharged, the statement indicated.
The assault of Ms. Pokua, the statement indicated, was not an isolated case, and that there were many instances where nurses have been attacked by patients and their relatives, at the least provocation.
The release said, "it is this kind of behaviour that is derailing the efforts of the Health Authorities and GRNA to persuade nurses to accept postings to rural areas.
The people of Kajelow must hold Mr. Wepia responsible if nurses refuse to accept postings to that Clinic."
The GRNA said that it would not relent in its efforts to ensure that the perpetrator was brought to book, and commended the Police for arresting Mr. Wepia.
It impressed on the police to speed up investigations to ensure that the culprit was punished to deter others.
The Association entreated its members to remain calm and go about their duties, whilst measures were being taken to deal with the problem.
It lauded the Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service for the closure of the clinic.
"The Association wishes to inform the general public that the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service have a standard treatment guideline and other treatment protocols, that are expected to be followed by every Health Professional.
The objectives for these protocols are to stop irrational drug prescriptions and symptomatic treatment.
According to the GRNA, diseases are cured through their causes and not their symptoms and signs.
Therefore, the number of drugs one would get is neither determined by a nurse or a patient, but by the condition."


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Jul 14 2012, 8:25 PM
It's fine, although you did make me realize that I probably use too much of the sky background. I'll try too change it up a bit more, for the sake of variety.
Posted in Stage:
Cerulean Gym (FIB)
Jul 14 2012, 8:01 PM
Hmm, now that I re-reread the review, I may have overemphasized your connection to favoring one style over another. I meant it purely as an interesting fact, but I seem to have brought it up too many times. I certainly wouldn't go so far as to say your stage wasn't original, it just has a recognizable style- like how you mentioned you can tell thumbnails apart- exactly like that.
Posted in Stage:
Cerulean Gym (FIB)
Jul 14 2012, 7:29 PM
......And now I know why you took so long with this contest. Wow.
Anyway, glad you liked the stage, even if it wasn't the most original. I do think it is quite interesteing seeing everybody's style, as I can usually tell who built what stage just by looking at the thumbnail.
As for prize reviews.....I'll look through my stages and get back to you on that one.
Posted in Stage:
Cerulean Gym (FIB)
Jul 14 2012, 7:21 PM
Posted in News:
Results for Rollupntraff's Future Incarnation of Brawl contest
Jul 14 2012, 7:18 PM
A very funny contest, hope I'm doing good with mine.
Anyways congrats to Zeldy and everyone.
Posted in News:
Results for Rollupntraff's Future Incarnation of Brawl contest
Jul 14 2012, 7:17 PM
Hmph, is that all you have to say? Fine, inconvenience fixed. Don't worry, it won't happen again.
Posted in News:
Results for Rollupntraff's Future Incarnation of Brawl contest
Jul 14 2012, 6:39 PM
Rollup, as nice as the name "The Judjurcutioner" sounds, I'd rather you not use those kinds of names in the area where the author name is in the future. Keep those kinds of names to the content of your article, and use your regular username to identify yourself as the one who wrote the article. I'm sure this is a one time thing, but still.
Posted in News:
Results for Rollupntraff's Future Incarnation of Brawl contest
Jul 14 2012, 6:19 PM
Well done to ZeldaFan, a deserving winner.
Posted in News:
Results for Rollupntraff's Future Incarnation of Brawl contest
Jul 14 2012, 6:11 PM
The Judjurcutioner busts down your door, punts your cat out the window, and hands you this review…
Sand Ship is an interesting stage. Plain to look at, but it's got some fun surprises in store. What we have here is a simple stone ship, with some fall-through sails and a ladder mast. The base, as I'll name the ship, plays as simply as it looks- and it does remind me a lot of the Pirate Ship stage from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The design is nearly the same. It plays pretty well, like its predecessor, and the main flat part of the base is good and wide, allowing for the most simple, practical brawls. Therefore, it is where the most action takes place. Fortunately, as this is the case, the area is smack dab in the middle of the potential stage placement area, making star KOs a relatively easy feat (or at least, as easy as they're supposed to be). Side smashes are also nearly never hindered- the "cabin" (I guess) at the right side is hardly elevated enough to interfere here.
The "mast" and "sails" function much as you'd expect them too- it's but a simple ladder climb or double jump to each set of platforms, and maneuvering is at its easiest here, and it also takes second place on the leaderboards for most brawled upon area of the stage. With the long, flat platforms, lining up projectile attacks is a breeze, and Pit performs exceptionally well from the lower of the two sails when he spams his arrows. Switching between the layers is fun, and ambushes can be creatively thought of and put to use with the wide expanses of fall-through.
So far, so good. However, when we broach the subject of the waves, the spikes and the platforms just above them on the bottom left- and right-hand corners, it gets a little choppy (heh heh). Firstly, the bottom right. In your description you noted possible flaws due to the platforms you chose to incorporate, and you were mostly spot on. However, you mentioned that the one on the right didn't worry you, and that one is the greater evil of the two options. Due to the space being so limited (a single size 1 fall-through apart from a size 1 solid slope), if a player runs to that area, he can easily defend it from attackers that attempt to follow him, since they have to do a complicated and precise maneuver in order to reach the first platform, while under fire from the camper, otherwise they'll land in the spikes. CPUs, to my surprise, were able to navigate this minefield much better than I expected, though, because when I tried camping versus them, they were nearly always able to reach my lair and mount an attack. However, repelling them from my makeshift fortress was fairly easy due to not having to worry about assault from the rear, and if the person camping has a move such as Lucas' Down+A, it can be very difficult to unseat him. The entire area probably should have not been included due to these drawbacks, because it can slow down the pace of the brawl dramatically and make for some annoyed players.
The left portion reminded me a lot of why I hate spikes. Unlike the right side (thankfully), the fall-through is quite a bit longer, which allows for some decent hand-to-hand battles. Sadly, campers can still go down here to hide from certain final smashes, such as the Starfox Landmaster trio and Mr. Game and Watch's ever-awful Octopus. For some reason, though the platform is longer, the brawlers seem to end up on the spikes more frequently than the opposing side. That may just be a coincidence that occurred in all my Brawls, but a lot of smashes ricocheted enemy players of the sloped side and downwards into the spikes. Not bad by itself, but the setup of the spikes underneath the ship and the awkward platform placement really irk me, and the ship could have stood (err, sailed) on its own, without the gimmicky spikes.
Really, though, in the grand scheme of things, those problems aren't too much of a problem. Your stage, though a little bland in some gameplay respects, and though it felt a little too much like a clone rather that a descendant of Brawl's own 'Pirate Ship,' is still an enjoyable ride, and one that I wouldn't mind taking from time to time. For the brawlability section,
points shall be given unto you.
Well, as an image of the ship from Skyward Sword, you got as close as any, I guess. As you mentioned, a spiritual successor to a current stage in Smash Bros. Brawl is not only likely, it's pretty much guaranteed. Why would Nintendo cut out all of their previous, most successful stages? They won't, of course, and so I can see this as being one they revamp and bring back. Your description of the potential multiplayer also intrigued me- I never saw the quote that you said Sakurai made about SSB 3DS's multiplayer playing like Kid Icarus, but the picture you painted of it with your stage involved was inspired. Do I want the first portable Smash Bros. to in any way resemble Kid Icarus' freestyle multiplayer, stage navigation-wise? Of course not, but you didn't do a bad job of convincing me your stage would fit in that element.
Your inclusion of possible hazards and devices for the stage also made a lot of sense, especially considering the original 'Pirate Ship' stage had stuff like cannonballs hitting players, the ship running aground, etc. I have to say, your detailed description of your theme was the one of the best of the contest, and you can claim a worthy
points for this section.
Hmm, though your scores have so far been fairly successful, I have to say that this stage isn't particularly appealing. The overuse of the size 1 block in the body of the ship is tedious to the eyes, and though you broke up the monotony with a couple size 2s, it's a case of too little, too late. Some size 3s interspersed in an uneven pattern, with a size 2 and the rest size 1s would have made a big difference, visually, and given the stage some much needed variety. The spikes also look out of place, personally, I think ice blocks could have given a better visual, and it would have cut down on the irritating factors they had in the gameplay section (slightly though, because they're slippery ice blocks after all). The mast seems a little too far to the left, like someone pushed it to the side, and it all comes together to create an uneven feeling in the one plays that needs proper placement. I don't know why, but the sails sometimes remind me of twin helicopter rotors, but that may just be my odd imagination.
It's not all bad, though- the overall effect of playing and looking at a representation of a ship still works, and I know creating perfect replicas of things with the stage builder's limited tools can be tough. I won't penalize you majorly on this consideration, but the fact that the ship just doesn't look that great makes the score suffer somewhat. Still, I give you a not-too-bad
for aesthetic influence.
Whew! The longest review I've written, but then I had a lot to say. As your final score addition, I'd like to commend you on your decision to add a story! *pulls crackers, blows kazoo* To be honest, I thought more people would utilize this option, but I guess a possible five point bonus wasn't enough to lure them in. But back to your story- I thought it was pretty funny, the cast of characters made an interesting mix, and the humor was fairly well done. The suspense created at the end left me intrigued as to the fate of the adventurers, which is one of the most important goals of a story- pull the reader in. You did just that, and, taking minor spelling and grammatical errors into account, I happily give you a bonus
And? That means that the total, aggregate, combined sum of your points evens out to be
(8/10 stage rating)! An excellent result. Thanks a million for joining my contest, and I look forward to more of your concoctions in the future.
Posted in Stage:
Sand Ship (FIB)
Jul 14 2012, 6:11 PM
The Judjurcutioner busts down your door, punts your cat out the window, and hands you this review…
This stage probably takes the cake for most annoying gameplay. No, don't get mad, I'll explain why, and how. It felt like it was very small – most certainly not half as large as New Pork City, or anywhere near to it. This is because of the limited fighting surfaces. We'll start with the far right, and work our way to the other side.
The building consisting of the single size 1 block and a conveyor belt is solely the realm of campers. Why? Because it's nearly impossible to assault the darn thing. If you want to get to an opponent that's shooting projectiles at you from the corner, odds are you'll at some point land on the belt, or you will have to do an entirely aerial attack. (This is all assuming you don't have a character with a spammy projectile, because if the match just turned into a sniping war it wouldn't be very fun, would it?) Both of these options have major drawbacks for the attacker. Running onto the conveyor belt means having to fight the forces that are pushing you into the bottomless pit, while getting potentially beat in the face by the defender. Aerial means you'd better have a very quick spike move (such as Link's Down+A), because otherwise the camper will no doubt anticipate and react to any death from above scenario, and he'll have the advantage of being firmly planted on the only solid piece of ground. That conveyor belt causes a lot of grief, trust me.
