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Last year's NBA 2K11 was one of the most critically acclaimed basketball video games of all time and marked a career high for the popular franchise.
The title sold more than five million copies, achieved a Metacritic score of 89 and won over 20 Sports Game of the Year awards.
In a bid to maintain the standards set by 2K?Sports' 2010 release, NBA 2K12 will not only improve on the already impressive 2K11, but also spark discussion amongst fans on the subject of who were the greatest players of all time.
The new NBA's Greatest mode allows gamers to pit basketball icons against each other, ending the debate once and for all.
"NBA 2K12, as with the series as a whole, is proving to be the definitive basketball game," says Simon Turner, UK Marketing Manager at 2K Games. "The NBA 2K franchise has grown year-on-year, culminating in a sales increase of 30 per cent last year.
"This coincides with an increase in popularity of the sport in general, which has been supported by the NBA's aggressive marketing campaigns across Europe."
Players can now step into the trainers of some of the greatest basketball players of all time in the NBA's Greatest mode.
With 15 historic NBA players and teams paired against their most bitter rivals, gamers can look forward to resurrecting the sport's most famous clashes.
Jordan vs Abdul-Jabbar
Fans can take to the courts with legends including Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Julius "Dr. J" Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, each with their own signature moves.
By playing out these iconic matches, players can unlock these veteran players and pit them against the current NBA franchises that are playing today.
As a result of this new feature, fans of the sport can sleep easy knowing that they can finally settle their long-running debates on a virtual court.
Enhancing the authentic controls of the franchise with 360 degree player movement and new on-court skills including step backs and back downs, NBA 2K12 title looks more than capable of building upon the success of last year's game.
Marketing Moves
Alongside adverts running during high profile Premier League and Champions League matches, ad campaigns will target male-orientated channels, whilst radio marketing will focus on the 'End the Debate' angle of the game.


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REDLANDS – The city saw its ups and downs in 2012, from the announcement of the Brookside Avenue post office closure to a pair of shades that added a new look to Splash Kingdom at Pharaoh's.
In March, the United States Postal Service announced its plans to close the historic Brookside Avenue post office.
An evaluation and analysis of local real estate holdings and work space requirements by the USPS's San Diego District identified the office – at 201 Brookside Ave. – as a valuable asset whose potential sale would generate much needed capital for the postal service.
The closure would move staff and services to the Redlands Lugonia Station on New York Street.
In turn, postal customers could opt to keep their P.O. boxes at the Lugonia Station or any other post office with available boxes.
News of the closure sent several members of the community into action, including the Redlands Historical Museum Association, who had eyes set on the property for several years to house a museum that would feature the city's rich history.
On March 20, the City Council unanimously agreed to send USPS a letter of intent to purchase the post office for the RHMA's museum.
The organization sent a letter to City Manager N. Enrique Martinez asking for the city to submit the letter to federal officials.
In turn, city staff was notified that the property was not listed for sale and that there was an anticipated four-month due diligence period prior to its being listed.
The city will receive notification of the potential sale of the property as part of its process, the USPS said.
The letter sent to the USPS stated that the city plans to purchase the building using funds provided by the RHMA.
Nelda Stuck, president of the local group, said prior to the City Council meeting that the building was perfectly suited for the group's intentions to create a museum and is in a prime area for people to visit once the new Redlands Bowl season came around.
The post office, she said, has adequate space for display cases and storage, is already certified with an American Disabilities Act approved ramp and has a loading dock that will come in handy for the group's various needs.
Stuck said in March the association is working with supporters to secure funding for the post office, and the museum could be up and running in months once the property is secured.
"We know that we need to move quickly, but I want to make sure that we're all working together to do what's in the best interest of the city, but also making sure the price is best for the purchase, because likely this will take a private effort to undertake," Aguilar said at the council meeting. "We want to make sure that we act with speed, but we also act and be responsive to residents and those folks who are stepping up and participating in this process.
"Clearly, (sending the letter) is a very good step to take."
Before a closing date is issued, the USPS will hold a community forum to address residents on the reasons for its closures and list and collect comments about the proposed closure, said Eva Jackson, a Postal Service spokeswoman.
A buyer must also be found, she said.
Redlands Bowl
The Redlands Bowl had a successful 2012.
Aside from its very well attended Bowl series in the summer, the restoration of Mission Gables was completed in June.
The renovation to the 114-year-old house was several years in the making.
In 1995, the Mission Gables House was in a state of collapse and targeted for demolition by the city. The turn-of-the-century Victorian residence would be replaced by new low-income housing. But Marsha Gebara, director of the Redlands Community Music Association, along with several others, interceded with the City Council on behalf of the historic building.
The RCMA was granted a lease and plans began for its restoration.
As much as possible, everything in the house has been preserved – with a few exceptions.
Windows, doors and the front stairwell are original, and layers of embedded paint were stripped from the 1800s hardware so copper door handles and window latches could be reused. Any new additions to the house are period reproductions. Even the paint colors were chosen to mimic the Victorian era.
"It's a tribute to what you can do with a turn-of-the-century house, and I think it's going to be frankly one of the best examples of adaptive reuse of a turn-of-the-century house in the entire state of California, Gebara said in June.
The city helped pay for the $2.8 million project with reallocations from its park funds. The rest was raised via private donations and grants, often from historic funds.
Performances of "Oliver!" entertained hundreds during the Redlands Bowl's summer season. The production was one of many concerts/events held before the curtain was closed until summer 2013.
Cast, crew and musicians spent several weeks to perfect Lionel Bart's musical version of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist," about an orphan growing up on the mean streets of 19th Century London.
Oliver was played by 12-year-old Joseph Peter West.
Titanic survivor
April marked the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and the Facts told the story of a survivor Helene "Suzette" Richardson who settled in Redlands.
Richardson was 27 when the Titanic sunk. The daughter of a wealthy diamond merchant and banker, Richardson was known by her nickname "Zette."
According to "Titanic Tales" by Chris Aikman, in the spring of 1911, Richardson decided, against her husband's wishes, to go to Europe with her mother and her younger brother, Quigg. Several months later, Richardson boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg as a first-class passenger with her mother and her brother.
When the engines on the shop stopped running, Richardson sent her brother out to see why the ship had stopped as her mother was in her room recovering from nausea. When Quigg returned, he directed Richardson and her mom to get to the lifeboats. He carried his mother to the grand staircase to Lifeboat 6, the book said.
Author Alan Hustak, in Aikman's book, described what happened to Richardson while on the lifeboat.
"To Zette," he wrote, "the Titanic had gone down easily and quietly, as if it was the funeral of a sailor who died at sea. But the cries of the people who went down with her were horrible to hear."
While on the lifeboat, Richardson asked helmsman Robert Hitchens, who had been at the Titanic's wheel when the boat struck the iceberg and was now directing her lifeboat, to go back to pick up survivors from the waters. He refused.
After Richardson's mother died in 1923, Richardson married Montreal stockbroker Edgar Cole Richardson. They moved to Clark Street in Redlands in the early 1930s.
She died Dec. 31, 1954, at age 69.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking, Kimberly Crest had Titanic-themed event featuring artifacts from the era and other notes of importance regarding its tragedy in April.
RHIS event
Another local Redlands event marked its 100th consecutive year when the Redlands Horticultural and Improvement Society opened its annual event in May, making history.
The show was held on the Esri campus and the Redlands Fourth of July Band played at its opening ceremonies.
Horticultural Society presidents, past and present, welcomed visitors, exhibitors and speakers.
More than 1,200 fruits, flowers, floral designs and other exhibits were part of the show, which also featured a garden tour and plant sale.
Artist Janet Edwards was at the show with her book, "Palms to Peaks," and Redlands Daily Facts editor Toni Momberger presented the Facts Cup to Linda Evans.
Pharaoh's upgrades
The sphinx at Splash Kingdom at Pharaoh's received a new look this summer, as it received a set of shades in early July.
The goal of the addition was to help change the image of the park, which had suffered for several years by a reputation painted in part by its previous owners.
A giant sphinx at the park's entrance posed an obstacle, but manager Dave Simon said putting sunglasses on it helps move away its former look.
"When I got here in 2010, it was one of the first things I wanted to do," he said. "There are many different ways to change the image, but this says fun, and it says cool. I wanted to send the message that the pharaoh went on a permanent vacation to the beach within reach."
The Redlands Planning Commission voted unanimously in June to approve the modification.
Simon said the addition cost $5,500.
Gay-rights debate
The advocacy for free speech was on the table Aug. 1 when supporters of Chick-Fil-A flocked to its Citrus Plaza location in Redlands to show support for the company that had been under fire for its stance against gay rights.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared "Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day" after the company received calls for boycott from gay rights groups after its president, Dan Cathy, told the Baptist Press last month that the Atlanta based company was "guilty as charged" for backing "the biblical definition of a family."
"(Cathy) is being discriminated against for his views, and they're trying to shut him up. But it's not working," said Tom Barnes of Colton. "We're very pleased (with the turnout)."
Janet Edmonds of Yucaipa had never been to a Chick-Fil-A before, but picked Aug. 1 to see what all the "fuss" was about.
"I'm thinking, why can't they have their own opinion? They have their ideas, others have their ideas. To protest what they see as family values through the eyes of their Bible, I say, what's wrong with that?" she said.
The company posted record sales the next day.
Along with a boycott, opponents of Cathy's stance planned a "Kiss Mor Chiks" counter-protest on Aug. 3, asking people of the same sex to show up at Chick-Fil-A locations and kiss.
