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Mark Ballas & BC Jean Share Intimate Wedding Details & If They're Ready To Have Kids ASAP
Mark Ballas and BC Jean, could NOT be any cuter! And with a wedding in the works and a tour this summer, the 'DWTS' pro and his singer fiancée, spoke EXCLUSIVELY to HollywoodLife.com about what their nuptials will be like and how many kids they're gunning for!
Mark Ballas, 30, and BC Jean, 29, are BEYOND excited to start their life together, and lucky for them, they don't have to wait long! In fact, the engaged couple got super candid on the HollywoodLife.com podcast and dished about what kind of wedding they're planning, who's invited, and what their baby plans are. Click inside to listen and read about ALL the exciting details!
In a new interview for the HollywoodLife.com podcast, Mark and BC revealed that, although they got engaged back in November, the two STILL haven't done very much wedding planning — but they're not worried! "We haven't had much time, but we definitely are supposed to be doing that," BC explained with a humorous tone.
"We were doing it, then life happened," Mark chimed in. "The EP, then the tour and the show, traveling." Makes total sense, right? The lovebirds HAVE been incredibly busy lately so we don't blame them for putting their nuptials on hold.
After all, Mark competed in Season 22 of Dancing With the Stars while he and BC have been preparing to go on tour together this summer as a singing duo, and yes, they also released a fabulous EP. But when it comes to the basics, Mark and BC have a pretty good idea of what they want their wedding to look like.
BC thinks thinks the ceremony will most likely take place on the West Coast. And while Mark originally wanted to do it in Hawaii, BC laughed, "That's why we went there for his 30th — get it out of his system!" But aside from having a West Coast wedding, BC and Mark both have agreed to keep it "intimate" with "definitely a good party."
It totally sounds like their walk down the aisle will be a blast! But the couple still have yet to pick a date. "I have a lot of family members. A lot of friends on both coasts," Mark dished. "I grew up in England, so all my high school and college friends are in the UK. I'm getting texts like 'when's the date?'"
BC added, "I don't want people I don't know at the wedding, so the whole plus-one situation is going to be awkward. I'm not so comfortable with that. If they're married or in a serious relationship, that's a different story. I don't trust some of my friends for the people they date."
So in the end, the couple are planning on having less than 200 guests. And as for Mark's best man? While he didn't come right out and say it, we have a feeling fellow DWTS celeb, Derek Hough, 31, will fill the position. "Derek is pretty much my brother," Mark gushed.
And while Mark and BC definitely have babies on the brain, they're not quite ready to become parents just YET. But eventually they're looking to have a sizable fam. "I mean, we're both only children technically," BC said. As Mark added that they "definitely [want] more than one."
"Like two or three," BC confirmed. "A psychic told me I would have three so that's probably true." Aw! If you can't get enough of BC and Mark, check out their tour, which begins June 17. They're making 22 stops and it goes until July 23. Head over to iTunes to download the HollywoodLife.com podcast for free — or click the button at left — to listen to the rest of Shawn's interview!
How cute are BC and Mark, HollywoodLifers? Do you think they make the perfect couple? Sound off!


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Dear Art Friends,
WSAG is pleased to welcome Louise Larose, an internationally reputed Canadian painter. Louise will be presenting her series entitled "Japanese Kimonos" inspired by her journey to the land of the rising sun which left her with such vivid memories of these beautiful cultural garments renowned for their symbolism and balance. In Japan, the kimono is itself a work of art of great splendor and this series of paintings from Ms. Larose pays tribute to their beauty.
Please join us at WSAG's opening art show reception with artist in attendance to be held on Thursday, August 15 (7:00 to 9:00 pm) at 270 Wellington Street West, Toronto.
I hope you can drop by the gallery to meet Louise and view her spectacular paintings
Fiery and lithe, the grand, gestural strokes of Canadian painter Louise Larose are lavishly grandiose, yet delicately poignant. Passion pervades these paintings, permeating every aspect and element of the canvases. Articulating this fervor for life and beauty through both abstraction and figuration, the artist expresses her lively desire for every facet of existence.
Trained formally in watercolors and drawing, Larose found freedom in working with acrylic paints which allowed her to explore and experience color as never before. Light has since become a profoundly expressive tool for her, something used to voice Larose's emotions and understanding of herself and her world. "My varied body of work, at the boundaries of abstract and figurative art, reflects the source of my inspiration," she says. "I incorporate into my art everything that excites me: nature, travel, freedom but also intuition and the purity of emotion. To paint for me is to open a door to a private universe."
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Louise Larose teaches visual art to high school students

subset: commoncrawl


text: We may not have a 40,000 square foot grocery store downtown, but if you want to find some high quality and locally produced food, you should consider setting course to Krankies coffee at 211 E. Third Street every Tuesday from 11am to 1pm. These are real farmers using environmentally sustainable methods to market. The market will include vegetables, fruit, honey, eggs, goat cheese from Goat Lady Dairy, bread from Camino Bakery, and Krankies' freshly roasted coffee beans. Before inviting farmers to sell at Krankies, the Triad Buying Co-Op visits their farms to get to know them and their practices. We also allow only items grown or made by the vendors." The Triad Buying Co-op is a cooperative organization whose members work together to purchasefairly priced natural products, to support local farms and businesses, and to build a stronger and more sustainable community. Contact info:www.tbcoop.com or www.krankiescoffee.com


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'Polarity' – Christopher Hancock
Christopher Hancock is best known for his dark and twisted figurative works that explore the surreal complexities of the human condition. Born in Perth, the now Melbourne-based artist hails from a background in Australia's graffiti and street art scene. The raw aesthetics of these urban movements can still be seen in his studio works, although it is the influence of fine artists such Francis Bacon that is most prominent. Within Christopher Hancock's works themes of family, love, sexuality, anxiety, depression and mental health can be derived among many others.
Credit: p1xels
Christopher Hancock's works present the layerings of an honest and philosophical soul. In a market oversaturated with technicolour pleasantries, Hancock's works choose to dig a little deeper into the human psyche; to discover and arouse the real emotions that lay embedded in the dark hollows of our minds.
His latest show, Polarity, is no exception to this ongoing artistic exploration of the soul. With a body of work built upon his own emotional research, the show promises to offer audiences a genuine insight into the artists' own mind; one that viewers may find themselves relating to, one that stirs (or perhaps disturbs) your own existential stew.
Credit: p1xels
The show features over twenty new works from the Melbourne based artist including charcoal drawings for the first time. Hancock uses a variety of mediums in his mixed-media approach to painting including oils, acrylic and aerosol. Each painting is created over an extended period of time as he fluctuates between a cycle of creating and destroying layers until an expressive work begins to emerge and it is within this process that the visual honesty, evident throughout his works, originates. In an attempt to try and capture this unique process, a frame by frame documentation of one of the works in Polarity has been made and will feature as an installation in the show.
Credit: p1xels
Opening Night: Friday 18th November 2016 from 6pm at BSIDE Gallery, 121 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Victoria