Moving on! I'll treat the two left buildings as one, since a bridge connects them. Incidentally, the pit underneath the bridge also is a major nuisance. Because there is a small block that a player can rest on underneath the fall-through, it means that if somebody goes there during the fight, another person will have to go in after them. This will nearly
result in a player falling down that super thin shaft. Not so bad in itself, except due to the thinness of the hole, characters like Ness and Lucas cannot recover, and in the heat of the battle, when DK and the Links are taken by surprise, they've often fallen a teeny bit too far for their Up+B to deliver them to safety. It just seemed to me like an unnecessary addition, if the cavity on the right of the pit was stoppered up, I don't think the gameplay (or the theme) would suffer.
Just looking at the stage, it may be hard to comprehend the dense feeling you'll get off it. Each square inch of space feels like a precious resource, and you'll want to mark your territory and protect it with your life. Unfortunately, this means camping in those two spots I mentioned, which quickly sours the brawl. My recommendation for the best brawl possible, would be to have two players only, and a pact not to camp (or play vs. CPUs). No items, preferably, or at least on low, because too many creates mad scuffle wherever they spawn, resulting in chaos. Don't get me wrong, I love fast-paced brawls, but this stage can create supersonic ones. Good if you like it, agonizing if you don't.
Counter to what you might think after reading all that, I actually had some fun with this stage. The "Crane" moving platform alleviated some of the badness from getting pushed off the conveyor belt, and moving around the rest of the stage was pretty easy. Since it was packed, I definitely never needed to worry about my opponent running too far away. KOs were easy too… sometimes too easy. What score would I give this section? Well, I have to say that, what with all its drawbacks, it only merits
points. If you edit it, though, it won't change the contest results, but you may have a much better stage than what you started out with, and improving one's material is always a good thing.
So, this is a futuristic city in Mega Man's universe, eh? Well, it definitely feels like a compact cityscape. But where? In the Mega Man world, there aren't a whole lot of representations of the outside human world; so much can be left to the imagination. Unfortunately, you left a lot to my imagination, which isn't quite what I wanted you to do. In lieu of explaining why it belongs, I'd accept a solid visual tie-in to the theme, but you did neither here.
I mean, as a standalone, super-advanced city, it could work, but as a place in the world of Mega Man, it's just one vague abstraction of many. One of the options in my contest rules was to make an entirely new stage, but the description needed to make up for the lack of Mega Man visuals was not present. However! I won't give you a major lack of points only due to the lack of copious representation of the outside world of alternative earth. I realize you didn't have a lot to work with, so I'll give you a middle of the road
points for, if not anything else, an interesting and novel interpretation of a future robotic skyline.
One part I can't find a whole lot of fault with is how the stage looks. A little rough around the edges, but the ice is very well placed and not overused. The building on the far right looks a little like a cigarette lighter, but still; the eye flows over the stage without being jilted by jagged or un-neat corners (mostly). It's got a near-perfect balance between ice and metal, which of course is what every city needs… right? Suffice it to say, I like it.
You did not utilize the power of the story bonus (which is perfectly ok) and your bonus points total up to be ZERO! out of a possible five. Therefore, after all is said and done, 5,100 points are awarded to you, my good man. 5/10 becomes the stage's rating, and though this may not have scored as well as one might have hoped, I would like to thank you on behalf of myself for taking the time to make stages for my contest, and I hope if I ever make another contest I can count on your participation.
Posted in Stage:
(FIB) Zero City
Jul 14 2012, 6:11 PM
The Judjurcutioner busts down your door, punts your cat out the window, and hands you this review…
I have to say, right from the start, this stage is pretty epic. From the first couple of minutes I spent with it, I was having fun. Why? Well, that'll take quite a bit of explanation. This very simple, medium –sized map is comprised of a mostly even surface, with minor height variance on the left side and a slightly more pronounced block elevation on the right. A couple fall-throughs round out the whole package. Not much to talk about, right?
Wrong. In this small map is the potential for very fast-paced brawls. The limited number of fall-throughs, and their proximity to the ground cuts off a lot of aerial game, at least, the annoying kind where the baddies are always running away, jumping platform to platform Mario-style. Don't get me wrong- there is still the aerial approach to the game- it's just not as obvious, for the stage itself promotes land-battles.
And these land-battles are surprisingly successful. Maneuvering is unparalleled on this stage, for fairly straightforward reasons- it's like the Battlefield stage had a small earthquake. It felt to me like my character glided across the stage, smashing foes away left and right. Oh, that's right, killing from every angle is exceedingly easy, thanks to no obstructions on the sides, though the kill ceiling could be a bit closer to the stage (
Thanks to your edit, this problem is solved, but unfortunately it was too late to change the score
). A very down-to-earth stage, it doesn't seem to have a lot of gimmicky platforms and structures, but it doesn't need them. Just the simple map works well, which is also something like the Mega Man series (the first ones at least, though they had some gimmicky robot masters).
Falco won't be too happy here- at least the one that likes to spam his blaster. Props for this, projectile-based gameplay is usable only by the skilled wielders, though the PK twins can use their Thunder to great effect. This is a wonderful no items showdown map, because there's no place to run. With items, there's… still no place to run, final smashes can really dish out the pain here too.
I have to say, for whatever reason this stage enchanted me. It's great fun to play on, and should be downloaded for that fact alone. However, as this is a themed contest, we can't have that be the final verdict, can we? For simple, beautiful brawlability, this stage earns 37.4/40 points.
So this is the entrance to Wily's fortress, eh? Well, having never played
particular installment of Mega Man, I googled up some images, but they were all drawn with the traditional skulls and towers. As a (very) loose interpretation I can kinda make this stage overlap onto the pictures, but I'm not sure if that's what you did to make this stage so… I can't really make a judgment on accurate recreation there, so I'll turn my eye to other realms of my theme findings.
I can see it having a Mega Man vibe to it, certainly more than your Zero City. Dr. Wily was one of the influences I was expecting to come from whoever received my Mega Man theme, being so iconic to the series, and you didn't disappoint. The stage was also adequately described as having hazards and whatnot, maybe the occasional classic Mega Man enemy could pop in from time to time too. Though you didn't overwork yourself on making me believe that this should be in SSB4, and it was kind of ambiguous as to how this all fits in, I can foresee a stage of this caliber being made by the Smash Bros. team. I'll give this a decent 24.2/30.
Y'know, I like the looks of this stage. The mix of ice and metal looks pretty good, though I can see a few spots where the metal blocks would be better enlarged/displaced. The straight row of blocks on the very bottom looks a little stale, too, but on the whole I think the image is good, for an evil doctor's castle or a fun brawl stage. Offsetting the "high-rise" on the right with a raised fall-through on the left makes for a well-balanced, appealing look, and I think as is, the stage merits 21/25 for this section.
Sadly, you (and most everyone else) didn't go for the bonus points, so 0/5 is your prize there. Still, you come out with an impressive score of 8,260 (plus an 8/10 rating). You should be proud; this is definitely a good second place. If only you hadn't fallen for that scarecrow trick-!
Posted in Stage:
(FIB) Wily´s Fortress
Jul 14 2012, 6:11 PM
The Judjurcutioner busts down your door, punts your cat out the window, and hands you this review…
Zeldy, you're a veteran of several contests, and you usually place pretty high in them. One thing I've noticed about your style is that all your stages seem to look the same. I don't mean anything bad by this, but your favorite medium for stage design by far is the sky background, with healthy helpings of ice. Of course you've dabbled in the other backgrounds and designs, but I see that you've discovered the combination that seems to provide your best stages. I merely mention this because since many of your stages a quite closely related, they usually have similar gameplay (Sky Palace and especially Brawl Stadium come to mind in regards to this stage).
But why wouldn't you churn out stages that are akin to other winners? It's quite a good idea, actually, but personally, I think this particular stage has some advantages over either of the stages I mentioned. Firstly, it's a medium sized stage, and nearly the entire available space has been used from top to bottom. This is a major deal! It means that KOs are exceedingly easy, as long as you direct the fight to where you want it to go. And controlling the flow of the fight isn't difficult for an experienced brawler, which most people who'll play on it will be. KOs from the roof are spectacularly easy (a little too, actually) but I have no complaints, since when highly damaged characters advance to the roof to duel the game becomes a fast-paced risk/reward brawl. That's when serious skill comes into play, but for the most part, to be safer, if a player have high damage I suggest hanging out on the base. Yes, the base, which has your trademark annoying slippery ice blocks. Aesthetically speaking- well, I'll get to that in a bit, but brawly-wise they are just as galling as ever. Try not to move too fast on them.
However, just because you're hanging out on the base doesn't mean it's nigh impossible to get a KO. Far from it, for though the two solid blocks that form the columns supporting the roof can sometimes save a smashed player from destruction, they are just small enough that they can be simply circumvented with the right moves. Every kill move but a spike is possible from the base, and by extension, the entire stage. This makes ol' Rollupntraff happy.
The duo of fall-throughs on both sides of the stage perform their chosen task well, providing easy access to the roof while also supplying enough space to get in a few punches on an opponent in a quick fist-fight. The top two also give the means for an ambush of players on the roof, or a space for the quick use of a PK Thunder, providing maximum range, and making it last longer than if it was launched from the base. Snake's mortar works well here, also, though it is best performed in a multi-man brawl when the others will be somewhat distracted.
More on the roof: This place is very wide, nearly as wide as the base, and has slanted sides to break up the scenery. This also serves to take the edge off of long-range projectiles, and bounce items to their doom. The ice in the middle serves as a tripping block for those that would rush from one side to the other, and is best jumped over. Still, as I said, it is so close to the game's ceiling it only takes one powerful smash (or a weaker one combined with 70+ percent) to result in a star KO. Seriously, my TV screen got so cracked from all the kills I had to replace it! (Ba dum dum clashhh)
But honestly, this stage is fantastic to fight on. It supports all types of brawls, large or small, and its maneuverability is not to be matched. Other than the ice, it's a near perfect stage, and I dispense a
for this section.