University of Redlands Chaplain John Walsh made the decision not to dine at Chick-Fil-A several years ago, when he discovered the company was not for equal marriage rights.
"It's a personal decision for me that I made after a company blatantly, almost in my face, let me know that they do not support equal rights," he said in August. "It's been public knowledge for quite some time that Chick-Fil-A is an organization that does not believe in equal rights for everyone. Conservative groups organizing some kind of statement (on Aug. 1) does not lessen the fact that Chick-Fil-A is an organization that is bigoted against gay rights."
During an August meeting, a Redlands Boy Scout Troop took a stand against the Boy Scout of America's stance on homosexuality.
Pack 24 took its position after its Cubmaster James Rich checked with parents to see how they felt about the issue.
At the meeting, he found that several parents favored Rich's stance – let's not discriminate, but let's welcome everyone with open arms.
"I didn't think I could continue as Cubmaster until I knew our club was against (the BSA's stance)," he said days after the meeting. "So I asked our pack to have a meeting to discuss openly the pros and cons. If I was in the minority, I would step down. But at the meeting, I was not in the minority. I was in the majority.
"So we decided to move forward from there," he added.
The board voted to send a letter to the BSA stating that Pack 24 would not exclude anyone on the basis of sexual orientation.
Tree removal
In late August, residents were surprised to see the removal of two 90-year-old Redwoods on Buena Vista Street by contractors hired by Redlands Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The church, which is building a community center near the area where the trees were located, instructed the removal by its lead pastor, Zach Thorp, who said the trees posed a hazard.
"Both of the trees actually were basically dying, which we took documentation of," he said at the time of the removal. "And one of the things that escalated the need to take them down was the storms that went through Redlands in the last two days."
The city later determined the trees were not diseased.
With the community in a furor over the issue, the City Council voted 4-0 on Sept. 18 to proceed with the revocation of the conditional use permit for the church's expansion effort if a resolution was not found to replace the trees.
A remorseful Thorp addressed the council and apologized for removing the them, and said if he could go back, he would make a different decision.
"From our church, our members and personally, I'm sorry," he said. "We realized that we made a terrible mistake, not only in our church but also our neighborhood."
Councilman Jon Harrison recommended a two-week time frame to find a resolution between the church and the city.
The council agreed.
"The goal on the council should be to restore Buena Vista to its previous condition as far as the trees go," Councilman Jerry Bean said.
Several days later, the church and the city reached an agreement.
The church agreed to pay the cost of purchasing, transporting, planting and maintaining two mature Redwood trees that would take the place of the trees removed.
The agreement was made before the Oct. 2 deadline set by the City Council.
"The City Council was very clear with what they wanted to have achieved and when," said city spokesman Carl Baker, adding the church was in contact with the city the night the council made its decision.
The two 40- to 45-foot mature Redwoods will be placed in the same spot where the other trees were removed, with the costs of the agreed provisions estimated at $80,000.
Costs could be higher, but not by much, Baker said.
The agreement had to be accepted by the City Council before plans could move forward.
The council voted unanimously to approve the agreement with the church at its Oct. 16 meeting.
Per the agreement, the city selected Calabasas-based Valley Crest Tree Co. to arrange the purchase, transportation and planting of the trees, along with an 18-month warranty to care for them.
The trees have yet to be planted.
Contact Kristina via email, by phone at 909-259-9321, or on Twitter @TheFactsKris.

subset: commoncrawl


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John Robinson
John has spent almost 50 years as an entertainer: Rock musician/singer, TV host, author, columnist, actor, producer, emcee and approximately 35 years in local radio. John and 16th U.S. president Abraham Lincoln are cousins. Favorite actors/actresses include: Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman, Johnny Depp, Susan Sarandon and Ashley Judd. As for TV, favorite shows are David Letterman and Craig Ferguson. Favorite music of all-time includes surf, psychedelia, garage bands, Motown and just plain ol' good time Rock & Roll. His rock trivia book, "Johnny's Jukebox Trivia" was published in 2002 and is still available.


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Electronic Chess Books (E-Books)
A Dynamic Answer to 1. e4
Tired of constantly defending passive positions with the black pieces against 1. d4? Looking for something new and exciting to unleash at the chessboard? This book provides an answer to these perennial questions. International Master and renowned openings theoretician Richard Palliser presents a complete repertoire for Black against queen's pawn openings based on the dynamic and very much underrated Black Knights Tango. Using illustrative games, Palliser gives a thorough grounding on the key tactics and strategies behind this ambitious opening, while also highlighting the various tricks and traps that both sides have to watch out for. Studying in depth both the main lines and White's more offbeat tries for an advantage, Palliser gives the readers the required knowledge and confidence to immediately try the Tango in their own games.
EBOOK - Tango!
From relative obscurity to one of White's favorite queen's pawn openings, the rise in popularity of the Trompowsky Attack over the last decade or so has been quite staggering. Largely inspired by a group of English players headed by Julian Hodgson and Michael Adams, the "Tromp" has been enthusiastically taken up by club players and Grandmasters alike. Even the World number one Garry Kasparov has tried his hand at this dynamic opening.
EBOOK - Trompowsky
The King's Indian Attack was a firm favourite of the legendary Bobby Fischer, and more recently it has been utilised with great success by world-class Grandmasters such as Alexander Morozevich. The renowned chess coach Mark Dvoretsky regards the King's Indian Attack as a perfect weapon on which to base an opening repertoire.
EBOOK - Starting Out - King's Indian Attack
A Selection of Aggressive Anti-Nimzo Lines including 4. a3, 4. f3 and 4. Bg5
The Nimzo-Indian Defence continues to be one of Black's most reliable ways of meeting the queen's pawn opening. It's popular at all levels of chess and a constant source of anxiety for White players. How can White find a worthwhile line against this incredibly firm defence? How can White set his Nimzo opponent difficult tasks from the outset? Perhaps it's time to look somewhere different from the well-trodden main lines.
EBOOK - Offbeat Nimzo-Indian
Proven Principles from One of the World's Top Chess Players
Strategy - it's the ultimate secret weapon for championship players around the world. Drawing on his considerable experience in tournament play, Yasser Seirawan shows you how to apply flexible strategic principles to every part of your game. Using Seirawan's simple and effective planning and analysis techniques, you'll enter each game with confidence and energy, ready to play forcefully and intelligently - the way you need to play so you can win!
EBOOK - Winning Chess Strategies
The Italian Game (sometimes referred to as the Giuoco Piano) is one of the oldest openings around, and also one of the first lines a player learns when he or she is introduced to chess. It leads to play that is easy to understand: both sides develop their pieces logically and begin attacks on the opposing kings. The Italian Game gives both White and Black the opportunity to play either aggressively and in gambit fashion, or in a restrained and positional manner. One of White's most exciting and attacking options is the legendary Evans Gambit, which has been brought back into the limelight in this modern era by such uncompromising players as World Champion Garry Kasparov, Alexander Morozevich,and England's Nigel Short.
EBOOK - Italian Game and Evan's Gambit
The very closely linked Slav and Semi-Slav Defences are two of the most popular and combative openings that Black can play against the Queen's Gambit. They have provided the battleground for thousands of exciting encounters between the world's chess elite, including Garry Kasparov, Vishy Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Alexei Shirov and Alexander Morozevich.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Slav and Semi-Slav
Detailed Coverage of a Thoroughly Modern System
The Bb5 Sicilian is a logical and practical weapon against Black's most popular defence to 1 e4 and is an excellent choice for White players who are fed up of constantly trying to keep abreast of the latest developments in the Open Sicilian. The early bishop move signals White intention to develop rapidly and it can lead to both wild gambit play and calmer positional waters.
EBOOK - Bb5 Sicilian
This book brings together the two greatest names in the history of chess. The author, Garry Kasparov, is the world number one and, by common consent, the greatest player ever. The subject of the book, Bobby Fischer, is the only American to have become world champion and is probably the greatest natural talent the world has ever seen.
EBOOK - Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors - VOLUME IV
In this easy-to-read guide, Grandmaster and well-known endgames expert Chris Ward begins with the absolute fundamentals of rook endgames. He gradually arms the reader with the indispensable knowledge and confidence needed to move onto slightly trickier positions. Using examples from practical play, Ward highlights the correct plans as well as the typical mistakes made by both attacker and defender.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Rook Endgames
Fighting the Trompowsky, Torre, Blackmar-Diemer, Stonewall, Colle and Other Problem Openings
This book fills an enormous void in chess literature. There are a countless number of players who are very happy to defend the black side of the Queen's Gambit or play the Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian, Bogo-Indian or Benoni. However, more often than not they have been forced to muddle their way through a whole variety of annoying sidelines White has at his or her disposal, including the dreaded Trompowsky, the tricky Blackmar-Diemer Gambit and the tiresome Colle Variation.
EBOOK - Dealing with d4 Deviations
In Starting Out: The Sicilian Dragon Andrew Martin studies this famous opening in a simplistic way, introducing the crucial initial moves and ideas and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them, something that has sometimes been neglected or taken for granted. As with previous works in the popular Everyman Chess Starting Out series, the reader is helped throughout with a plethora of notes, tips and warnings highlighting the vital characteristics of the Sicilian Dragon and of opening play in general.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Sicilian Dragon
Tactics and Combinations, Compiled and Explained by One of the World's Top Chess Players
This is the second in Seirawan's four volumes, taking the reader from the very basics of chess through appreciation of advanced play. He does a remarkable job of discussing tactics that usually appear only in books for advanced players and communicating them to anyone with a grasp of playing fundamentals. The first part of the book deals with basic tactics and how they can be used individually and in combination. In the second part, Seirawan introduces some of the great chess tacticians and their games, further illustrating tactics as they work out in real-life play.