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Elon Musk took to Twitter late on Wednesday night to tout Tesla's forthcoming "advanced summon" feature, which he says is due out in about six weeks.
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"Car will drive to your phone location & follow you like a pet if you hold down summon button on Tesla app," Musk tweeted.
In another tweet, Musk said that "you'll be able to drive it from your phone remotely like a big RC car"—though only if the car is within the line of sight.
Read 3 remaining paragraphs | Comments


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Light-blue Stripe Printed V Neck Button Up Long Sleeve Casual DressSKU: 048326
Embellishment: Button, Pocket, Printed
Material: Polyester, Spandex
Neckline: V Neck
Occasion: Daily, Date, Going Out, Street
Pattern: Stripe
Season: Fall, Summer
Silhouette: A Line
Sleeve Length: Long Sleeve
Style: Casual, Street
Size Chart(Inch) S M L XL Bust 34.6 36.6 38.6 40.6 Length 42.1 42.7 43.3 43.9 Sleeve 23.2 23.6 24 24.4 Waist 26.4 28.3 30.3 32.3 Size Chart(CM) S M L XL Bust 88 93 98 103 Length 107 108.5 110 111.5 Sleeve 59 60 61 62 Waist 67 72 77 82
The dimensions data from the measurement of the product, "click here" to see the measuring methods details, and allow 1-2cm (0.4-0.8") differences due to manual measurement, thanks.
Actual fabric colors may vary slightly from online colors due to variations in screen color settings.
30 Days Return + Shipping PolicyShipping & Delivery
Receiving time = Processing time + Shipping time
Note: In orders with more than one item, the processing time will be based on the item with the longest processing time.
We will prepare your order after it have verified. Such as: strict quality control, arrange the suitable carriers.Return Policy
Return within 30 days from the delivered date.
1. Items received within 30 days from the delivered date.
2. Items received unused, undamaged and in original package.


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UK Alternatives Predictions 2018
The sixth JLL Alternatives Predictions event took place in January. 2017 was another excellent year for Alternatives, with over £15.7 billion of transactions, higher than JLL's prediction of £15 billion. Alternatives made up 26% of the market with total commercial property volumes above £60 billion. JLL's own market share in Alternatives was 32% of all deals.
At the event, the team presented the findings of the annual survey as well as identifying the key themes that would likely affect the Alternative sectors in 2018.


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Work Ready
Confidence Building 2-day work placements.
Orto Stella will provide mini 2-day work placements aimed at building your confidence in the
These can be accompanied but each and every work placement will be vetted ensuring that they can provide a welcoming, supportive but informative work placement to help break any barriers you might have with returning to work.
There is no limit to the number you may attend – each and every one of us is different so we tailor the support to your needs, not ours – we want you to progress and succeed at every stage and it doesn't matter how long this takes.
If you would like to offer a 2-day mini confidence building work placement, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com or click here for our PDF fact sheet.
CareerPlanner is all about providing you with the tools and insights into how you can create the best possible career.
So when you start your job search it will help you to identify those jobs that you are more likely to be suited to and if you have a passion for them this enthusiasm will come across in your application.
It is true that many of us have never discovered the type of work that we might be truly interested in doing so this gives us that opportunity.
The key to your career success and job satisfaction is to build your career around the type of work that interests you:
the type of work that you are passionate about
the type of work, that when you are doing it, you lose all track of time
It is easier to succeed when you are passionate about what you are doing.
This is an online report and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
If you are already registered with Orto Stella please email us for the link and your unique password to access this.
What does your "Personality Type" have to do with your career and finding a job?
This is an online report and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
It will help you to discover:
The type of work you prefer
Whether you prefer to work with lots of people or just a few
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How you get along and don't get along with other people
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Whether you wait until the last minute to start a project, or you start well before a deadline
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Unlike reading some books on personality type, which often give you a lot more than you want to know, this report will help you to focus on your specific personality type helping you identify your working type and style.
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If you are already registered with Orto Stella please email us for the link and your unique password to access this.
Just 15 minutes could change your life by giving you a better picture and understanding of your skills and potential career direction.
Your motivated skills are the skills you are good at using and that you really enjoy using. In fact, these are the skills that you can take with you (transfer) from job to job and from career to career.
This online card sort is easy to use and good fun but will also help you:
Discover what your favourite skills are.
Identify skills to list on your résumé and CV.
Know which skills to leave off your résumé, so your next job is a better fit for you.
Identify your "transferable skills", the skills you can take with you from job to job.
Discover your "motivated skills", the skills you enjoy using the most and are highly proficient at.
Understand your "burn out skills", those skills you are competent at, but no longer enjoy using.
Discover your "developmental skills" those areas where you want to improve or learn new skills.
It is important for us to identify our motivated and transferable skills as it can help us to be the most successful we can be and ultimately fulfilled.
This is an online report and takes about 15 minutes to complete.
If you are already registered with Orto Stella please email us for the link and your unique password to access this.
Life Skills
Life skills are abilities and behaviours that help you effectively deal with the events and challenges of everyday life. They are the skills that allow you to handle everything from interactions with others to identifying and processing your emotions.
Links to valuable resources
Women in an abusive relationship or anyone with concerns can call free 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline run in partnership between Women's Aid and Refuge.