Hmm, Cerulean Gym, Cerulean Gym. It is definitely an important part in the pokémon series' history. Also one of the most difficult for me, who almost always takes the water starter. Nevertheless, you said that you gave it a loose interpretation and made something resembling it in the stage creator. Well, kinda. To be honest, and as I said before, this looks like stand-alone, standard ZeldaFan fare, and while that is actually a very good thing, I think you could have passed this off as a LoZ level, or maybe a floating coliseum of sorts.
With that being said! Because of the Cerulean Gym bent, I can believe the pokémon theme, because the ice aesthetic has always doubled for water since the beginning of stage creation (duh, it's frozen water), and you convincingly put the "water" together in a pool-like fashion. The stone block in the middle of the ice completes the look for me by imagining what the in-game gym looks like from the side, maybe a cross section of it taken out. The stone seems to me to be the side of one of the platforms suspended in the water that you have to walk across, and fight the swimmers on, and it's quite clever (not to mention breaking up what would be a monotonous ice fiesta). The roof is somewhat like the dome of the Gym in the anime, and all together it fits neatly into a pokémon niche. I give…
points. Very impressive.
This is one part where I can't fault you for the ice. I've said time and time again that I love ice usage (when tastefully and properly done), and this is a textbook case. It contrasts beautifully with the surrounding stone, and I especially like the ice in the roof. It somehow just feels right that it's there, like it balances the displacement that the stone directly underneath it created. The fall-throughs in the middle, though, are a different story. Eminently useful in the Brawlability section, yes, but aesthetically speaking they just don't look quite right. If they were completely removed, or maybe if you just had two of them, it would look a little more clean-cut and less cluttered, but I wouldn't suggest this because it would take away from the excellent maneuvering they make possible. I guess it's just all part of the package.
This is classic Zeldy, no doubt about it, and nobody can deny it's a good-lookin' piece. I think that it deserves a healthy
, making your score pretty darn good, as we'll find out in the end.
To wrap up this review, I must inform you that since you didn't take the bonus five points that would be awarded for a story, you receive none of those potential points. Obviously a negligible loss, considering your extremely high scores on all the other sections. When put together, your contest score equals
, a respectable number that you should be proud of (plus a great stage rating of 9/10). I thank you for your magnificent entry, and for taking part in my contest.
Posted in Stage:
Cerulean Gym (FIB)
Jul 14 2012, 6:10 PM
The Judjurcutioner busts down your door, punts your cat out the window, and hands you this review…
This was an interesting stage. I think that's actually a pretty good description, actually. Even though it is medium sized, it feels and plays large- but that's mostly not a good thing, due mainly to the fact that it's hard to maneuver from the base to the higher platforms. Even from the top of the seemingly-random bricks that hover in over the sides, it can be difficult for some characters to reach the
annoying horizontally-moving platforms. They may have seemed like a good idea theme-wise, but playability-wise it would have been better if you'd let empty sky take over, or placed the fall-throughs lower to the ground for easier accessibility.
The "temple" represented by the triangle of fall-through ramps also has its share of awkward moments. One thing I like about it (and hate at the same time) is that it can protect from most offensive items when the victim is on the inside of the sheltering "bubble." From Excitebikers to Warp Stars, if you're able to duck underneath it, you can avoid many attacks (as long as they are set off outside the bubble). Of course, if you instigate the attacks, you'll find it really irritating.
A weird AI glitch that pertains to that section is one that is fairly jarring to a continuous flow of action. When an item spawns that a CPU really wants, i.e. a heart/maxim tomato, hammer, pokeball or assist trophy, it usually appears over the dome, and slides down the sides until it rests on the base, underneath the bricks. For whatever reason, the CPUs will hop inside of the dome, and walk towards the item, attempting to obtain it so they can achieve total superiority over the puny humans. But- there's a size 1 stair in the way! The computers are
unaware of this, and they will attempt to walk through it until someone else picks up the item, or it disappears. Seriously, they won't do anything else. (Hint: Falcon Punch them in the back.) If only that upper stair was a fall-through ramp instead, the problem would be solved.
The bricks that hover above the base seem to have no purpose, except to allow a never-ending game of tag that involves a player with a high damage percentage running around and around the blocks while another player chases him down for a kill. That and blocking some pretty spectacular side-smashes, which probably would have been KOs with no obstructions. Raising them all by one, deleting their middle and putting a spring on the bottom underneath the holes would free up the space and make it easier to traverse the whole place.
This stage has a lot of flaws in the brawlability department, which is a shame, since it could be pretty good with a little more work. I didn't really spend much time on the pros, though, but there are some. Vertical smashes benefit from the open roof, making star KOs the murder of choice for this stage. When players hang out on the top with the fall-throughs, the best time is likely to result, which is kind of sad considering the big stage beneath it. You just have to make sure no one is left behind on the bottom, otherwise it gets awful for those poor jumpers (as noted in paragraph one). Overall, I think that at its current stage in development, it earns
points in this section.
You met the theme requirements in a very nice way. The fact that you chose to make a stage from Star Fox 64 would make total sense considering the game's recent remake on the Nintendo 3DS. I also think that your hazards idea was very good, the irritating columns from the interior of the temple could present an interesting challenge, maybe popping in and out of the stage, damaging players in a manner somewhat akin to the Andross assist trophy. Or perhaps flying in from the side and providing temporary platforms, like that annoying island in the Skyworld Brawl stage. Hmmm.
I have to say again, I didn't quite get the point of the thick, hovering landmasses. As I pointed out in the previous section, it hindered a lot of action, but theme-wise, it… still doesn't make sense. I tried to puzzle out what they were, and I even reviewed videos of the stage in order to get what they were, but the closest thing I could tell were that they were the cliffs on the sides of Venom, or maybe the actual temple entrance with the monkey statues that give the eerie military salutes, though it wouldn't be a particularly good depiction in that case.
The stage is recognizable as the secret temple entrance, though, where Fox flies alone down the chamber to the final boss fight. The dome entrance is somewhat well represented here, as well as it could be with Brawl, and since we can't put hazards into stage studio (yet!), turning the columns into traversable platforms is a good second best. You creatively and entertainingly put your theme to good use, netting you a cool
Y'know, from the standpoint of how this looks like the area from Star Fox 64, you did pretty well. As to the beauty it has just by looking at it as a stage, its performance suffers. All the brick isn't a particularly appealing sight. If there had been an occasion to spruce up the stage with one of the column structures, I would have taken it.
I'm not really going to beat you up over this, though, because too many changes would make it so this stage isn't even recognizable as a Star Fox stage. So I'll leave you with an award of
Unfortunately, you didn't go for the bonus story points, so 0/5 points are (not) awarded there, but it's cool, you still have a respectable
points. It's a solid entry, if not a phenomenal one, and it was really only the brawlability factor that dragged the whole thing down, so I'd count it as not too shabby, contest entry-wise. Your stage will be rated 7/10, and I thank you for participating in my contest, and I hope you would do so again!
Posted in Stage:
Andross' Temple (FIB)
Jul 14 2012, 5:37 PM
Stage approved
Posted in Stage:
Flat Bros. (GGSC)
Jul 14 2012, 2:32 PM
Going to try it, review later.
Posted in Stage:
Jul 14 2012, 2:31 PM
Its pretty cool, I actually have it.
Posted in News:
Brawl Hack: Mewtwo
Jul 14 2012, 8:50 AM
Boo! Shocked? Anyway, here's my review, for your SII Prize!
As I said before, it's simple, no-frills fun, but that's not to say I've seen it
before; in fact, you take quite a creative approach to the remixing process by simplifying the original stage rather than complicating it. This is commendable, as it doesn't happen nearly enough, and the stage benefits a lot from it.
However, this isn't necessarily all sunshine and roses; the stage does suffer a bit from blandness and whatnot. The base was a little plain and the ice didn't help, (as it was too "ice-oslated", geddit XD), and the aerial formations had similar issues. That said the stage still works as a whole on a high level. I don't think I need to tell you that getting around was an absolute breeze, and the AI was totally fine. The structure sometimes got in the way, but served as a focal point, which, to an extent, made the stage feel complete.
Overall, the gameplay was technically near-perfect. Aesthetically, the oft-condemned size-one only base actually worked well to me, and the platforms were spaced reasonably evenly. Music wasn't to my tastes, but that's just petty, so I see fit for an
, which is great. =)
Posted in Stage:
Factory Way *Taimix*
Jul 14 2012, 8:18 AM
Well, now that I think about it, perhaps. But the bottom line is you are submerged under water. Probably not enough to considered "racing underwater", like MK 7 has exhibited, but it was kind of a start, think...
Posted in Stage:
Cheep Cheep Lagoon
Jul 14 2012, 8:06 AM
I said yes, only because the character is loved by some and hated by others; always a good inclusion in my book. As for a moveset, he could use stars, coins, and whatnot from his major role in the early Mario Party games, or something from the RPG games he's appeared in.
Also, I just broke the three-way tie. =D
Posted in Poll:
Jul 14 2012, 6:41 AM
Whoops, I mean the fourteenth.
Posted in Stage:
Future Incarnation of Brawl Contest
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CD Rates Drop at PenFed, But They Remain Competitive
- 2.50% APY 7-year CD (was 2.76%)
- 2.00% APY 5-year CD (was 2.25%)
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PenFed calls their CDs "Money Market Certificates", but they are essentially certificates of deposit (CD) with fixed rates for specific terms.
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Navy Federal Credit Union kept its CD rates unchanged for March (at least as of this morning). Its 7-year CD for a $20K minimum deposit continues to have a 2.80% APY. Its 5-year CD rate is 2.30% APY for a $100K minimum and 2.20% APY for a $20K minimum. Navy Federal also has some special 3.00% CDs, but these have small maximum deposits. Unlike PenFed, not everyone can qualify for Navy Federal membership. Please refer to my last Navy Federal CD review for more details.
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text:
2007/3/5, Manuel Wolfshant <wolfy nobugconsulting ro>:
Michel Salim wrote: > 2007/3/4, Hikaru Amano <kagesenshi 87 gmail com>: >> On 3/3/07, Michel Salim <michel salim gmail com> wrote: >> > This following Word document: >> http://hircus.org/fedora/word-bug/CDF-Flyer.doc >> > reliably crashes Abiword and OpenOffice in Rawhide on my x86_64 >> > machine. Could someone take a look and see if it crashes on >> > Rawhide/i386 and FC6/any ? >> >> Opens fine on rawhide >> > So it's probably x86_64 specific (I've modified the bug to be > x86_64-only). OO.o didn't have a x86_64 release until version 2.1, I > think, so there's probably some bugs still. > > Thanks, > Works fine for me in FC6/openoffice.org-core-2.0.4-5.5.10.x86_64
The bug disappeared with 2.2.0-9.2.x86_64, actually, but thanks! -- Michel Salim http://hircus.wordpress.com/ My theology, briefly, is that the universe was dictated but not signed. -- Christopher Morley