EBOOK - Winning Chess Tactics
The Scotch Game is one of the oldest openings in chess and has a great history, but it was catapulted back into the limelight due to the enterprise of World Champion Garry Kasparov, who completely rejuvenated the opening with an abundance of original ideas for White.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Scotch Game
The Dutch Defence is an ambitious and underrated counter to the queen's pawn opening. With his very first move Black creates an asymmetrical pawn structure, thus unbalancing the position from a very early stage and allowing both White and Black players to fight for the initiative. Black also has many options within the Dutch Defence, from the ultra-solid Stonewall formation through to the fluid Classical System and the dynamic Leningrad Variation.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Dutch Defence
Including the Schmidt Benoni, the Czech Benoni and the Benko Gambit
Ideal for those wanting to understand the basics of Benoni Systems. This book is a study of all the crucial Benoni systems apart from the Modern Benoni. It presents diverse and practical options against the queen's pawn opening for dynamic, tactical players and solid, positional players alike. Included are such daring defenses as the controversial Blumenfeld Counter-Gambit and the Benko Gambit, a favorite with uncompromising Grandmasters such as Veselin Topalov and Vassily Ivanchuk.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Benoni Systems
The Sicilian Najdorf is one of Black's sharpest and most popular lines against 1 e4. From the very start Black directs the game into asymmetrical positions in which he or she can play for the win without unjustified risk. For this reason the Najdorf has been a firm favourite amongst the very elite of world chess, including Garry Kasparov and, before him, Bobby Fischer. In Starting Out: Sicilian Najdorf Richard Palliser takes a fresh look at this famous opening.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Sicilian Najdorf
Dazzle Your Opponents!
In this book, John Emms, Chris Ward and Richard Palliser team up to examine one of the most popular and respected openings at all levels of chess: the Nimzo-Indian. Instead of pursuing the well-trodden paths, they choose an original approach, concentrating on fresh or little-explored variations of the Nimzo, and selecting a wealth of "dangerous" options for both colours. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover!
EBOOK - Dangerous Weapons - Nimzo-Indian
Dealing with the English, Reti, King's Indian Attack and other annoying systems? The King's Indian and the Grunfeld are two of Black's most popular answers to 1 d4; unsurprising given that they were long-time favourites of chess legends Garry Kasparov and, before him, Bobby Fischer. Brimming with complexity and dynamism, these two openings often leave those playing White scratching their heads wondering how to squeeze even the slightest of advantages out of the opening and, just as crucially, how to avoid becoming swamped in a morass of complicated theory.
EBOOK - Beating the King's Indian and Grunfeld
Dazzle Your Opponents!
In Dangerous Weapons: The Sicilian, John Emms and Richard Palliser team up to investigate by far the most popular and widely-played chess opening, but in a revolutionary way. They concentrate on fresh or little-explored variations of the open Sicilian, selecting a wealth of ideas and options for both colours. Many of the carefully chosen weapons are innovative, visually shocking, incredibly tricky, or have been unfairly discarded; they are guaranteed to throw even your most experienced opponent off balance. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you assured and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover!
EBOOK - Dangerous Weapons - Sicilian
Few would disagree that the Queen's Gambit is one of the most important openings in chess. It has a long and distinguished history and has been played by virtually all the strongest Grandmasters: Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Anatoly Karpov, Vishy Anand - the list goes on and on! From the very beginning White develops actively, takes the initiative and strives to dominate the center. Most agree that the Queen's Gambit is White's best chance for an opening advantage after 1. d4 d5.
EBOOK - Play the Queen's Gambit
The Advance Variation is a popular and direct way of meeting the ultra-solid French Defence. Very early on in the game White opts to fix the pawn structure and establishes a genuine space advantage, upon which he later hopes to mount a serious attack. This method of playing against the French Defence has become a firm favourite amongst uncompromising Grandmasters such as Alexei Shirov, England's Nigel Short and the rising star in Russia, Alexander Grischuk.In this book, opening expert Sam Collins explains the strategies and tactics of this dynamic opening, studying both the main lines as well as the more offbeat variations. Through the use of model games for both White and Black, he provides a thorough grounding in the key plans and ideas, so that readers can quickly and confidently begin to use the French Advance in their own games.
EBOOK - French Advance
A Reliable Repertoire for the Improving Player
A Reliable Repertoire for the Improving Player, Building and maintaining an opening repertoire can be a demanding task! For a start, there are an enormous number of different lines to choose from. There's a strong temptation amongst beginners and improving players to opt solely for tricky lines in order to snare unsuspecting opponents, but this approach has only short-term value. As you improve and your opponents become stronger, very often these crafty lines don't stand up to close scrutiny, and suddenly you're back to square one with no suitable opening weapons.
EBOOK - Starting Out - 1. d4
In Starting Out: Queen's Gambit Accepted Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik take a fresh look at this famous opening. The early moves and ideas are introduced and care is taken to explain the reasoning behind them, something that is often neglected or taken for granted. As with previous works in the popular Everyman Chess Starting Out series, the reader is helped throughout with a plethora of notes, tips and warnings highlighting the vital characteristics of the QGA and of opening play in general.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Queen's Gambit Accepted
The Nimzo-Indian is one of Black's most universally popular and respectable answers to 1 d4. It could be said that no other opening allows Black to play for a win from such a sound positional basis, while its flexibility gives rise to a multitude of different positions rich in tactical and positional play.
EBOOK - Play the Nimzo-Indian
Once a chess player has figured out how all the chess pieces move, what is the next step on the chess ladder? This helpful and entertaining book provides players with the complete answer. In this easy-to-follow guide, renowned chess teacher Chris Ward explains all the crucial checkmating patterns, plus how to catch out opponents with an assortment of tricks and traps, commonly known as chess tactics.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Chess Tactics and Checkmates
A Reliable Repertoire for the Improving Player
In 'Starting Out: 1 e4!' Neil McDonald solves this perennial problem by providing the reader with a strong and trustworthy repertoire with the white pieces based on the popular opening move 1 e4. The recommended lines given here have stood the test of time and are regularly employed by Grandmasters. Reading this book will give you the confidence to play these variations against all strengths of player and provide you with reliable opening armoury for years to come
EBOOK - Starting Out - 1. e4
This book is a further addition to Everyman's best-selling Starting Out series, which has been acclaimed for its original approach to tackling chess openings. Neil McDonald goes back to the basics of the Queen's Gambit Declined, introducing the keymoves and ideas, and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them - something that is often neglected or taken for granted in other texts.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Queen's Gambit Declined
Combinations are the central element in chess; they make the game so magical and captivating. The beautiful point of sacrificing a queen, the strongest piece, in order to checkmate with a lowly pawn brings a smile of joy to all chess lovers. Virtually all chess games possess a combination, either one hidden in the shadows of analysis carefully avoided or one that provides a decisive blow.
EBOOK - Winning Chess Combinations
The Closed Sicilian is an ideal weapon for players who wish for an aggressive way to attack the Sicilian but have neither the time nor the inclination to learn the seemingly endless mountains of opening theory associated with Open Sicilians. In the Closed Sicilian an awareness of the typical themes is far more important than memorising variations.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Closed Sicilian
In Boris Spassky Master of Initiative, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik look back over Spassky's long and distinguished career to examine how he defeated his long-time adversaries, carefully highlighting his most colourful and celebrated encounters over the chessboard. A deep study of his style and games will entertain and inspire any true chess fan.
*Includes Boris Spassky's most brilliant sacrificial games
*Ideal for the attack-minded chess player
*Perfect for sharpening your tactical ability
E-BOOK Masters: Boris Spassky Master of Initiative (Masters (Everyman Chess)) Paperback
Detailed Coverage of an Enterprising Chess Opening
In this book James Vigus provides an up-to-date appraisal of the Pirc and its many variations. Using illustrative games, he examines the traditional main lines, the fashionable alternatives and the tricky sidelines, while outlining the typical tactical and positional ideas for both White and Black. A study of this book will allow the reader to begin playing the Pirc with confidence in his or her own games.
EBOOK - Pirc in Black and White
The Definitive Guide to the Endgames that Really Matter
The Definitive Guide to the Endgames that Really Matter!
Welcome to a new type of endgame book. A book that includes...
The most common endgames you will ever encounter.
Examinations of material balances you will reach in almost half of your games.
Over 500 pages of grandmaster advice and analysis, assisted by the latest computer software.
E-BOOK Practical Endgame Play - Beyond the Basics
This book is a further addition to Everyman's best-selling Starting Out series, which has been acclaimed for its original approach to tackling chess openings. John Cox revisits the fundamentals of the Sveshnikov, elaborating on the crucial early moves and ideas for both sides in a way that is often neglected in other texts.
EBOOK - Starting Out - Sicilian Sveshnikov
Dazzle Your Opponents!
In Dangerous Weapons: The French, International Master John Watson takes a revolutionary look at one of the most famous and widely-played chess openings: the French Defence. Instead of travelling down well-trodden and analyzed paths, Watson concentrates on fresh or little-explored variations of the French, selecting a wealth of "dangerous" options for both colours. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover!