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May 29, 2009
Goode Family Does Weak Ratings
Not awful, but neither good enough to suggest it will be on for long.
I wasn't going to review this, as my review is pretty negative, and I didn't want to say bad things about Mike Judge or a conservative-friendly show. But as the show already seems on life support...
Bear in mind, the first episode of Seinfeld (the first four episodes really) were horrible. The show only became non-horrible in the second season, and only became good in the third.
Most shows start out rather badly.
Caveats aside:
There were a few decent jokes, but only a few. The bumper sticker on their car? "Support Our Troops... and Their Opponents" was inspired. Incisive and witty and mean, too. And the dog, forced to be "vegan" but dreaming all day of bloody red murder of squirrels and cats? Cute.
I was surprised by how many direct shots the show took at liberals. I was not expecting it to be this aggressive.
It attempted to sugar-coat the shots by demonstrating empathy for the family having to persevere under such ridiculous rules. And they were portrayed as underdog strivers, too, while richer liberals derided them as "poor." They're shown as victims of this absurd culture of ostentatious Concern Fascism, which is a nice way to try to have one's cake and eat it too; but I don't think they quite pulled it off.
I just don't think Mike Judge empathizes with these people they way he so obviously did with Hank Hill, his family, and neighbors. The empathy seemed contrived rather than genuine. It seemed that it was the result of "notes" from the network demanding sympathetic characters.
Which is actually important if the show's going to work. Politically, hell's yeah, show no empathy for liberals; tear 'em to pieces mercilessly; I'm down with that. But artistically and commercially the audience has to identify with the characters, and for that to happen, the writers and producers have to identify with them first.
Besides: Hank Hill and the rest were kinda real-ish characters. You knew damn well that Judge knew people more or less exactly like this, and the characters on the show were close approximations of real people. Exaggerated, but based on reality. Fake but accurate.
I don't get that sense from The Goode Family -- I get the feeling the characters aren't people the writers really know, but merely imagine. And so they come off as artificial.
And the closest the show can manage for empathy for them is to portray them as pathetic, beset by social pressures that they violate at their own peril. Not really fun to watch.
On top of that: Look, politics is a very narrow subject to focus a show on. Most people are interested in seeing human, rather than political, foibles. (King of the Hill wasn't really about politics. To the extent it was about anything political, it was about culture.) I don't know how far they could carry this premise even if the show managed to become a hit.
Even in their first show, they couldn't seem to focus much on any particular aspect of the liberal malaise; they tossed out, in rapid fashion, jokes and vignettes about: white guilt racial panic, vindictive anti-white affirmative action (another good joke here), veganism, leftist status-seeking, fashionable fair-trade organic shade-grown whatnots, excessive openness to the sexualization of one's children, excessive desire by adult liberals to be perceived as "cool" by their children, hostility to religion and patriotism, etc.
Is that bad? I don't know. It's scattershot, for one thing, not really spending an entire plot on one particular element, exploring the studio space, as it were; and on top of it it sort of burns a lot of potential future plotlines.
I sorta think the right way to have done this was to do a more convention sit-com about more appealing characters who were pretty much apolitical. With the humor focused on more typical human stuff. And then toss in one character who's a goofball liberal and pillory him in a B-plot once every second or third episodes. Make the anti-liberal thing a major part of the show, but not the only part of it.
Okay, that's the review for the first half of the show, because the second half pulls a 180 and is completely different.
In the second half, the show makes fun of fundamentalist-types hosting "Purity Balls." (No, there's no joke about "balls" made by the show.) The father and daughter become much more sympathetic characters, and are, through contrast with the weirdly Oedeipal father-daughter "marriages" going on at the purity ball, made to appear to be the normal, non-weird ones.
Now this section sorta follows "the rules" by making the heroes, well, the heroes, and so it feels more like a real show with real characters and some modest chance at success.
On the other hand, this section isn't really conservative friendly. It's not unfriendly, either, really; these particular Purity Balls are depicted as weird (and so they seemed to me), but the father and daughter were both open to the idea of abstinence and purity balls. Just not this version.
So even though the second half is not exactly conservative-bashing, liberals are once again the heroes, and we've seen that in.. well, every other show.
I liked the show as a show more in the second half, despite the fact that all the good conservative political stuff was in the beginning.
So the question is: Who is going to watch this? When the show makes its liberal protagonists the heroes (and a show's protagonists really ought to be its heroes, unless you're beyond brilliant and can get away somehow with violating this basic rule), conservatives aren't interested. On the other hand, when it pokes fun at liberals, liberals get turned off.
And liberals have no sense of humor about themselves, so even the lightest poking will be met with stony silence. So no, they can't even do a show in which liberals are mostly virtuous and wise and heroic, but occasionally ridiculous; that "occasionally ridiculous" part will be entirely unacceptable to 95% of liberals. Dealbreaker. "Reich-wing propaganda."
So, really, I have no idea what this show is or who it's for. It just seems terribly misconceived. It might be that interference and demands for "balance" by the network resulted in some schizophrenic furred fish, but the problem seems more of basic concept than bad tweaking by the network.
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Good Monday! I'm back in the office after last week's Security Excellence Awards shindig hootenanny extravaganza. In case you missed it, here's the full list of winners, here's a gallery with them in it, and here's another gallery of images from the event.
In today's security news awesomeness we have not just a video, and not just a photo, but a video, photo and words all about a new fingerprint technology that is designed to scan its way through muck and scars and all that sort of malarkey. Check it out!
Then there's Bosch's claim to be the market leader in the EMEA CCTV market – which isn't, sadly, a huge covered market that happens in The Hague or somewhere between Thursday and Sunday each week.
We've also got a new face to introduce: it's Martin Jefferson, of Western Digital, who takes up the newly created post of Storage Doctor. Read all about him – then send through your digital video storage questions. FAQtual!
There's also cash in transit experts Loomis with their Sainsbury's contract; Smart Guard's plans for IFSEC India; and terror security for Number One Poultry – a building, rather than an excellent chicken. Though a prize winning chicken could be the target of an attack, so best to keep vigilant.


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NEW ON THE MARKET – Unique Ocean View Property!
45 acres of rolling hills within walking distance to the beautiful beaches of San Juanillo. Many options for residential and/or commercial development. Perfect for a health or retreat center.
This incredible property is located just outside the authentic fishing village of San Juanillo. These uncrowded sandy beaches with natural coves are becoming well known as a perfect place for travelers and families to enjoy. Tourism has been steadily growing in the area. The village has several popular restaurants, a boutique hotel, a B&B, and a convenient mini market.
The world-famous turtle refuge of Ostional is only 10 minutes away and the well-known surf beaches of Nosara are 25 minutes away.
Access to water/electricity, public road frontage, short distance to beaches create multiple opportunities for development!
Well priced at $14/m2. A great value for this unique property!
$2,500,000 – (18 hectares/45 acres)
- 24/7 Security
- Air Conditioning
- Balcony
- Beach Club
- Beachfront
- Bedding
- Cable TV
- Cleaning after Exit
- Cofee pot
- Concession
- Condominium Title
- Cot
- Cul-de-sac
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- Fenced / Gated Property
- Financing Available
- Fridge
- Fully furnished
- Gated Community
- Gated Property
- Golf Course
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- HOA fees
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- Tropical Garden
- Underground Parking
- Walk to Beach
- Walk to the beach
- Wifi
San Juanillo