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It seems that billionaire Galen Weston Sr. is getting ready to do some deals.
Weston's family controlled food company, George Weston Ltd. , hired a new chief financial officer Tuesday with a background as a dealmaker. Mr. Weston flagged the new man's "transactional experience" as a key reason for the addition.
The new face is Bank of Montreal investment banker Richard Dufresne, who becomes Weston's chief financial officer. Most recently, Mr. Dufresne was CFO at grocer Metro Inc. .
Mr. Dufresne is joining at "a pivotal and exciting time," Mr. Weston said in a statement. "We are confident that his strategic focus and transactional skills will be a valuable addition to the Weston team in achieving the strategic vision for our businesses"
Weston has a big pile of money available for acquisitions should it choose to make them -- its cash hoard stood at $3.85-billion as of October. The company said in its most recent earings release that it "continues to assess opportunities for the deployment of its significant holdings of cash and short term investments."
Through George Weston, the Weston family also controls grocer Loblaw Cos. .
There's long been speculation that there's a deal to be done by spinning out the valuable real estate in Loblaw into a real estate investment trust. Rival Sobeys did that years ago, and with REIT valuations in Canada soaring, it might be worth another look for Loblaw.Report Typo/Error
- George Weston Ltd$107.64-0.80(-0.74%)
- Metro Inc$41.79-0.54(-1.28%)
- Loblaw Companies Ltd$67.82-0.41(-0.60%)
- Updated August 18 4:00 PM EDT. Delayed by at least 15 minutes.