EBOOK - Dangerous Weapons - French
A Complete Chess Opening Repertoire For Black
Are you constantly struggling with the black pieces? Cant make up your mind which openings to play? Are you looking for something new: an all-in-one solution to your problems? Look no further! In this original book, Christoph Wisnewski, who is renowned for his innovative and adventurous opening ideas, provides the reader with an ambitious and all-encompassing repertoire for Black against every main line opening that White can play, based on the initial move 1...Nc6.
EBOOK - Play 1... Nc6


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A One-on-One Conversation With Nas at AGENDA Emerge
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Jessops is a well known highstreet camera store.
They sell a range of: DSLR's (mostly canon and nikon), lenses, compact cameras, camcorders, memory cards, 35mm film, paper for dark rooms and digital printing, other dark room accessories, tripods, monopods, flash guns, flash diffusers, digital photo frames, printer inks and more.
Instore they also have digital printing stations where you insert your memory card and select photos you want them to print.
Many products are available in jessops own brand versions as well as brand names eg. Manfrotto tripods.
You can also ask to try out the products they have locked in the glass cupboards - I've done this with my DSLR and lenses that I have purchased from them (no pressure to buy - I've tried out an item and bought it on a different occassion).
Jessops try to make their stores suitable for the everyday photographer, the enthusiatic amateur and the professional photographer (of which I am the latter). In my experience I have found them to be very helpful - I purchased my first ever DSLR from there and have bought all my subsequent lenses from them as well as a number of accessories. In my recent visits to the store I've noticed that they seem to be reducing the number of higher end Nikon DSLR's in favour for the prosumer models, although the Canon range they stock seems to be more wide spread.
I have used jessops to print photos of mine in the past (although I used their online upload rather than the instore machines). To be honest the main reason I used them is because everytime I convinced a friend to sign up I got free prints! Initially you could choose to have them delivered or pick them up from the store (the latter being free) after using the service for sometime they suddenly removed the free pick up from store option. I was not impressed an emailed them to let them know my feelings, they replied that they had removed it to make the service better for customers (still don't know how that works) but offered me free shipping on my order and in a few short weeks the pick up from store option miraculously reappeared.
The quality of the digital prints I have recieved from them has been perfectly acceptable.
I also once went into a store which some badly scratched and highly over exposed black and white negatives to see if they could print them for me - they promised to do their best and I came by the next day to see the results. They had printed several copies of each to try and get the best result, but they had only charged me for one copy, so I was very impressed with the effort they went through.
Although jessops may not always be the cheapest for certain products, they aren't hugely over priced and you are also paying for the expertise of the staff (and of course shop overheads come into play).
I've found the prices on their own branded items to be very reasonable for the quality.
Furthermore you can also occassionally barter with jessops provided you're spending rather alot in the first place - in the past I've managed to get a camera bag for free and free insurance on all my lenses.
They also do 10% student discount although I believe this is limited to certain items.
In my experience the staff are very knowledgable and unless you're a working professional photographer you are unlikely to know more about the products and photography than they do. This is because Jessops tends to employ ex professional photographers and keen amateurs etc.
Many of the jessops branches have undergone refurbishment lately making them very modern and clean looking, with all products easy to view and find.
I managed to get nearly 800 photographs for free at Jessops delivered to my local store which was the whole of my 6 week Australia trip! You need to be patient and have alot of time to do this but here goes.
I would suggest downloading the Jessops software first as this makes things so much easier and quicker, you can always take it off your computer/laptop after.
There are numerous discount codes available which allow you to get X amount of free prints, these are the current ones that work to my knowledge:
50EXPRESS = 50 free
STUFF09 = 40 free
WELCOME = 40 free (for new users)
I would suggest using the WELCOME initially, placing the order for 40 prints then going back and using the code for each of the others, noting that each order needs to be placed separately rather than trying to do it all together, e.g. do 40 prints, then an order for 40 prints then an order for 50 prints. You can use each code on one email address.
So, at this point you will have 130 prints for free as long as you have opted to collect to the store. Open another account, it doesn't matter if your name/address is the same but your email address MUST be different. I just opened a few different hotmail accounts, however I also created a couple of hotmail address that didn't even exist as Jessops don't even check the accounts. It was time consuming and took me a good 2 hours to do but where else would I have got free prints. One thing to remember is these codes expire/change regularly so just google 'Jessops free photos' for more codes remembering that you can use each code once per email address and there is normally at least 3/4 different codes knocking about.
I collected my prints from the Crewe, Cheshire store. What I will say is that all these prints come in individual envelopes, e.g. 40 in one, 50 in another, 20 in another, so I had around 28 different envelopes totally 800 prints which were very heavy!
Jessops staff were a little off hand with me and the whole experience was a little embarrassing and I would do this again, but to a different Jessops store. I am lucky that I have at least 3 Jessops stores near to me. The quality of the prints is lovely, so much better than supermarket prints.
Give it a go . . . I dare you!
I am not the average Jessops shopper- as I known and use high spec digital camera's (usually above what Jessops normally have in stock), however I do sometimes use their services. Mainly as they are on the high street and can have a few bargains. This is my experience of the Cardiff branch based on my last 2 experiences:
Visit today:
I had ordered 2 bags for a tripod online today are they had a great deal on. I recieved text/email confirmation that they were ready and off I went to the store. I arrived and was served immediately- however the person went off to find the items for me. Within 10 minutes he was back, with my bags and I paid and left. Was a rather long time to wait- but I didn't complain.
Visit before Christmas:
I had ordered 10 prints online using Jessops software, I then asked these to be delivered to the store. This works out very cheap- as you get the online prices for prints- and the postage is free! I recieved my email on the Thursday telling me the prints had arrived- off I went on fridayto collect them. I went to the photo printed part of the store, only to be informed that they had not arrived. Slightly annoyed at this point as I had received an email telling me they were in the store- I asked the lady to check again. This time she managed to find my prints- I was a frustrated customer!
Last week I was looking to buy a charger for my Nokia Coolpix camera - it's one of the most prevalent point-and-shoots today, so I didn't expect to have many issues with getting it from Jessops. How little I knew!
Firstly, it took me about 5 minutes to get the attention of someone in the store. Admittedly, I had thought I might be able to help myself, so I had gone straight to the battery and charger display, but the wealth of choice left me dumbfounded, so I looked around for someone to help me. Though there were two gentlemen on the other side of the store, not clearly assisting any other customers, I wasn't approached at all. I took the product I had a question about (a universal charger) and approached the gentlemen at the same time as another customer.
The one I ended up speaking to seemed quite distracted and it took me at least another minute of saying, 'Hello? Hello? I'm sorry, could you please help me with this?' before he said, 'Yeah, sure, hold on, let me see if someone else can help you'. He asked the man he had been speaking to previously for help, but the other shop assistant was now attending to the other customer.
The assistant helping me told me to wait, and went to the back. After two minutes, he came out, and said someone would help me. He then asked the same attendant from before if he could help again, who very brusquely said 'I have no idea. It says it's a universal charger, but I have no idea if it'll work for you' - and that was it! No other solution was offered - he might have as well physically shoved me aside!
And let me say again, this wasn't a complicated, professional camera with specialist mechanisms et al! This was a Nokia Coolpix, arguably the most popular point-and-shoot out there - which I had even helpfully brought in so they might look at the battery, look at the charger, and discern whether or not it might fit. But no - a quick glance at the charger in my hand, and a blunt "I don't know". Considering Jessops markets itself as the one-stop digital camera store, such an answer is ridiculous - I wasn't asking for specialist knowledge, I was simply asking whether or not one of their products (which they should have a working knowledge of) would work with one of the most popular everyday-cameras on the market today (which they were in fact selling in store!).
The initial assistant helping me then went to the back yet again, and brought out another assistant who merely shook her head at him and said they were 'sold out', leaving him to deliver me the bad news - I suppose she couldn't come the foot closer to me and say it to my face, even offer an apology? The first guy then simply shrugged at me and said I could try John Lewis - because as we all know, THEY are known for their digital camera prowess, right?
Was in Jessops today with my dad as he is looking for a digital SLR. The first thing that immediately became apparent was the level of customer service in this particular shop. It was the branch on Sauchiehall St, Glasgow. Their customer service was fantastic! All to often you walk into a shop and are ignored by the sales staff and when you do ask a question they're none too helpful. This is not the case in Jessops. The sales staff were very warming and certainly know their stuff.
The shop itself has a good range of camera equipment on display. A lot of SLR equipment, covering bodies and lenses. There is also a wide range of compacts and video cameras in store, along with all the corresponding accessories.
As expected they also offer a full range of printing services, from digital prints to full scale poster or canvas printing. Jessops offer a darn good service and probably equally important, the chance to see the cameras in the "flesh" and get a feel for them. Ordering online certainly doesn't off you this.
The only downside is the price of Jessops, as a high street store, I think they struggle to compete with internet prices.
Buying a new camera these days can be a bit of an ordeal due to the vast amount of models on the market to choose from - and once you've chosen your shooter, where is the best place to buy it from?... Jessops?... maybe not.
Jessops is currently the largest photographic retail outlet in the UK with over two hundred stores nationwide. The shop sells a decent selection of photography related items, ranging from digital cameras and memory cards, to camcorders, lenses and cases. The store also offers a photographic printing service, and the staff will happily accept your film, camera memory card, or CD to print images from.
- - - - -
The first Jessops store was opened seventy-three years ago by Frank Jessop in Leicester. Since that time, the Jessops franchise has slowly but surely spread across the country with it's 200th store opening in July 2001. Nowadays, it's actually quite difficult to visit the generic British clone-high street without seeing the traditional blue store frontage of Jessops.