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- Shutterstock.com
The State Department recently made some changes to its website, where it lays out the policy and requirements for changing the gender marker on a passport. The ability to change one's gender marker on official documents after or during transition is vital to the safety and comfort of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and the process can be so complicated and restrictive as to cause genuine turmoil. (The state of Colorado still hasn't passed recent years' legislation to make it easier for transgender individuals to change the gender on their birth certificates.)
Naturally, the change in the State Department's language put many people and organizations on-edge.
The National Center for Transgender Equality pointed out some of the most glaring changes on Wed., Sept. 12:
• Links to resources from the American Medical Association and the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) have been removed.
• A new paragraph highlights burdensome provisions of the 2010 policy, specifically for two-year provisional passports for people who submit letters stating they are "in the process" of transition.
• A needless paragraph has been added to the website stating, "A U.S. passport does not list the bearer's gender identity. The sex marker on your U.S. passport is based on your evidence of U.S. citizenship and identity, including a medical certification of sex change. The sex marker may not match the gender in which you identify." Though this language is undesirable and uninformed, it does not change the requirements of the policy.
• Most mentions of the word "gender" have been replaced with the word "sex."
These changes immediately sowed confusion among the LGBTQ community. Given the fact that national policy seems to fall to the whim of President Trump's Twitter account frequently enough, the questions raised were valid ones. Did this change in language indicate a change in policy? Would it become even harder for transgender people to receive the proper gender designation on their passport?
After advocacy groups raised such concerns, the National Center for Transgender Equality reported on Sept. 13 that an official with the department sent them the following statement:
"We want to state unequivocally that there has been no change in policy or in the way we adjudicate passports for transgender applicants. The Department of State is committed to treating all passport applicants with dignity and respect. With regard to the web update, we added language to make our use of terms consistent and accurate and to eliminate any confusion customers may have related to the passport application process. We apologize for inadvertently including some language which may be considered offensive and are updating the website to remove it."
Unfortunately, the rule that a transgender individual must submit certification from a physician to change the gender marker on their passport still stands, but thankfully it doesn't look like the process will become any more complicated than that in the foreseeable future.
As of right now, the language on the U.S. Department of State page has largely reverted to its previous state, though many instances of the word "gender" replaced with "sex" remain. (See an archived version of the page from 2010 here.)
The policy for changing the gender marker on a U.S. Passport still does not allow for those who do not identify as male or female to change their gender marker to anything but the two binary genders. In 2017, Canada became the first country in the Americas to allow for gender-neutral gender markers on their passports (using the letter "X" instead of "M" or "F"), but the U.S. has yet to take that step.
Intersex activist Dana Zzyym, a resident of Fort Collins, Colo., has been attempting to obtain a gender-neutral passport for four years. They are still embroiled in legal battles.


text: Rob and yamel maynard were the most professional realtors i've ever worked with. They went above and beyond with helping with a completely stressful situation. The client is number one and they are involved with every step of The process. I would recommend them to anyone who wants an easy experience selling or buying a house. They truely made this a great experience. I would never use anyone else.— Corrine S.


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Thank You Messages For Boss: When it come to people who we look up to and inspire us in our everyday lives, our boss' names always come to mind. They are people who have helped us in achieving our goals and milestones and making us fine human beings. We work hard, persevere and go ahead on the road to success due to such individuals. They make us who we are most often and teach us lessons no one else can. But often we forget to thank these fine human beings and in the course of the day we forget to appreciate them. Everyone needs to take out at least five to ten minutes to thank this wonderful boss of theirs who have made them thorough professionals and inspired to be better people in society. Let's express some words of gratitude for these successful people who make for ideal role models in our daily lives and always let them know how appreciated they are.
Thank You Messages For Boss
I have learnt so much thanks to your wonderful guidance and support. Thank you for everything you have ever taught me and all the fun team outings.
Thank you for being the best boss ever and helping us out whenever we needed you. Our team shines at every meeting because of the way you guide us and we are so proud to have you as our boss.
You taught us the value of perseverance and hard work as well as the art of mastering one's skills. We cannot thank you boss for the great lessons in life and we will forever remain in your debt.
It us so difficult to find a boss like you who supports us in good times and bad times and who always sticks up for us. Even when we make mistakes you help us understand how to get through it rather than leaving us to it. We have learned how to work efficiently and as a team thanks to your guidance and we thank you for that .
There are very few bosses like you who would inspire their team to such a great extent. But you also know how to let loose and party after office hours. We are so thankful to have got a great boss like you.
We have truly hit the gold spot with a boss like you and we are ever so grateful for everything that you have taught us. You are the life of this team and always keep your word to us. We can never thank you enough for all the great opportunities you have given us and we will forever remain in your debt.
I have learnt so much from you in such a short time and I am eager to keep learning. Thank you for being such an amazing boss and helping me move ahead in life. I respect you so very much.
You truly are an amazing boss who teaches us to be independent. You have taught us the value of hard work and determination as well as how to be a good person. We are truly lucky to have you as our boss and are really thankful for everything.
It is amazing to know such an amazing boss as you not only inspire us but help us through our hardships. Whenever we get stuck you advise us and help us to move forward. Thank you for everything in life and we are very happy to have you as our senior.
We have been able to accomplish so much professionally because of a boss like you and it has truly been a feat working with you. You inspire us to be so much better and we thank you for this.
If there is anyone I respect as much as my parents it is you boss as you have taught me the meaning of working hard to achieve your goals. Every time I had wanted to give up you taught me to keep going and I have learnt so much from you. Thank you for being the best kind of boss there could be.
You have always held your own when our team has been questioned and shown us your strength and integrity. You are truly a boss to look upto as you never point out anyone for a mistake but help them achieve better. Thank you for being such a successful boss and a good human being as well.
With a boss like you it is hard to go wrong in any aspect of life and I am truly honored that I get to work with you. Thank you for guiding us on the right way and helping us in our work and to achieve all our goals. We respect and honor you completely.
Keep being the amazing boss that you are and making everyone work to the best of their abilities. We wouldn't have been able to do it all without you. Thank you for being such a great and lovely boss.
Work might be tough and deadlines might be never ending but with a boss like you it all seems achievable. Thank you for being such a great boss and always supporting us. You have truly inspired us to do better in all aspects of our work.
A boss like you is not just an inspiration to us but to everyone in the working environment. You work odd hours just to help us and put in that extra effort for us to shine. We are truly inspired and thankful to have you as our boss and wouldn't have it any other way.
There are good bosses and then there are amazing bosses like you who inspire us to come to work everyday. I have learnt so much from you in the past year and I will forever be thankful to you for everything you have taught me and all the great lessons you have given me.
Today I would like to pay an ode to a truly amazing boss who has inspired me to accomplish everything I want in life. You have helped me believe in myself when no one else did and I thank you immensely for all the kind words and support you have given me throughout my office life.
The office would not be the same without you and there is never a dull moment when you are around boss. Thanks for being the most fun and down to earth boss I have ever come across and thank you for making office a joy.
You are a boss that everyone should look up to and I would like to thank you for all the great lessons you have taught me. Four years has gone by in a breeze thanks to your kind support and generous words.
There are a few bosses like you whom I hold in such high respect. Thank you for being a supremely great boss and making work life such a blast. It is amazing to see your passion and dedication and it drives us all throughout the day.
You are one boss I can ever be scared of because you make us feel at ease and never display any sense of ego towards us. Thank you for being so down to earth and lovable and for making us enjoy our work even more.
Let's say a big thank you to one of the best bosses we have ever worked with. You are truly an inspiration to us all and we will surely miss you a lot in office.