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J'EDimAL BEPORTER, vol. 71.
'ThIs was a libel by James G. Tan and others agaInst the Helen sto17 (Arthur D. Story, claimant). From a decree ot distribution, the cla.\.ma.nt appenIs. WUliam A. Pew, Jr., for appellant. M. J. McNeirny, for appellees.' Before COLT and PUTNAM, Circuit Judges. No opinion. Decree of district court r"olverse<l, with costs of this court against the appellant, and the case is remanded, witb authority to that court to try the case anew. PEOPLE'S PURE-ICE CO. et aI. v. TRUMBULL et aJ. TRUMBULL et aI.
v. FULLER et at
(Circuit Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. January 16, 1896.) Nos. 203 and 206. Appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern DiTision of the Northern District of Illinois. For former report, see 70 J!'ed. Hi6. William Burry, for People's Pure-Ice Co. A. W. McDougald and W. T, Burgess, for Rollin H. Trumbull and Edwin G. Chevel1:on. . No opinion. Motion for modification of former opinion denied.
PHOENIX ASSUR. CO. OF LONDON v. SUMMERFmLD. (Circuit Court of Appeals, Fourth ("'!rcuit. Juiy 1, 1895.) No. 126. Error to Circuit Court of the United States tor the Western District of VJr. ginia. . Staples & Munford, for plaintifl' in error. PeatroHR & Harris, for defendant in error. Settled by agreement of counsel.
PORT ROYAL & A. RY. CO. et at v. AVERILL et aI. (Circuit Court of Appeals, Fourth CircUit. May 22, 1895.)
AppE'lLI from CircuIt Court of the United. States for the District of South. Carolina. Mitchell & Smith, for appellants. withdrawn without prejudice on order of court 1l.1ecL
RICHMOND & D. R. CO. v. CHESTER & L. ,N. G. R. CO. (CirCUit Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. February 5, 1896.) No. U6. Appeal and cross aI,Jpeal from, Circuit Court of the United States tor the District o'f Houth Carolina. . . J. S. Cothran, for appellant. A. G. Brice, for appellee. DiRmissed by consent; pursuant to the:twenty-third rule (41 Fed. L), the record not having been printed.
KOYES fl. BTIRLIN'G
MOYES v. STIRLING CO.
(Olreult Court, Eo D. Pennsylvan1a. December 19, 1893.J
No. 19.
ltllUSDJCTION OF FEDERAL COURTS-REMOVAL OF CAUSES.
A bill in equity, filed in a state court, alleged that defendant had asserted to persons intending to purchase boilers from complainant that such boilers were an infringement of defendant's patent, and that dl'fendant had threatened legal proceedings against such intending purchasers. It further alleged that such statements were false; that defendant would not bring suit for infringement, "in order that said statements might be answered and refuted in a court of justice"; and prayed that he might be enjoined from making such assertions in the future, and ask damages by reason of such assertions in the past. that the substantial controversy was as to the infringement of the patent, and that the federal court had jurisdiction, and the cause was a removable one.
This was a bill in equity by Laurie M. Moyes against the Stirling Company for injunction and damages. The bill was filed in the state court of Pennsylvania, and was removed by defendant to this court Complainant moves to remand the cause. Paul, Biddle & Ward, for complainant. Charles Heebner and Banning & Banning, for defendant. DALLAS, Circuit Judge. This is a suit in equity, which was originally brought in a Pennsylvania court. It has been removed to this court by the defendants, and the plaintiff now moves for an order remanding it to the state court. There is nothing from which the nature of the suit can be ascertained except the complainant's bill. It alleges that the defendants (one of whom is a corporation, and the other its agent) have asserted to persons intending .to purchase the complainant's boilers, that they are an infringement of the patented boilers of the defendant company, and that they have threatened such persons with legal proceedings. Its prayers are that themaking of such assertions in the future may be restrained, and that damages by reason of their having been heretofore made may be. awarded. Is the case thus presented one which cannot be determined without necessarily, and mainly, and not incidentally merely, deciding a question arising under the patent laws of the United States? In my opinion, this inquiry must be affirmatively answered. The plaintiff avers by bis bill that the statements to which he objects are false, and he complains that the defendant company will not bring'suit for infringement, "in order that said statements might be answered and refuted in a court of justice." This obViQusly means that, because the defendant company declines to sue upon the patent, the plaintiff himself has been obliged to bring this suit to obtain an adjudication of their respective rights; but it is evident that the essential question is precisely the same as it would ba'Ve if the defendant company had been the a.ctor. The substantial controversy, notwithstanding the reversal of the position, of tbe parties op the record, is as to infvingement of a v.71F.no.4·-28