As well as selling items manufactured by the leading brands, Jessops usually do their own version of camera accessories, and in the past I have often found myself purchasing own-brand lens caps, batteries and filters for fairly low-prices. Nowadays however, you can actually get official accessories cheaper online than Jessops sell their own-make stuff for. It's sad really, because buying online will probably be the end of shops like Jessops - but I can't really justify not saving the pounds, especially when part of my job involves photography. I recently went to buy a spare battery from Jessops for my SLR camera, and found that their own-brand version cost £38, which was £10 more than I could purchase the 'official' Nikon version for on eBay.
Inside the shop, the camera displays are usually well organised, and the store in general feels uncluttered and clean.
Overall, Jessops is a decent shop stocking a wide range of photographic equipment. In my past experiences, the staff have been friendly and helpful and seem to know what they are talking about - it's just a shame that the in-store prices mean that Jessops may not be a chain of shops with a rosy future.
As I have recently opened up my own photography business I have come to rely on Jessops to supply me with all the little things that other professional camera shops dont have in stock. I purchased my start up camera set for my business there and was thrilled when I realised the discount I had saved through their bundle scheme. Basically with the particular camera model I was eligible to receive additional items at 50% or more! Buying my camera bag at half price and my flash at half price I was happy to save the pennies where I could!
What helped even more is the delightful and friendly staff working in my local branch, always ready to listen to your latest adventure and keen to share their own experiences you soon learn tips and tricks that you may not find elsewhere!
A few weeks ago I had to purchase my second camera bundle for the partner in the company, at first I was slightly disappointed because her offer was better than what I was given, but in the end was happy that we had both managed to save the company money, plus whilst buying my first camera I had been given a £20 gift voucher to use again so manage to get even more off the camera package - included in her package as extra from my bundle she received an extra tamron lens at over half the RRP! This really helped as it was an item I too had been wanting!
Its a shame they don't have a trade only section allowing us professionals to purchase things from them exclusively to sell onto our clients otherwise Id never be out of the shop!
--- History ---
Seemingly one of few photography shops that are still in the high street, Jessops was founded in 1935 as a specialist photographic shop. The shop offers pretty much anything and everything the budding photographer, be they amateur or professional, can want.
Many of the branches have labs within them that offer one hour or even 30 minute printing turnaround times. (source: Wikipedia)
--- Products ---
From digital SLR cameras to compacts and batteries Jessops is a one-stop for photographers. The shops also sell a range digital photo printers and camcorders to really appeal to a vast range of photography/videography enthusiasts. Some of the larger shops also stock studio equipment including flash guns and backgrounds, making this a perfect place to go with any problems or desperate last-minute required equipment.
The staff are, from my experience, very friendly and always willing to help. The products are right there in front of you and the staff are quite happy for you to try out various lenses, cameras etc which, as a professional photographer, is brilliant for me as when i look for any new lenses i can try them out first at Jessops.
--- Prices ---
Unfortunately owing to the boom in online retailers the Jessops high street stores are disappearing at a fast rate with the company seeming to focus more on its online store and printing services.
It is also a shame to say that a good chunk of what you find in there you can get cheaper online and i hate to admit that i do frequently just use the shop to test out lenses before trying to find them cheaper elsewhere.
Having said that when there was only one of a camcorder that i wanted left (the display model) the manager did knock 10% off instantly which was very good on an expensive item and the best thing was that i didn't have to wait for delivery. I was able to try it there and then, take it with me and know where to take it if i had problems and even speak to someone about the problem, face to face, which is something that is sadly lost with the internet.
--- Summary ---
A sad sight to see Jessops is unfortunately closing more and more stores it seems and that personal touch of going into the shop and speaking face to face with people that know exactly what they're talking about, is being lost with the internet price wars.
I am really into photography and am often popping into various photographic stores to see what is on offer or what new cameras and equipment they have in stock.
I have a small Jessops store near to where I live and also a larger one in another nearby town. I took my camera in to be repaired as there was a problem with the memory card slot. The camera was under a year old and still under warranty as it was bought in another Jessops store. There was no problem with getting it repaired, they took my details and sent the camera away and I got a phonecall after about a week saying it was ready to pick up from the store. All fixed free of charge.
The staff in Jessops in general do know a lot about the cameras and equipment they are selling and seem to have a passion for photography and are able to advise you on products so it is a great place to go if you are unsure on what to buy. They can also order stock in if they do not have it available.
I must admit though that I do find the prices in Jessops a lot more expensive than other outlets and certainly more than you would pay for the same items at online camera stores, but it depends if you are looking for help and guidance regarding the products.
I my opinion, the stores do look rather empty sometimes mainly because of the amount of items that are kept behind the counters for security reasons such as memory cards and batteries, but this does make it difficult to browse as you keep having to ask to look at them and check the prices with staff.
They also have kiosks instore for photo processing or you can leave your film or memory card for the staff to process your photos, although I have never used these services as I tend to print my own photos at home.
If you are looking for expertise and guidance and don't mind paying a bit more for the procuct then go to Jessops.
I am writing a review of this camera and photo shop because I used it to get some digital prints developed.
I signed up to snapfish.com as they were advertising free first 30 prints. I uploaded my photos, chose my nearest Jessops store for them to be sent to (for free) and went and collected them on the day that it advised me to.
I went to the shop to collect them and just had to give my username, and I was given my prints. In the shop they had various different kinds of digital cameras, photo printing machines and accessories to go with your camera.
My Dad bought me a digital camera for my 18th from a Jessops branch, and it still works and is in great condition 2 years later. Its pink (see seperate review) and I use it all the time.
The salesman then was great and knew a lot about cameras and how each of them could be used and the best you can get for your budget.
The sales assistant in the shop this time was very friendly and helpful. They found my pictures instantly even though there was a huge pile from snapfish.
The photos were good quality, and a good size. I was very pleased especially as the whole process from ordering, to delivery was free.
Having received an e-mail from Jessops for 50 free prints I decided to give them a try.
I went onto their website and uploaded the photos onto my account that I wanted to print which was very simple to do.
I then paid for the postage (£1.49) and the photos had to upload following payment. This took quite a while to do, approx. 15 minutes.
After 2 days my photos arrived. I was very impressed with the quality of the pictures and the paper they were printed on. Some of the pictures were taken on my phone (which only has a 2 mega pixel camera) and they still came out fatastically. I would say the photos are just as good as ones from anywhere else and it saves having to mess around printing them out on our photo printer!
I note from their website that they do various other things with your photos, such as cards and canvasses, etc which all seem to be very reasonably priced. I will definetly be trying some of their other services out in the near future!
I recently went through the very painful process of using Jessops reserve and collect facility on their website. Originally it was my intention to purchase my new Canon Powershot A650is from my local store in Southampton but to my surprise this camera was over £50 cheaper online and as I didn't want to pay for postage I used Jessops reserve and collect facility online. By using this facility Jessops website located my nearest store and the stock availability. Great I thought two in stock at Jessops Southampton store in Hedge End. After reserving online Jessops then sent me an e-mail an hour later to say my camera was ready for collection. I arrived at my local store about two hours after reserving the camera online and handed over my order number to the shop assistant. To my absolute disgust the shop assistant produced a camera in a box with no seals and an elastic band holding it together. My first question after looking at the camera was if this model was ex display, the fact that the display cabinet was empty where the camera should have been kind of gave it away! Once questioned the shop assistant did admit that the camera she had given me was ex display but at no point before this did she inform me of this minor problem! I felt that this was extremely dishonest and obviously did not purchase the camera.
I sent Jessops an e-mail complaining of their customer service but to date I have still not received a reply to my complaint.
To many, Jessops is THE place to shop for all your camera needs.
For me though, it is THE place that I will try to avoid at all costs if I'm wanting to buy any new camera equipment.
My reasons are few and simple and have occurred on far too many occasions for them to warrant being called 'the odd slip up' or 'just a bad day'.
The current Norwich branch opened in late 2006 and was the largest Jessops store, to date, in the area. Prior to this there were two smaller shops within 50 yards of each other; one for the general sales of cameras and the associated equipment and one for printing.
Pre 2006 I had only used the two stores on a few occasions, mainly for printing purposes and had been mildly satisfied with the print quality and service received.
I don't know whether it was due to the fact that the company only had a small presence in the city at the time or because the shops were so cramped and oppressive but the staff that worked there always seemed to be more interested in the goings on of their mobile phones rather than the members of paying public who had come to them for a service.
As I mentioned above, these two shops closed in late 2006 after the opening of the much larger shop in the new Norwich 'Chapelfield Mall' complex.
Because of this, I will be basing the rest of the review on my experiences in this new 'improved' shop.
***Products and pricing***
There is no denying that Jessops hold a good and varied range of cameras along with lenses, studio equipment, printers and the like.
Whether you're looking for the latest compact digital camera or a far more robust DSLR, chances are you will be able to find what you're after in store - but at what cost...?
...Well, generally, a rather princely sum!
I remember popping into Jessops at around the time of the release of the new Nikon D300 and D3 and was somewhat amazed that they were advertising the cameras at full RRP whereas other, much smaller, camera shops in Norwich where already offering them at a favourable discount.
Now, don't get me wrong, I appreciate that an RRP is there for a reason - but when you are a chain business of this size surely it is possible to offer some sort of reasonable discount/offer on these products - especially when you consider that the lesser shops about were doing so already.