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New: First Aid Beauty on Sephora.fr
Every season, Sephora brings the best of international skincare to France. Among the great discoveries of the season, I was happy to try First Aid Beauty. Their motto ? Provide everyday essentials and targeted skincare solutions that deliver immediate relief, lasting results and feel-good textures. Ready to try ?
Facial radiance pads
This was a premiere for me: daily treatment pads that contain just the right amount of Lactic and Glycolic Acids to safely and effectively exfoliate, tone, and brighten all skin types, including sensitive. How cool ! Cucumber and Indian Gooseberry help tone skin while Lemon Peel and Licorice Root leave the complexion looking bright and glowing.
I have been trying them for a few weeks now, and I can say the regular use of these pads actually smooth the skin's texture.
Face cleanser
This is a fragrance-free, gentle cleanser that effectively removes makeup, dirt and grime, leaving skin soft and supple. The whipped texture transforms into a sumptuous cream when blended with water.
Infused with a powerful Botanical Antioxidant blend, it helps safeguard skin against environmental aggressors while also calming irritated skin. This non-stripping, pH-balanced formula works to maintain skin's natural acidity and helps reduce flair ups, never leaving skin feeling tight or dry.


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Sandhole Oak Barn Wedding, Gemma & David
July 6, 2015
I shot a beautiful Sandhole Oak Barn Wedding on Saturday and it was such a great day I don't even know where to start! Gemma and Dave were a hoot! They decided on a book theme for their reception with piles of books as the table centrepieces and table names of famous novels. Splendid tablecloths too. They had a band called Rockaoke which was like a live gig kareoke – possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen at a wedding. There were too many funny bits to mention and needless to say I had a really great day with these guys. Here are some of my favourites.