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USF women beat Texas Tech for first NCAA win
Just as USF's men's basketball team did a year ago, USF's women earned their first-ever NCAA Tournament win on Saturday night, as the 10th-seeded Bulls knocked off seventh-seeded Texas Tech 71-70 in Lubbock. Here's our full story from Times correspondent Nick Kosmider.
The Bulls (22-10) now advance to face second-seeded California on Monday at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Bulls got a team-high 20 points from junior Inga Orekhova, including a huge 3-pointer with 1:10 left to tie the game. Andrell Smith, Tiffany Conner and Alisia Jenkins hit free throws in the final minute to help the Bulls to victory.


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At least 14 people, including foreigners, have been killed in a Taliban suicide attack at a restaurant in Kabul, Afghan police said, dpa reported.
"14 people were killed and four others were injured in today's suicide attack," Mohammad Zahir, Kabul police chief, told dpa.
"Some of those killed were foreigners," he added.


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While taking a girl from behind, just before you cum pull out and get her to lie flat. After releasing your load and filling her arse crack lay on top of her for a while. Hopefully she will fall asleep only to wake finding her cheeks stuck together causing her to make a crackling sound as she trys to walk the next day!
Brought some gash back from the boozer last night, after a cheeky session she woke to find id given her the crackles.
by The Admiral. September 28, 2009
The Urban Dictionary Mug
One side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.Buy the mug


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Report: Pictures of New iPhone Surface
Rumors of the next-generation iPhone have been cropping up for quite some time, and now 9to5Mac has obtained photos of what it believes is a new iPhone.
However, the drawings aren't easy to decipher. Whether they are of the fifth-generation iPhone or a CDMA iPhone 4 for Verizon Wireless—or something else entirely—isn't clear. The photos were originally posted on Chinese blog Apple.Pro are said to come from Foxconn, an electronics manufacturer that is a part of Apple's supply chain.
For months, there have been reports in publications like Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Fortune that have said Apple is preparing to release a Verizon CDMA iPhone in early 2011, however none of these reports have been confirmed so far. Any specific date that has been forecasted has been wrong up to this point.
A recent report has said that Apple is restricting vacation time for its retail employees, which could mean that the company is preparing for a significant round of product updates. Apparently, Apple has been wary of granting any off time in January and has put a ban on vacation time for a three-week period starting at the end of the month.
Regardless of Apple's restriction, retail employees would be kept in the dark about which products will be updated and when they will be released anyway.
There are other products that are on track for an update as well, including MacBook Pros and the iPad. A next-generation iPad has also been reported in the past few months. Rumors have said that the iPad 2 would include such features as dual-facing cameras for video chatting, retina display, a larger speaker, and a USB port.
Note: 9to5Mac was previously identified as AppleInsider. This error has been corrected.


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M_o_R® Making Effective Risk Management a Reality
Course Outline
Risk is one of the most important issues facing all businesses and public service organisations. Managers and business leaders must therefore be aware of the most up-to-date approaches for managing risk. They must also understand how to make their own risk management practices as effective as possible.
Course Content
This one-day workshop will explore the very latest risk management guidance. It will:
- Consider the essential elements of an over-arching risk management policy and its role as a component of sound corporate governance;
- Review the current Best Practice guidance, along with other standards for general and specialised risk management;
- Determine a generic risk management framework, which will be applicable to the strategic and operational levels of an organisation, as well as to both projects and programmes;
- Review risk identification and recording techniques, including advice on risk registers and other support tools;
- Suggest how risks should be defined in order to make them unambiguous and more easily manageable;
- Examine techniques for evaluating risks so as to ensure consistency across the organisation;
- Establish the roles and responsibilities of the Risk Manager and how these differ from those of risk owners;
- Analyse the means by which to establish and use risk tolerance/appetite;
- Consider the various risk response and control measures and suggest which are most appropriate for different types and categories of risk;
- Examine how the effectiveness of risk responses/controls can be determined and how this information can influence future risk management practice;
- Suggest methods by which risk management should be incorporated into business planning at strategic/corporate and operational levels, as well as into project and programme plans;
- Consider how required risk management practices can be embedded into an organisation, such that they become an intrinsic part of day-to-day activities (this will include a review of methods by which prevailing beliefs and attitudes can be modified so as to change individual and group behaviours).
Course Objectives
Who Will Benefit?
The seminar is ideal for anyone with at least a basic understanding of risk management. This will include directors, public officers and other senior managers. The seminar will also be of use to those in specialist disciplines such as corporate or clinical governance, compliance, audit, emergency planning, organisational and workforce development, project/programme management, human resources and service delivery improvement.
Private On-Site Training:
This course can also be taught privately at your workplace by our accredited trainers, for more information read about our on-site training.
If you would like more information on this course, please Contact Us.