I am also constantly amazed that they can charge as much as they do for accessories, such as memory cards. You can, at times, be paying at much as 5 times that of some supermarkets and online retailers. And again, I appreciate that online shopping cuts the cost to the consumer but Jessops also charge these ridiculous rates online.
It would, though, be naive and ignorant of me to say that Jessops pricing is ALWAYS extortionate.
Some products are offered at competitive and sound prices, such as their printer range and also a fair number of their upper range tripods.
But this doesn't really seem to add up to me when I have found, on average, that if I shopped exclusively at Jessops I would be spending around 15% - 20% more than most other retailers of the same product.
Great customer service makes up for it though, surely...?
***Customer service and experience***
...yes, great customer service should and does reflect in the price and my willingness to pay that little extra.
If know that I'm going to walk into a shop and be able to have my needs met with a smile and the knowledge required then I am more than happy to pay a little extra for that service, but in the case of Jessops (at least in the case of the Norwich branch) this customer service and 'experience' seems to be lacking in vast quantities.
Invariably, members of staff will do anything to glance off any eye contact that is made by a customer - much preferring to scuttle off behind the scenes where they appear from some time later, generally with a packet of crisps or mobile phone in hand.
Surely, if you're employed in a retail, front of house job you should at least be approachable by customers?
Apparently not a prerequisite of the job at Jessops.
Another problematic area, it would seem, is the knowledge (or lack of) that the majority of staff hold.
I have been met with blank looks on many a time when I have posed a question, even on a simple matter such as "does this camera take a SD or CompactFlash memory card?" and to make is worse, there seems to be no intuition and no concern if they don't know the answer - there is no "Please bare with me a second, I will go and find someone who can help you"...just silence and then off the scuttle again.
I'm sure that some readers at this point will just feel that I'm being overly critical of this company and perhaps to some extent I am - but I know I am not alone.
There have been countless times when I have been chatting away in one of our smaller shops (for example; our branch of the London Camera Exchange) and people have wandered in looking rather confused and somewhat put out and when asked what the problem is it generally starts with something such as "Someone at Jessops just sold me XXX and it's not working" or "I've just bought this from Jessops for £XX and have just seen it in your window for £XX less - why?"
It seems to me, that the Jessops that was historically (camera enthusiasts, experts in the field and those who want to provide an excellent service), has been replaced with run of the mill, knowledge baron shop assistants who nine times out of ten have no interest in photography but are just there because it's a job.
And Jessops, themselves, no longer seem to hire staff on photography knowledge or experience but more on age and the minimum wage they can get away with paying them.
...and my god does it show.
So, in summary of my experiences, I would not happily recommend Jessops for the purchase of cameras and equipment - based purely on the fact of price and what service your receive for it.
I would be more inclined to send someone there if they needed films developed - but even then, it would only be on the basis that they are in a quick and convenient location and seem to work to satisfactory turn arounds.
Although, if I was going on print quality alone - I would not advise a visit.
I hope this review has proved useful to some, although I appreciate that it is one based more on my own disgruntled options rather than a majorative one or fact.
I felt compelled to write it though as I sometimes feel that people are all too quick to rush to the first big Brand they see rather than searching out those smaller, more customer focused service that really will make you leave the shop smiling.
To sum up the following review: I like Jessops.
They are a specialist shop and that shows. If you want to buy a camera by making a traditional face to face, over counter purchase, rather than over the internet, Jessops would be the ones I would go to every time. Where as you might go to a shop like Dixons, Jessops are the ones with the real experts behind the counter.
I have bought a couple of things from Jessops over the years. The biggest being my digital SLR. I was very impressed with the service I received. The basic camera was £500, yet obviously I wanted a SD card and a carry case for it. With some pretty hard bargaining I was able to get the whole lot for the £500. That sort of bartering would never have been able to happen in any other shop where the staff would never be able to use their own discretion like that.
I went in another time looking for advice on a universal card reader. After speaking to staff they recommended their Jessops own version for about £10, rather than more expensive models. I have had it about 2 years now and it's never let me down.
I would use Jessops again in a flash, and recommend it to others. They obviously do know what they are talking about and you'll find that you are paying for their expertise as well as the item you want to buy.
Highly recommended high street shop.
One of the most important aspects of a high street shop is the way in which it treats its customers. Jessops always stands out in my mind because of the way in which the staff went out of their way to help me under difficult circumstances. I shall relate my experience, though what impresses me is that the service they offer today is every bit as good as it was when I used the store, as I will explain.
My experience goes back to when I bought my first and second digital camera. I hadn't a clue what choice was the best for my needs, and although I had researched in magazines and on the internet, and had reached the stage of comparing a couple of cameras for advantages and disadvantages, I wasn't sure how to make a decision between those left on my list, and went to Jessops for help. There was no certainty that I would buy from them, and the shop was pretty full and staff busy. I waited, because I could hear from the advice given to other customers that the staff seemed to know their business, and was extremely glad that I did.
When it came to my turn, I needed the assistants time to explain the differences between those cameras that had interested me, and not only did they explain it, they did so in a manner that a technophobe could understand without being condascending. They were swift to let me try out the cameras, and nothing seemed to be too much trouble, which really impressed me. The shop was superbly stocked and gave the impression of a small family business where people cared about your custom, although Jessops is a large chain. Thier staff seemed intelligent, well trained, and really did know what they were talking about.
Having decided which camera I wanted to buy the first time in Jessops, I had already printed out details of cameras that I had found in magazines and on the internet and asked them about their price promise. I expected it to be that if you find the same item in a local shop cheaper, they would match the price, and certainly didn't expect it to extend to prices on the Internet, although the Manager assured me that it did. It actually made a difference of 50GPB which astounded me.
Jessops stock is very impressive and not only includes cameras and accessories, but goes as far as printers and scanners, Satallite navigators, storage items, Memory cards, Microscopes and Telescopes, Binoculars, Camcorders and all the kinds of accessories you would associate with them. The window is always packed with a good selection and if it's not there, it is certainly worth asking for. It surprises me how many people seem content to queue up in shops like Dixons or Comet to get fobbed off by staff that don't know their products, when one visit to Jessops compares so favourably as a shopping experience. Even their website is worthy of exploring, because they got it right, although I prefer the shop experience as staff fill in all those gaps in my knowledge and seem to be there to help.
My experience of the shop didn't stop at the first experience. A year or so later, I purchased a more expensive camera from Jessops, and again the price promise offer worked. Again, though the staff were different, they were helpful and friendly and explained functions on the camera that I was unsure about, told me all about the accessories that were available, and made me feel important as a customer. When I compare this with the feeling I got leaving Dixons, there really is no comparison, and the Dixons staff made me feel inadequate and ignorant, although in retrospect if a shop makes a potential customer feel like that, then it is their staff that are inadequate and ignorant for not valueing your custom.
Jessops even went further than that when I left my umbrella in their shop, and decided I wanted a carrying case for the camera. The Manager actually called around to my home on the way home from work and brought the item I had been undecided about together with my umbrella, and had a nice cup of tea with me, explaining usage of the camera even more than he had in the shop. His enthusiasm shined and that's a real rarity these days. Of course, one cannot expect this type of service from every branch of Jessops, but the Manager knew that I was going back to France and didn't have time to come back into the shop, as was a social kind of bloke.
This year, it was my sisters turn to want help. Similar to my experience, she had experienced the snub of larger stores and had almost given up on the hope of being helped. I told her on the phone to try Jessops and explained the benefits, and she was indeed delighted with the reception that she got and the treatment she was given by the staff, all busy and stressed by the Christmas peak period, but what prompts me to write this review is that throughout all the years that I have shopped in Jessops, right up to the present day, they haven't forgotten customer service, and somewhere along the line are continuing to do something that other shops fail to do, in treating every customer with the same courtesy and understanding that I got.
After sales service impressed me as well. Months after my purchase with Jessops, they were available to help me with a software problem that I had, which was quickly resolved. Their shops may not be the biggest or flashiest of shops, may not hit the television screen as often as the large chain do, though what they appear to have done is better. I don't need countless adverts to tell me about the quality of their service. It speaks for itself.


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Great Star Hydrangea
Item# 8587177
This item is currently not available.
Additional Information
First Editions® Great Star Hydrangea Creates a Heavenly Show
- Unique variety has stunning, star-shaped flowers
- A dramatic addition to your summer garden
- Gorgeous in a flowering border and ideal for cut flowers
The elongated, wavy petals on the pure white blossoms of Great Star create a traffic-stopping display. Flowering begins in midsummer and lasts into fall, creating months of luxurious beauty. This easy-care shrub makes a dramatic backdrop for perennial plantings and the white blooms complements all other colors. Plant Great Star in multiples for a stunning display and a bountiful supply of cut flowers. Shipped bareroot. Hardy in zones 4-8.Advantages of bareroot plants:
- Healthier plants with less root circling than container plants
- Shipped while dormant, so there's less shock during shipping
- Shrubs are planted in early spring, so roots can settle in and begin growing before plant leafs out
- Shrubs acclimate quickly to the garden and start growing faster than container-grown plants
- Most flowering shrubs will begin blooming in about three years
Product Details
- 20" to 28" tall bareroot plant
- Hydrangea paniculata 'Le Vasterival' PP20,272
- Mature size is 7' to 8' wide by 6' to 7' high
- Hardy in zones 4-8
- Full sun
- Adaptable to most well-drained soils
Product InstructionsDownload instructions for Great Star Hydrangea as a PDF
- International delivery is not available for this item
- Sorry, no shipments to AA,AE,AF,AK,AP,GU,HI,PR,VI
- Faster shipping methods, including Ground, are not available for this item.