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CardiffWanderer's Beginners "Beginner's Guide" To MMA Tycoon
Posted 14 April 2010 - 04:28 PM
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Posted 14 April 2010 - 04:37 PM
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Posted 14 April 2010 - 04:42 PM
In a programming sort of approach, yeah, it's about that level.
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Posted 14 April 2010 - 05:09 PM
Have I lost the will to win? Or am I just useless. My advice seems to be very successful to other people so perhaps I should take my own advice... mmm.
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Posted 22 April 2010 - 12:13 AM
Good stuff CardiffWanderer.
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Posted 12 May 2010 - 04:40 AM
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Posted 12 May 2010 - 07:06 AM
I enjoy doing kimuras from guard/half guard. It's just easier to me, comes more naturally. But it depends on the fighter
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Posted 12 May 2010 - 11:34 AM
I enjoy doing kimuras from guard/half guard. It's just easier to me, comes more naturally. But it depends on the fighter
I would be surprised if you tried to kimura someone from guard who had decent sub defense that you weren't switched into mount or someone tried to slap on a triangle. However there may be technique you have that is highly effective which I would obviously like to see but I would say that I haven't seen it successfully used as anything but a passing device once people are over purple belt level.
From half guard I agree that it used commonly and very effectively although I would be interested in seeing comparisons on how often it works out when you add strikes from the bottom.
However in game turns, this is a representation of numbers put into terms that are clearly seen in the flavour text so this is accurate to the advantageous in the game.
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Posted 12 May 2010 - 02:58 PM
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Posted 12 May 2010 - 06:19 PM
That is in the ideal position and that is in the guide but it is more about passing. Someone with high BJJ and knowing what they are doing can clamp down a wrestlers passing opportunity and use it to reverse the position or get the sub so for those going up against high BJJ fighters it may not be the wisest move.
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Posted 06 June 2010 - 07:32 PM
First thing is that all new (or noob) players should always be confident to ask a question, no matter how simple or complex, as everyone misunderstands or needs clarification on something. People are always willing to help and repetition of questions is never a worry to all those who contribute. If you have a question ask, this is why this part of the forum is here.
One thing that is always very useful, especially when asking about specific fighters and/or fights to post a link to them. It makes it far easier to be accurate when trying to help.
Secondly, every new player should read the wiki. It is not a complete guide but it is the best way to get a feel for the game as a whole and will give you vital pointers. The next thing you should do is read PSUMIke's "New players Guide to Effective Fighter Building" found here http://www.mmatycoon...?showtopic=5433 as this will show all new managers how to get a hold on fight creation, something that will not be touched on in this guide. It is masterfully put together and was well worth the "Most Helpful Manager Of The Year Award".
Thirdly and finally, I claim none of this knowledge of my own. This has been developed from the information given out by experienced managers who give their time, day after day to help others and all of them should be proud of what they do. I am simply putting it together so others do not have to and I make no claim of this being perfect, it will be developed and changed as those who are my superiors correct my mistakes until hopefully it is a good supplemental guide to those that already exist.
- VIP is an upgrade from the free account and gives the user extra fighters, the ability to won companies and scouting tools to make keeping up with fighters much easier.
- VIP costs $10 for three months, $18 for 6 months and $30 for a year which goes directly to the creator and only makes the game better. http://www.mmatycoon.com/vip.php
Game Time
- Fighters age one year every 13 weeks (so they age 4 years every calender year) although the training and fights dates are worked on the real calender. So if a fight says it would happen on 1/1/10 it meant that it happened on the 1st January 2010 and not an in game date.
Training Time.
- All training times happen at 9am and 9pm GMT (time of London) no matter where you are in the world. (This is opposed to fights that happen at 6pm of the orgs regional time).
- Importance of Attributes
- Primary Attributes (represented by Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling and BJJ) are equally as important as Secondary Attributes (Punches, Kicks, Elbows, Knees, Clinch, Ground and Pound, Takedown Offense, Takedown Defence, Submission Offense and Defensive Grappling). More information here http://www.mmatycoon...=Fighter_skills
- All attributes have a number value of 1 to 150 and the combined amount of your primary and secondary score will show how affective you are at a particular ability.
- These numbers are represented by words, going from Useless to Elite with the in between totals found here; http://www.mmatycoon...le=Skill_values. BJJ is different as the numbers are represented by belts;
- White: Useless -- to Woeful -
- Blue: Woeful + to Respectable -
- Purple: Respectable + to Superb ++
- Brown: Remarkable -- to Exceptional ++
- Black: Sensational -- to Elite (?)
- Red : Elite (?) (No one has currently made it to this level)
- Physicals are also important and have an aspect on all aspects of fighting and also progress in the same way as the abilities. These are a factor in every aspect of fights but in different proportions depending on what is important in the particular situation.
- Important - The wiki only suggests one possibility of how the different physicals work, it is not a complete list in any way shape or form.
- How different physicals affect fighters is in the Effective Build Guide however a brief explanation would be that strikers would need Agility, Balance and Speed, Wrestling needs Speed, balance and strength and BJJ requires flexibility, balance and conditioning.
- Pops
- Pops are when an attribute goes from one level to the next, for instance Competent to Respectable.
- People with VIP get mini pops represented by symbol combinations that represent 2.5 points of the 10 needed to progress a level of ability. These can be identified like this;
-- 0.00 to 2.49
- 2.50 to 4.99
+ 5.00 to 7.49
++ 7.50 to 9.99
- Sometimes pops can go wrong, this often seems to happen between Mediocre and Competent or Competent and Respectable, when the pop resets to useless. This is not a problem can be rectified quickly by contacting Mike Tycoon or posting on the error forum. It is quickly rectified.
- Training
- To set training schedules you need to go to the gym that your fighter is in, scroll to the bottom of the screen and a drop down menu will appear with all your options.
- Training is split into three types, Sparring (which presents working with other fighters in a gym, practice fighting), Coach (where you work with someone in a specific aspect of the fight game) and physical (working to improve your body).
- The coaches training sessions can be selected above the hashed (-------) line while sparring and individual work outs are below this line
- With each training session you lose energy and the more energy you have the more effective training is. It is wise to keep your fighter from dropping below 90% energy and an optimum amount would be over 95% energy.
- Sparring -
- Sparring improves your primary attributes. It does have a small affect on secondaries and physicals as well but this often depends on the individual fighters learning speed.
- The quality of sparring depends on who is the sparring session with you and not the number of people involved as it is an average score of all those involved. How this is works will shown in two examples.
- One on One Sparring - One useless wrestler (ability level of 1) spars with a wonderful wrestler (ability level of 110). The useless wrestler will get a quality of training equal to 110 and the wonderful wrestler will get the equivalent of just 1.
- Multiple participants Sparring - Two useless wrestlers (ability level of 1) and Two wonderful wrestlers (ability level of 110) spar together. The two useless wrestlers will get the equivalent level of training of 110 + 110 +1 /3 = 73.6 and the two wonderful wrestlers would get a session of 110 + 1 + 1 / 3 = 37.3.
- There is no way to discover the level of the people who spar with you so it can be a bit of a lucky draw.
-Most gyms have a sparring schedule, this is good to keep to for two reasons. Firstly, if many people spar the average is likely to be reasonable as it will be a mix of ability. Secondly, most gyms try and organise private sessions for stronger attributed fighters on the other days. These should not be gate crashed as they lose out and it will be something that you will need in the future and people are less likely to want to help you create private sessions if you spoil others.
- If you select a time to spar when no one else is you will find that your fighter stands around doing nothing and you get nothing from the session. All people can view how many people are training at a time on the gyms main page.
- Fighters can only spar so much before they get unhappy and lose morale and energy. A maximum sensible balance for fighters with conditioning of wonderful up id 6 out of the possible 12 sessions a week otherwise the penalties take too much away from the training. This does not occur for any other training aspect.
- Training with a coach -
- Coaches can be set to any level between useless and elite (between 0 and 150 points) in one of 5 aspects of training. A coach only needs to be good at one aspect to train one thing but may need to be good at several things to train other things well. For more information see here http://www.mmatycoon...=Gyms_(manager)
- The gym owner defines what the coach is training and can be viewed under the individual coaches name as to what he is doing.