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Wolverine, Archos Ship New Media Players
On Tuesday, Wolverine Data announced that it is now shipping its 160-Gbyte ESP 5160 portable media player. Archos also shipped an upgraded version of its personal media player, complete with camcorder.
Priced at $600, the Wolverine 5160 features a 3.6-inch LCD display and can store up to 80,000 digital photos, 320 hours of video, or 50,000 songs, according to the company. Additionally, the media player can also record or download FM radio, TV programs, and DVDs with playback capabilities on either a television, computer, or the unit itself.
Consumers also have the ability to purchase an optional ESP cradle system, for an additional $79.99, that adds digital video recorder (DVR) functionality and lets users record directly from TVs, DVDs, VCRs, or any other video source in formats like MPEG-1, MPEG-4, WMV9, and Xvid.
Wolverine Data says that the unit will support most popular music formats that the 5160's 160-GB storage allows photographers to offload RAW and JPEG photos directly from their camera via a USB 2.0 cable. The 7-in-1 card reader supports all popular memory cards including Compact Flash (CF), MicroDrive, Secure Digital (SD), MMC, Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick Pro (MS-Pro), and XD Car. An optional adapter accepts MS-Duo, MS Pro-Duo, Mini-SD, and Reduced Size MMC (RS-MMC).
In a similar announcement on Tuesday, electronics manufacturer Archos also said that the new upgraded version of its fourth generation portable media player, the 404, is now available from the company's Web site and various other online retailers for $299.99.
The unit now comes with a built-in camcorder for capturing and viewing video, according to the company.
Capable of storing an entire library of video, photo, and music files, the 404 comes with a 30GB hard drive which can hold up to 80 hours of VGA-quality video (640 x 480), as well as the ability to upload that content to any applicable Web site such as MySpace or YouTube.
"Our goal with the 404 Camcorder was to provide consumers first and foremost with a great portable media player where they could access and enjoy all of their movies, video content, music, and photos," said Larry Smith, Archos' chief operating officer for North America, in a statement Tuesday.
"With the added camcorder functionality, the device becomes the ultimate take-along digital media center where capturing and playback are all in one, super-slim handheld package."
The 404 also touts a 3.5-inch LCD screen, a 1.3-megapixel camera for capturing still photos, andlike the ESP 5160has the ability to read and play back standard video formats in full DVD resolution, according to Archos.
Customers can record TV or DVDs directly from their televisions or home entertainment systems in MPEG-4 with the optional DVR Station, and the devicewhich is compatible with PCs and Macssupports video downloads from major online video stores.


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If you are using the latest version of Mac OSX, you instantly notice that Apple has done a great job with how sleep and instant-on works, that shutting down your Mac after use becomes less of an option. But if you can't let go of your habit of shutting down your computer, then you can check out Simple Shutdown Timer. This app lets you schedule your Mac to go to sleep, shutdown, or restart.
Simple Shutdown Timer is a lightweight app that only works when you need to schedule a shutdown, and you do not have to worry about the app running in the background. What the app basically does is it inputs terminal command that involves scheduled system shutdowns so that you won't have to open the terminal and do it yourself. This makes it handy when you have no idea what a terminal is or if you are afraid to use it.
Simple Shutdown Timer is useful if you believe in doing regular shutdowns to save battery or to reset the system. It is available for a measly $0.99, or you can download a free trial to check it out.
- Simplifies terminal commands related to scheduled shutdowns for the Mac.
- Lightweight app and easy to use.
- Does not have to run on the background to do its job.
- Free trial available up to 10 launches.
- Similar Tool: Shutdown Timer Automatically Turn Off Your Computer With Shutdown Timer [Windows] Automatically Turn Off Your Computer With Shutdown Timer [Windows] Read More
Check out Simple Shutdown Timer @ http://www.brilorsoftware.com/sdt.htm


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Making Eclipse work
The case in point from the previous page: Eclipse needs a major overhaul, and it simply has not gotten one yet. As Lissanna has pointed out, the current changes to Eclipse are purely cosmetic. That does not mean that the core of Eclipse is completely broken. It isn't; in fact, a majority of the mastery is workable. First and foremost, the timed buff mechanic has to go. It feels very odd supporting a mechanic which only a few months ago I was staunchly against, but with the changes that have already been made, this is the system that makes the most sense (more on why in a little bit).
The reality is that Eclipse needs to be a more mobile buff. Out of all of the caster mastery mechanics, ours is the only one that isn't mobile, with perhaps the exclusion of destruction warlocks. This ends up being highly problematic as encounters become more and more mobile, forcing us to move constantly (hello, Halion phase 2.) We need to have a method in which Eclipse is not completely worthless while on the move.
Changing the damage increase to nature/arcane instead of Wrath/Starfire was a decent step in the right direction, but it simply isn't enough. Moonfire is our primary source of movement damage -- or at least it is supposed to be -- yet is only going to benefit from half of that mastery. For this reason, charges are still the best solution. There is the slight issue that using Moonfire on the go would eat up any arcane damage charges that we have, but I feel that is something that we can learn to live with or at least work around. It would suck to waste an entire Eclipse buff on nothing but Moonfire, but at least we know that we are making that choice, and we have methods of avoiding it should we choose to do so via Wild Mushroom, tricky though it may be to use.
That isn't the only change that needs to be made, though; adding charges is just the beginning. If you recall, one of the primary reasons that I was so against charges in the past was because it removed all forms of haste scaling from the Eclipse buff. The current Eclipse is nice in that, to a certain degree, you can get in a few more casts here and there with higher amounts of haste, thus allowing for the buff to be utilized to a greater effect. Using charges would remove this, which isn't something that I support due to the fact that we need to equalize scaling ratios as much as possible; however, the new Eclipse proccing mechanic naturally opens itself up to haste scaling. Given that we now use a UI bar in order to proc Eclipse, the faster that you can get casts off, the faster you can fill that little bar and get another proc. Currently, though, this scaling is a broken because there is a 15-second internal cooldown (ICD) on Eclipse procs while a druid will be able to fill the bar far faster than that. The solution, then, is to remove the ICD from Eclipse procs.
That sounds, I know, like an enormous change, and perhaps it is, but I know it is one which needs to happen; it must happen. Other mastery bonuses scale from a variety of effects, notably haste, though others scale from crit as well. Eclipse really does no such thing. With the current timer bonus, you do gain a nominal amount of haste scaling -- usually not all that much, sadly -- but really the only scaling factor is going to be from the mastery stat itself. That is poor design. Eclipse needs to scale with a variety of stats, and while in theory the current design does have this baked-in scaling, it has already been proven that druids will fill Eclipse bar far faster than 15 seconds even with nominal amounts of haste, thus making any additional haste scaling moot. Perhaps the new changes to the talent trees will fix this, but that would be a poor solution; artificially capping out of Eclipse gains just to make the mastery scale better wish haste is a terrible fix.
I am not saying that removing the ICD would not have any repercussions at all, and perhaps the buff from Eclipse would need to be readjusted in order to compensate for this. However, I am saying that Eclipse needs to have this scaling -- especially if Eclipse is to be moved to a charge-based system, which would have even less haste scaling than the current system does. Each individual proc, of course, would still need to have a cooldown attached to it to prevent a druid from merely getting the same buff over and over again, but the two buffs separately need to be able to be procced whenever a druid is able to get them.
Why focus on Eclipse?
For better or for worse, Eclipse is our primary balancing mechanic. There is simply no way to avoid this, with the way that balance druids are currently structured. It has the most scaling, it has the largest impact on our DPS and there really isn't a way in which any of that can be changed -- nor should it be changed. Balancing balance druids around the central concept of Eclipse is a great design philosophy. Doing so allows Blizzard to better adjust restoration's damage to allow them a better soloing experience or to give the more offensive PvP power while still having a mechanic exclusive to balance druids from which to balance our own damage. Not only that, but the Eclipse mechanic in and of itself is fun. It's interesting; it allows for us to switch between our spells in a somewhat dynamic rotation that is entirely different from what any other class out there has. We need to be balanced around Eclipse for that very reason; it is just that the current incarnation of Eclipse does not fit the bill.
Blizzard seems to want to force Eclipse into a longer effect when that really isn't what we should be focusing on at all. Eclipse should be a short, fast-paced, instant boost in damage that we get frequently and consume just as rapidly. Our rotation should change fluidly, it should change quickly, and we should be rotating our spells in such a way that it becomes more and more complex all the time. Now, Eclipse is more of a passive thing that's there; you get a buff for 15 seconds, you spend another 5 to 10 seconds getting the next buff, and the cycle repeats itself. The cycles themselves are rather long, encompassing around 30 or so seconds, which is a lot in an encounter that's only 5 or so minutes long. What if, instead, Eclipse was short? Imagine getting five charges off of each Eclipse proc, spending approximately 10 seconds using a buff and another five to get the next one. Imagine rapidly, fluidly alternating between both Starfire and Wrath, between arcane and nature.
Perhaps it is just me, but that feels much more exciting. I would much rather get a 10% Eclipse buff every 10 seconds than a 20% buff every 20 or so seconds. This was the original design intent of Eclipse, and this is what I would like for us to return to: back to when the design was to switch between Starfire and Wrath in short bursts rather than prolonged episodes of spamming nothing but Starfire for 20 seconds and then spamming nothing but Wrath for 20 seconds, rinse, repeat, like we have now. Frankly, this bores me. It isn't intuitive, it isn't fun, it isn't interesting. I feel like I'm playing my frost mage, only instead of hitting "1" over and over and over again, I hit "1" and "2" over and over and over again. Bring back the excitement; make balance druids a more fast-paced, reaction-based spec.
Every week, Shifting Perspectives treks across Azeroth in pursuit of truth, beauty and insight concerning the druid class. Sometimes it finds the latter, or something good enough for government work. Whether you're a bear, cat, moonkin, tree or stuck in caster form, we've got the skinny on druid changes in patch 3.3, a look at the disappearance of the bear tank and thoughts on why you should be playing the class (or why not).