- Please provide a physical street address for delivery.


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Whyteleafe returned to winning ways to open a two-point gap at the top of Southern Counties East League.
After back-to-back defeats, a 3-1 win over Canterbury at Church Road on Saturday, means Leafe need four wins and a draw from the last six games to guarantee promotion back to Ryman Division One South.
Leafe played the best of the football in the first half but had a long wait for the first goal.
Chances came and went, Jensen Grant heading just over from a Jason Thompson corner in the 10th minute, then Sam Clayton shot into the side netting in the 17th minute.
Roscoe DSane played a one two with Grant in the 26th minute but shot just over, and Alex Penfold then played a similar move with Ryan Fowler in the 29th minute with the same result.
Leafe finally got the lead they deserved in the 31st minute, Dylan Merchant heading home from a Fowler corner.
Second time round: Leafe celebrate goal number two
Lee Scott had the visitor's only decent chance in the 40th minute when he ran at the Leafe defence and his shot was just over the bar.
The hosts went further ahead just before half time when a long ball from Tommy Smith picked out DSane on the right - he beat two defenders then picked out Fowler in the box who scored from close range.
Leafe continued to dominate in the second half - Craig Pitterson's 47th minute cross was partially cleared to Clayton on the edge of the box but his shot was well saved by Roddy Hayward.
The third goal came from a well rehearsed set piece, Grant heading home at the near post from an inswinging 53rd minute Thompson corner.
Jamal Dzotsi gave the visitors hope two minutes later converting a free kick but Leafe almost got a fourth a minute later when DSane shot across the face of goal.
They went even closer on the hour when Thompson's curling 30-yard free kick shaved the outside of the post.
Pressure: Canterbury under the cosh from a Leafe corner
Hayward made a great save at the feet of DSane in the 67th minute and a minute later Tommy Smith shot just over the bar.
Canterbury only really threatened Leafe once more, Alex Kendall forcing a good save from Sheikh Ceesay in the 75th minute, but apart from that, Leafe looked the more likely to score in the closing stages.
Greg Andrews shot into the side netting in the 83nd minute and Bentley Graham's 86th minute shot hit a defender and deflected over the bar.
Whyteleafe: Ceesay, Tommy Smith, Penfold, Broomhead, Merchant, Thompson, Fowler, Grant, DSane (Williams 67), Clayton (Andrews 73), Pitterson (Graham).
Subs not used: Taylor Smith, Abrahams.
Master & commander: Jason Thompson in the centre of midfield
Tricky: Sam Clayton prepares to take on the Canterbury defence
Up and at them: Ryan Fowler
Speedy: Roscoe DSane has been instrumental in Whyteleafe's promotion push this season


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To try the thousands of add-ons available here, download Mozilla Firefox, a fast, free way to surf the Web!Close
Welcome to Firefox Add-ons.
Choose from thousands of extra features and styles to make Firefox your own.Close
Html Validator 0.9.7.4 Requires Restart
by Marc Gueury
HTML Validator is a Mozilla extension that adds HTML validation inside Firefox and Mozilla. The number of errors of a HTML page is seen on the form of an icon
For Online HTML 5 validation, you need 0.962
About this Add-on
The extension can validate the HTML sent by the server or the HTML in the memory (after Ajax execution).
The details of the errors are seen when looking the HTML source of the page.
The extension is based on Tidy and OpenSP (SGML Parser). Both algorithms were originally developed by the Web Consortium W3C. And now extended and improved by a lot of persons. Both algorithms are embedded inside Mozilla/Firefox and makes the validation locally on your machine, without sending HTML to a third party server.
Each algorithm has advantages and inconvenients. The program will give you the choice at startup. But mostly,
- The SGML parser is the same program than the one running behind validator.w3.org.
- Tidy has accessibility check for the 3 levels defined in WAI
- W3 Online validator to validate HTML 5 pages
The extension is translated in 17 languages.
For technical reasons, the extension is available in this site only for:
- Windows
Other platforms are available here:
- http://users.skynet.be/mgueury/mozilla/
The complete list of platforms is
- Windows
- Linux 32 bits
- MacOs 32 bits
- MacOs 64 bits
- MacOs Universal (32/64 bits)
The old version for Firefox 3 is also available for
- Linux 64 bits
- OpenBSD 32 bits
- OpenBSD 64 bits
- MacOsX PPC
- MacOSX Intel
- Linux PPC
For more information, or other platforms, see: http://users.skynet.be/mgueury/mozilla/
Or the forum:
Developer's Comments
If you have any problems or questions with the extension please visit the extension home page:
There is a FAQ, download page and translations.
The extension is available on WINDOWS, LINUX, MACOSX. If you have issue installing the extension. Please double-check that you install the one for your OS and your CPU.
This Website shows only the OS version that your browser uses. It contains only a limited number of platforms. (Windows, and Linux 32bits)
You can find the complete list here:
In case of unsolved issues, please e-mail me: firstname.lastname@example.com
Version Information
Version 0.9.7.4
- Source code released under GNU General Public License, version 3.0
- What's this?
Development Channel
The Development Channel lets you test an experimental new version of this add-on before it's released to the general public. Once you install the development version, you will continue to get updates from this channel. To stop receiving development updates, reinstall the default version from the link above.
Caution: Development versions of this add-on have not been reviewed by Mozilla.
- Version 0.9.7.7.beta


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Why do we think and act the way we do? Psychology and the understanding of human behavior provide incredible insight into solving some of the biggest problems of today in a multitude of fields – from education to economics to politics. All these and more benefit from understanding why people think and act as they do.
As a Psychology undergraduate at Hastings College, you'll explore human behavior with professors who have a variety of specialties and interests. This allows you to experience a broad range of disciplines while tailoring coursework to areas you find most intriguing. With Hastings College's focus solely on undergraduate studies, you'll be involved in writing research proposals and conducting experiments then analyzing results and writing for publication.
You'll discover how to effectively use technology, including sophisticated data analysis software; how to navigate the body of psychological knowledge; and methods to design and conduct research. Perhaps you'll even assist a professor in researching NFL statistics and change blindness. From a career to graduate school, these Hastings College experiences set you apart!
While growing your abilities as a psychology major at Hastings College, you'll demonstrate an understanding of the goals, methods of knowing, areas of study and assumptions that characterize psychology. Through a broad collection of classes , you'll gain an appreciation of how psychology connects to so many other fields.
Numerous social service agencies rely on our psychology majors to assist with projects. You might find yourself in an internship supporting persons with intellectual disabilities at Mosaic, completing casework for clients with the Spouse Abuse Sexual Assault (SASA) Crisis Center, helping children by serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) or providing meals to elementary students as leader of the Food 4 Thought program. You might shadow staff at The Bridge, Bristol Station and the Hastings Public Schools' psychologist. Opportunities for experience abound!
Academic conferences on campus, including Academic Showcase, and at the state and regional levels are more great opportunities to shine. Recently, students presented research at the Great Plains Students' Research Conference and the Nebraska Psychological Society/Psychological Education and Research in Kansas Convention.
You'll find Hastings College Psychology graduates in dozens of different career settings, including serving as school psychologists, clinical psychologists, social workers, marketing and advertising experts, neuropsychologists at hospitals and research assistants in doctorate (PhD) programs. Others continue their studies with plans of joining law enforcement agencies and the ministry.
Excite your neural pathways! Apply to Hastings College today so you can put your psychology degree to work tomorrow.


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Function and style meet with eye-pleasing results in the balance arm floor lamp with Aqua Mosaic patterned shade.More Details >
Balance arm floor lamps are ideal for adding style and lighting function to seating areas and small rooms. This slim profile design features a warm tiger bronze finish on the base, pole and balance arm. Adjust the arm as desired to put light just where you need it for reading and other tasks. The custom made-to-order uno drum shade up top features a chic Aqua Mosaic printed giclee pattern. On/off switch on the main column. Shade printing process U.S. Patent # 7,347,593.


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Why Angus Stone sings for beer2:25
Our exclusive chat with the Aussie artist about desert dancing, Guinness and covering songs he loves
COLDPLAY dedicated a song to Australian singer Angus Stone during their second show at Sydney's Allianz Stadium - even though the band have no idea who he is.
Singer Chris Martin said the idea came from a fan who levelled his ego after Coldplay's run of stadium dates made him feel like "the best thing since sliced bread."
"This kid came up to me and said 'you guys are good but not as good as Angus Stone'," Martin told Sunday's sell-out crowd.
"I said I don't know who that is and now I have to check it out but I'd like to dedicate this song to Angus Stone who brought me back down to earth today."
Martin should have no problem accessing the ARIA-winning singer's back catalogue considering Coldplay and Stone share the same label, EMI.
"Everyone I spoke to said he's great and so I send him my love and respect and thank you to that kid for making me feel from a billion dollars right back down to about two dollars," Martin said before launching into the song Warning Sign.
Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto tour wraps up in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Originally published as Aussie kid slays Chris Martin's ego


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Final leaderboard
- 17: Adam Scott (F)
- 13: Ian Poulter (F)
- 9: Mark Brown (F)
- 9: Gareth Paddison (F)
- 6: Adam Crawford (F)
- 4: Peter Senior (F)
- 4: Michael Hendry (F)
- 2: Graeme McDowell (F)
- 2: David Bransdon (F)
5.31pm - Scott looks a hugely relieved man at the winner's presentation. After growing up admiring the achievements of Greg Norman, Australia's best player admitted it had been a long-time dream to win this tournament. The gold jacket may not be his fashion choice but he's smiling unreservedly nonetheless. Poulter is philosophical in defeat, alluding to a couple of final round errors that cost him. It was indeed a good day for Australian golf with a local winner of this event.
5.20pm - A terrific final-day shoot-out between two outstanding players. But it was Scott's day. A final round 67, highlighted by a streak of three straight birdies between the sixth and 8th holes, meant the gold jacket was his. Scott finishes on 17-under and beats Poulter by four shots, with Gareth Paddison and Mark Brown a further four shots back in equal third.
5.10pm - SCOTT WINS! He does it in style, claiming another birdie at the 18th, giving him a four-shot win over defending champion Ian Poulter. A hugely popular win for the Australian crowd. Scott shot a final round 67 while Poulter had to settle for an even-par 72 after starting the day one shot ahead of the world No.5. Scott takes home $A180,000 in what was his first tournament victory this year. No doubt Poulter will lament parts of his final round after scoring around Kingston Heath with a 64 on Saturday.
4.59pm - A dramatic 17th hole for the final pair. Incredibly, Poulter missed a gimme two-foot putt after taking an oh-too-casual approach to the shot. The result? An unexpected bogey. Scott then went about his business and two-putted the hole, restoring his three-shot lead. Only one hole to play. It's Scott's Masters now. Back to the Poulter putt ... the Englishman stood over the hole with one leg in air and his putt just missed. An extraordinary miss. He could applied applied the blowtorch to Scott in one last hurrah.
4.48pm - Birdie to Poulter. Just two shots the difference with two holes to come. Poulter made no mistake with his birdie putt while Scott was impressive in ensuring he came away without a blemish.
4.44pm - Scott and Poulter are coming down the 16th. Poulter has drilled his approach shot to within a couple of metres of the flag. Scott was forced to hit out of some mild rough and his second shot finished short of the green. Critical couple of minutes coming up for both players. Poulter must make up at least one shot on this hole.
4.34pm - Only three holes to play for the final pairing. Scott retains a three-shot lead after both him and Poulter came away with pars on he 15th. Mark Brown has charged into outright third at nine-under after three straight birdies. Strong battle between him and Gareth Pattinson for the final spot on the podium.
4.25pm - The par-five 4th could prove critical in the wash-up. Poulter finds more trouble and emerges with his second bogey in three holes. Scott is safe and comes away with another par. The result? Scott leads the defending champion by three shots with four holes to play. Surely the world No.5 won't give up the gold jacket from this point?
4.10pm - Another birdie for Gareth Paddison on the 15th. He improves to eight-under and stays in outright third spot. The Kiwi is three-under for the day, one shot ahead of Mark Brown. Brown is also enjoying an impressive final day to be seven-under overall. But it has been a tough final two days for the tournament's 'bolter' Matthew Guyatt. He's five-over on Sunday with three holes to play. The longshot should finish the tournament in the red however.
3.54pm - Plenty of drama on the par-five 12th. Poulter somehow escapes with only a bogey after reaching three different bunkers on the hole. His drive landed in the sand and his attempt to get out with a hybrid club only landed in another trap. The Englishman also managed to find a greenside bunker. He was facing a bogey putt (off the putting green) and drained what was probably a seven-metre putt to save face. Remarkable. Playing partner Adam Scott had a par. The Australian leads by two shots.
3.34pm - A terrific putt to save par for Scott on the 11th. In one of his rare blemishes on the final day, the Australian landed his tee shot in the bunker to the left hand side of the green on the par three. But a safe chip and a steady seven-foot putt saved his bacon. Another par to Poulter sees the Englishman remain nipping at Scott's heels. Peter Senior has finished his final round, signing for a 68 to finish at four-under overall.
3.25pm - Scott maintains his one-shot buffer on Poulter. Both players came away with pars on the 9th and 10th holes as a large gallery follows their every move. Adam Crawford is one of three players in equal third spot after a sizzling final round 65, featuring seven birdies.
2.59pm - Adam Scott! Birdie again! That's three in a row for the local hope as he improves to 16-under overall. Significantly, Poulter matched his effort and remains just one shot back. The fans following this headline lead pairing are loving this tussle. Great golf.
2.52pm - The final round is shaping as something special for Adam Scott. He makes his fourth birdie of the day (and second in a row) to advance to 15-under overall. His playing partner Ian Poulter does likewise, staying within one shot of the local hope.
2.36pm - Scott edges ahead again. The world No.5 makes his third birdie of the day, moving to 14-under overall after the par-four sixth. Scott is two-under for his round with Poulter even for the card on Sunday. The Englishman began the final day with a slender one-shot advantage to the home town hope but has relinquished the advantage again. Peter Senior has moved up the leaderboard after a four-under effort through 14 holes. The veteran is four-under overall in equal sixth spot.
2.28pm - It's back on level pegging between Poulter and Scott. The Englishman drops a shot on the fifth, following Scott's bogey on the fourth. The pairing top the leaderboard at 13-under, well clear of third-placed Kiwi Mark Brown. Adam Crawford has soared up the charts with a seven-under return through 15 holes.
2.10pm - Four holes down and Poulter moves to the outright lead again. After birdie-birdie to open his final round, Scott dropped a shot at the fourth, following a missed short putt. The leading pair are both one-under for the final round as large galleries track their progress around Kingston Heath.
1.55pm - It's shaping as a classic head-to-head contest to decide a tournament. Ian Poulter re-joins Adam Scott at the top of the leaderboard on 14-under after his first birdie of the day at the par-four third. There's some more tough signs for tournament bolter Matthew Guyatt after two bogeys in his first four holes. Guyatt slips to five-under overall.
1.40pm - Scott makes a red-hot start to his round. The world No.5 drains what seemed to be a 20-metre putt from off the green on the 2nd to start with back-to-back birdies. Scott moves to the outright at 14-under, one shot ahead of Poulter. It was a stunning putt from Scott after his ball stopped just one or two feet away from the bunker.
1.26pm - Adam Scott joins Ian Poulter in the outright lead at 13-under after a birdie at the par-five 1st. The Englishman went agonisingly close to also notching a birdie on the 462-metre opener but his four-foot putt lipped out.
1.20pm - New Zealander Mark Brown improves to equal third overall after starting his final round with a birdie. Brown is out seven-under, six shots adrift of tournament leader Ian Poulter, who is getting his final round underway with Australia's Adam Scott in the headline final pairing. Brown' playing partner Matthew Guyatt came out with a par on the 1st.
12.58pm - Australia's Adam Crawford is making the biggest impact on the leaderboard on the closing day of the Australian Masters. The Queenslander is currently four-under through eight holes, improving to three-under overall in blustery, somewhat chilly conditions in Melbourne. We're not far away now from the tee-off times for the final groups.


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There is not a single elected official - let alone a politician - who would ever admit that they enjoyed voting for a tax increase.
However, those elected officials who do happen to have the courage and wisdom to vote for an occasional tax hike should not be scarred for life.
Look at the recent decision by Bullitt Fiscal Court members.
To say that we were not surprised by the decision to take the compensatory rate, which increased the tax rate from 9.3 cents to 9.6 cents per $100 of assessed property.
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Peterson enjoys big league experience, first hit
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- D.J. Peterson didn't get an invitation to Major League camp this spring, as the Mariners wanted to bring their 2013 first-round Draft pick back slowly after his jaw was shattered by a pitch last August, but the young third baseman got a shot in Thursday's Cactus League game against the White Sox and made the most of it.
The 22-year-old third baseman was one of several Minor League players who filled out the bench Thursday, and dropped an RBI single into center field in the seventh inning of a 7-4 victory at Camelback Ranch for his first hit with the big club.
"It felt great, just to have the opportunity after the big injury I had," said the former University of New Mexico standout. "For the skip to give me a chance to come up here and play was truly a blessing. It felt good. It felt awesome. I didn't square it up as I wanted to, but I got the monkey off my back."
Peterson, the organization's No. 3 ranked prospect in 2013, would have loved an invitation to the big league camp this spring, but he understood the Mariners' thinking. He's wearing a jaw protector that attaches to his batting helmet as a safeguard, but hasn't had any issues returning to action.
"It was a little nerve-wracking my first at-bat, but after that it's kind of like, it was a freak accident and something that happens to somebody maybe once in their lifetime and most people none," Peterson said. "It's a one in a million. So the nerves are gone and seeing the inside pitch is not a problem. I don't think about a thing. I'm just trying to help this team and drive in runs."
He did that with his seventh-inning single, which he hopes is the first of many with the Mariners.
"I've been champing since I've been here, watching all these big leaguers get to do it every day," he said. "It's been awesome. Truly a blessing. And I feel honored they've given me a chance to get out here."
Peterson spent the early part of the game watching Kyle Seager's every move at third base, how he positioned himself, how the White Sox pitched to him, what pitches he was sitting on. Then he found himself playing the same position for the final four frames, and was still pinching himself afterward.
"To be honest, I still have nerves right now," he said before heading to catch the team bus. "I'm still shaking a little bit. It's awesome being around these big league guys. I've been watching some of these guys for five, six years. I'd be lying if I said I'm not nervous at all."
Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB as well as his Mariners Musings blog. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.