- All users will see a number and the term "fighter sessions" next to the coaches name which identifies how many fighters train under the coach in a week. VIP users will see a second number next to the individual classes which shows how many people are involved in each class.
- Elite managers try to be involved with classes with less than 5 participants however those of us who are on a budget will see the best affects from classes under 10 people.
- Training Physicals -
- Physicals represent the fighters body traits, broken down into Agility, Flexibility, Speed, Strength, Conditioning and Balance.
- There are discrepancies of the ease that some physicals can be trained up compared to others so most experienced managers create fighters with the lowest possible strength and conditioning as it can be built up quickly with the use of cardio training and Weights.
- Most experienced managers recommend getting these two stats to wonderful before moving on.
- Speed, Agility and Balance have been proven far more difficult to increase as there is no specific training for them so most people find a conditioning coach to increase those.
- Flexibility can be increased by Yoga or conditioning coaches, however they are beneficial in different situations. Yoga requires very little energy and can be useful with high levels of sparring but has few fringe benefits where the conditioning coach uses more energy but helps all physical aspects.
- Hidden Skill Set -
- When you create a fighter you are given a independent and unique set of numbers that cannot be seen by anyone that represent your fighters intangible ability to be a fighter.
- These are Intelligence, Experience, Heart, Chin, Self Confidence, Injury Proneness, Cuts, Fast Leaner and KO Power. More specific information can be found here http://www.mmatycoon...dden_Attributes
- It should be clear that you have a number for all of these abilitues, the tick box you click at fight creation give that characteristic 30 point boost and not selects it as an ability.
- There is no way of revealing these stats however there are ways to find indications, often from how your fighter has reacted in the fight through the commentary and on the tale of the tape which tends to give high stats away. Some common ones are stated here.
- Knockout Power/KO power/ Big Right Hand - fighter has good knockout power of varying ability.
- Good Chin/ Solid Chin/Granite Chin - Has good knockout resistance of varying ability
- Determined/ Big Heart - Will keep fighting through adversity
- Cuts Easily/Tends To Cut - Will cut when struck
Leaving a Gym
- Its is highly recommended to leave the cozad gym immediately and join a low cost (under $50) per week gym to increase your cardio and if you plan to fight immediately your strength. These gyms will be cleaner and have better equipment so you will get more out of your sessions.
- The best time to leave a gym is the 2 hours after the pm session on a Thursday as Gym fees are taken out at 11pm GMT every Thursday
- However this is often inconvenient so a lot of top managers find it prudent to arrange their training to have a rest period on the Thurs afternoon session. This then gives the manager 14 hours to leave the gym and not have to pay for the next week.
- To leave the gym go to your fighters page and look under "Training". Your fighters gym will be listed there with the button saying leave, this will let you leave the gym at any time.
- Above the Gym there is a section that says "Gym Intensity" which will have full training/part time training/ no training. Do not change this is you plan to select a new gym for the Friday AM session
- This can only be changed once per week (Sunday to Sunday) however if you select no training you will receive a daily wage of 400/7 (if you are no training all week you will make $400) however you cannot train at any point while this is set.
- Organisations -
- Better known as Orgs, Organisations are the glue that holds the world of MMA Tycoon together as these are the companies that put fights together. To those who are relatively new to MMA, all of these orgs should be seen as separate versions of the UFC or Strikeforce.
- Orgs are run by real people. This means you can contact them, ask questions and negotiate what happens to your fighters. It also requires the individual owners to dedicate a considerable amount of time and dedication to running a good org therefore a certain amount of tolerance is much appreciated as it is not always possible to reply to situations immediately.
- Quick Fighting Championship, known as the QFC is the computer generated org. It can be entered by any non-contracted fighter with less than 5 victories and can be entered by going to the "my fighters" tab and clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.
- When you enter the QFC, you enter at the weight your fighter is currently at, not what he can potentially cut to. Therefore if your fighter is 187 pounds, he will be entered into a light heavyweight bout and not a middle weight bout.
- When you enter the QFC, you have no control over who you are fighting. This has meant that new managers have faced experienced managers who's fighters have been training for months. This is a danger that all new managers should be aware of before starting one.
edit: - 7/4/2010
QFC's have now be divided into two tiers, split at 950 total points. This can be worked out by adding all your primary, secondary and physical skills together which will indicate which tier you will be in. Warning that a 22 year old who has started with low strength and cardio who has built it up to remarkable may just go over the 950 barrier.
- QFC fights happen 3 days after they are booked
- It is recommended to join a human run org as soon as possible. You, the manager, has to approve any match ups, the pay is considerable better than the base QFC pay of $50 for the fight and $50 for the win and you will fight at the contracted weight.
-Joining An Org -
- When you create a fighter, he is automatically entered into a list for org owners to see that you require a contract. However you can also ask for a contract here, http://www.mmatycoon...p?showtopic=908
- Contracts -
- When joining an org there are a few things to consider. Firstly there is the pay, broken down in to a signing bonus, a wage (automatically received whenever you fight) and a win bonus. This will often be written down like this 1000/1000/1000
- As a new manager contract offers will be low, depending on city to city a new manager can expect between 300/300/300 to 500/500/500 however this is still considerable better than the QFC totals.
- The weight class may seem obvious however you have to remember that you have to be able to get under that weight limit when you fight. Therefore you need to sign at weight class that you can make, a 160lb guy won't make 145lbs weight division for instance. For more information on weight cutting look here. http://www.mmatycoon...=Cutting_weight
- Length of contract is represented in three different ways. Firstly the amount of fights, usually addressed as 3 fights for an opening contract but can be anything. This is how many fights you will have before you need a new contract however many org owners re-negotiate before the final fight of a contract.
- The second aspect is the time length of the contract, often set to the first or last day of a month. When this date is exceeded your contract as expired and you become a free agent and can look for a new contract.
- The final restraint is the inactivity clause. Inactivity Clause has been added so that fighters don't get stuck in an organisation that goes inactive. This number is in days, and means that if you haven't fought, been offered a fight or accepted a fight in that number of days you can leave the contract without being penalised. Most are between 28 and 35 days.
- The next contract may be considerable more, a 3-0-0 guy could expect anything between 750/750/750 to 1000/1000/1000 however that is your job as a manager to get the best possible deal for our fighter.
- You have two options at the end of a contract, to resign with your current org or to go into free agency again and see if anyone picks you up. This decision is personnel to you as the manager but sometimes the grass is greener and sometimes it is not.
- Other Considerations In Joining An Org -
- The most important thing to remember is that 95% of org owners in this game are brilliant, hardworking and fair people to work with that create an amazing experience however there are the odd person who can manipulate the system and are less fun to play under. A search of the forums would reveal more detail.
- The better the org, the harder the competition and the more difficult it will be to win. Learning the game is not a bad thing and being a champion in any org is a terrific achievement so you should go to a level that you feel comfortable.
Weight (and how cutting works)
- When entering a fight your "cutting to" weight must be under (or within 0.9 pounds of) the designated weight class.
- This can easily identified on the "My fighters" page as the weight next to the fighters name will be in green. If the fighter is not making weight it will be in red and if orange, it means that he will would not currently make weight but does not have a fight scheduled.
- The cutting weight has to be under at the time the fight happens, there is no weight in 24 hours before the event.
- However, how the program works is that it assumes you have cut weight and then put it back on so you fight at your natural weight. There is no advantage of weighing exactly the weight of the division.
- The advantage of weight cutting is that you have more strength. A guess at the increase would be 0.1 to your strength per pound you were heavier than your opponent, however there is evidence that it may not even be this significant.
- Also, if you are the lighter fighter you get a speed bonus, the same way as the bigger fighter as a strength bonus.
- This does not mean in either case that you will have a guaranteed advantage as adding 0.4 to your strength would not make you stronger than someone who has a higher strength stat.
Missing Weight
- If you miss weight by 1.0 to 2.9 pounds over the weight class (so 171.0 to 172.9 in the welterweight division) you will still fight.
- There is a penalty in how much energy you take into a fight. This is approximated (by me) to be 5% energy drop for every .1 of a pound over the weight class, which represents the strain of saunaing off the last pounds of the fight. This means if you were a pound over weight for a fight you would go in with a maximum 50% energy.