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Les Arcs Snow Report 21.01.2014
The conditions in Les Arcs are fantastic at the moment, snow fell for most of yesterday providing guests with some fresh Tuesday skiing. Temperatures look to remain low throughout the week so guests should ensure they are wearing enough layers before venturing out!
Forecast: Cold weather conditions through the week will encourage further snow towards the end of the week but the weather forecasts are clear in between the snow falls.
Last Snowed: 20/01/2014
Fresh Snow: 6cm
Lifts Open: 49
Lower Depth: 70cm
Upper Depth: 140cm
Runs To Resort: Excellent
Weather: Sun/cloud
Temperature: -4
Piste State: Excellent / fresh snow
Off Piste Snow: Fresh powder


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Cage Warriors 56 will go down on the 6th of July at the Forum in London, at the top of the bill is Revgear sponsored
Jiu Jitsu is the discipline in discussion this week folks. Scotty Epstein is going to walk you though the motions of the submission move known
This past Saturday (June 15, 2013) fight fans packed the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for UFC 161 Evens vs. Henderson. Revgear sponsored fighters Mitch Clarke,
Boy do we have a great Technique of the Week for you. All throughout my wrestling career, my number one shot was the arm drag
This week we are coming at ya from Legends MMA in Huntington Beach. Our coach for this technique is none other than Alan Jouban. Jab
This week we are bringing you an all new Jiu Jitsu technique. Having good hand positioning in Jiu Jitsu is crucial if you want to
Revgear fighter Court McGee was featured on the cover of Ultimate MMA Magazine wearing his Revgear MMA gloves.
This week we have a Muay Thai technique for you. In Muay Thai, having control in the clinch could be beneficial. This video will teach


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4 Recommendations
JustEliana's recommendation
This CD comes out September 11 but has been leaked on MTV and is prrrrrrrrretty amazing.
My Collections:
chad's recommendation
Jay-Z, being one of the only rappers I actually like, gets my attention on anything he does. Sure, it's a far cry from some of his other stuff, but there are a couple really awesome tracks, and they're all better than that other rap you're listening to.
My Collections:
Beyonce's recommendation
The follow up to Jay-Z's instant classic Blueprint (2001) and the critically acclaimed Blueprint II (2002); Blueprint III is the final installment in the series.
magungo's recommendation
Jay z is timeless.


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An engaging logical game for all times.
|Share it:
|shareware Buy now
|Updated at:
|30 Sep 2012
|Editor's review:
|Not yet reviewed
|AGENTIX Software | More...
Magic lines description
Magic Lines is a version of the classic Lines games. It is a simple but addictive game to play. The game involves six Balls on the board, three can be moved initially while the other three will be able to be moved in the next step. When you build a line of Five or more similar balls the balls explode. The goal of the game is to remove all the balls from the board. The game has a variety of extra features to make the game more interesting – there is a lamp that lights up the ball, a built in MIDI player so you can listen to your favourite songs, 3D graphics and 3D effects.
Magic Lines is licensed as shareware. Follow the link bellow and free download Magic Lines.
Magic Lines download notice »
It is not legal to make use of cracks, patches, pirate registration codes or serial numbers, key generators, and other similar tools that interfere with future developments of the software, while it is not safe nor allowed to obtain Magic Lines 3.6 from file sharing websites such as MegaUpload, Rapidshare or YouSendIt. Using these methods to eliminate the need to obtain a genuine license for Magic Lines 3.6 could put your computer and activity at risk by infecting the system with viruses, spyware, worms, Trojans, dialers and adware, distroying its stability and stealing your personal information, as well as propagating through the network to take control of other computers. In such cases, you won't be able to use your computer, not even Magic Lines, anymore.
You can find and use free legal download links for Magic Lines 3.6 on Download3000 and on the official website of the publisher.


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My friend Liz has officially earned the "thrifty mamma" award this week. She has this sweet house and she was searching for a curtain rod. She needed one about 14 feet long. So after looking around and pricing them, (at about $80.00 each…OUCH) she decided to make her own. I was very impressed, so she gave me permission to show you her thrifty deal.
First you buy a wooden dowel from the hardware store. (Depending on the length your price will vary. Her dowel cost around $14.00, roughly a dollar a foot).
Next buy some black spray paint (my favorite possession these days!) and spray the dowel.
Buy the hardware to screw onto the ends and to hang the rod (around $15.00). So voila you have an enormous cheap curtain rod for less than half the price! Great job Liz!