- Taking and Rejecting Fights
- When you joined an org you will be offered a fight. A good org owner will match you up with another fighter of a similar level of ability however you will should not have the advantage in every aspect.
- If this is the case there is no real reason why not to reject a fight.
- However there are some extra considerations that you should check before you accept.
- Injuries - A fighter who is injured is going to perform badly and most probably lose so if the fight is going to happen in a period where you are injured you should contact the org owner to reallocate the fight.
- Cuts - A cut can be reopened and a fight can be lost due to cuts so if your fighter is still nursing such an injury you should also look to put the fight back.
- Tiredness - If your fighter has just come of a hard fight and his energy is low you should not fight immediately. You will run out of energy and most likely open yourself to a easy KO for your opponent, again look to put the fight back.
- Sometimes your org will send you a fight on records and hype comparision however this can make fights very uneven. You can be put up against someone who has better primaries and more experience and then it is up to you as the manager whether you accept it.
- These uneven fights can become win as underdogs win all the time but if you do not feel that you can accept the fight, take the time to explain why. Orgs owners appreciate it and with a sensible reasoning they will often be happy to find you another fight or give you more time to train.
- Unreasonable rejections so you only get "easy" fights may give you a good record but it will not make you popular and the best players will not be interested in you and you will lose out on the experience of MMA Tycoon.
- If you are the champion of an org you should never reject a fight. If you are the champ you are supposed to be the best that org has to offer and rejecting a fight questions that regardless.
- Losing -
- Your going to lose. Someone you hasn't lost is never going to enjoy a win.
- A fighter who loses should not be immediately cut, arguable the best fighter at this point Jin Sen lost his first 4 fights and then went on to win 17 in a row.
- Quality of opponents change and it is not unusual to go through a poor run. Sometimes this is about moving up to a new level of competition the more experienced managers have better slider or purely have trained longer. This happens and should be embraced, there is always an upturn on the way.
- Your fighter may lose a close decision that you thought was wrong and it happens. Some judges get it wrong and this is true in MMA as a whole. It's unfortunate but it is better than get on with it than have a hissy fit as that is only going to be followed by ridicule.
- Cutting a Fighter -
- You can cut a fighter at any time by pressing release on the "My Fighters" page but you have to wait 30 days to release another fighter (15 days if you are VIP).
- If that fighter has fights left on a contract there are some unwritten rules that should be obeyed so that you do not cause problems for org owner.
- Firstly contact the org owner telling him of your intention of cutting the fighter, don't release the fighter for 24 hours to give the owner a chance to respond.
- No owner will stop you releasing a fighter however they are likely to ask for one of two things. They may ask for the percentage of your signing bonus back that you did not complete, so if you fought 2 of 3 fights with a $300 signing bonus they may ask for $100 back.
- Most likely they will offer you a fight. Accept the fight, take him off training so the released fighter will definitely make weight and then go ahead and release the fighter. The fighter will still fight and the org owner will basically get a free fight out of him.
Energy Recovery
- The only way to recover energy is to do no training
- However the higher your cardio is the quicker it recovers and the less you will lose after a fight.
- Supplements -
- Supplements or "Supps" can be given to a fighter to help them train. They have a different effectiveness between 120 to 160 depending on what is advertised.
- There are no ways of proving the level of a supp but most a good indicator of their legitimacy is if they have solved more than 500 units as this means people have gone back and brought from them again. Some young supp companies will give away freebies to prove their products potency.
edit - Due to the difficulty on guaranteeing supp quality the best way tis to experiment with a few supps to see which one works best for you and to ask in the chat and look around the forum for the best supps at different prices. Screenshots can be doctored (changed) and some companies can inflate their sales figures and their hype so it really is a case of taking your own and others experience to get the best product possible.
- Supps can be bought from Supp stores that can be found, like everything else, on the highstreet.
- Supps break down into 5 different groups.
- Stamina - Given to fighters who are working on conditioning to make them pop quicker in that aspect but must be paired with conditioning training to have any affect.
- Muscle Increase - Works the same way but with weight training.
- Reduction of Recovery time - whenever you train, you lose energy and this supp will help you not lose as much energy each time you train.
- Weight increase and Weight decrease - These two supps work regardless of what you do and will either put on or shed weight from your fighter permanently although like everything else the effectiveness depends on the type of supp you take.
- Supps come in 14 day supplies but will be taken whenever a training session happens even if the fighter is resting or on a Sunday so supp management can save a fighter on a budget a little extra cash.
- Clothes -
When you start in MMA Tycoon you are given the white t-shirt and shorts these will be fine for the first two bouts however when you buy clothes from a store after this point there will be a great advantages for your fighters.
- New clothes have a rating of 150, 50 more than the standard white shirt. This increases the morale of your fighter and improves his training sessions.
- Every session a piece of clothing is worn its maximum number is reduced so its effectiveness decreases and once it drops below the all important 100 line your fighter will start to lose morale and it is imperative to give him some new clothes.
- Currently clothes, whether at $10 or $100 dollars have exactly the same standard so don't worry about buying a cheaper alternative however the better the design the more expensive it is likely to be.
- It is also worth noting that many of the cloth company owners do give aways on the forum that can snag a new fighter some new clothing and their generosity should be thanked. Remember them when you are a successful manager and look them up once again.
- Ordering From Another City -
- When ordering supps or clothes from your city you will get them instantly however if you order them from another city it will cost you a delivery fee of $5 and will take 3 days to arrive.
- Sliders -
- Slider are how you tell your fighter to fight, what he should do and how much he should attempt to do it.
- There are some sensible rule of thumb points to sliders that should be your first port of call and are important to all fighters no matter what their objective in the fight is.
- Don't be too one dimensional. This is clearly labelled on the takedown attempts but is true for all fighters as most average fighter will be able to adapt and exploit a fighter who is only going for one manoeuvre. Mixing it up will keep the opponent guessing and will allow you to complete your objective easier, although you should always favour your strong points.
- When you miss a takedown, headkick or submission attempt you lose a lot of energy so there deployment should be thought about carefully as too many attempts to early could leave your fighter exhausted and open to the easy KO.
- Sliders need experimenting with and something that works for one fighter won't necessarily work perfectly for another as they may have different hidden attributes that mean they need to approach the fight in a different way.
- Your opponent is also an important thing to consider when determining sliders, you can gage a lot of information about how your opponent fights from the fight commentary as little pointers may show he is very strong but has poor cardio or favours countering opposed to coming forward and these things can give you an advantage.
- Use your own common sense. Don't try and out strike a wonderful boxer when you only have mediocre abilities and don't try and sub a black belt with a white. Remembering this may even set your game plan up for yourself.
- There are some specific slider questions that have come up and have been debated in other threads and I would like to summarise these also;
- Aggression vs Countering - Fighters with high aggression are going to push the action, go for the opponent and look for the win from the very beginning. Often the fighter with the higher aggression will have an advantage with the judges and put their opponent on the back foot however a well placed counter can ruin all of that.
Countering can be in the form of strikes or takedowns and in looking to slip an attack and do damage when the opponent is vulnerable and against aggressive fighters this can be very affective especially if you are looking for a takedown or against a stronger opponent than yourself. However it does open your fighter up to the chance of being hit first and one punch knockouts can happen and a fighter set to do to much countering may be too defensive and not pull the trigger at all.
Therefore the aggression/countering problem changes from fighter to fighter. Do you have the strike defence to pull of the counter and the agility to land your offense. On the other hand can you be sure that your fighter has the cardio to chase his opponent for three rounds and the takedown defence to stop the double leg takedown. It is not an easy riddle to answer but knowing your fighter and your opponents may help
- Accuracy vs Power - This is something many stand up fighters worry about as they need to land to have a chance of hurting the opponent while they also need to be able to try and knock them out. The actual answer depends on the fighter in question, those who are lucky enough to have good KO power can afford to set their slider to the accuracy side as they have a much higher chance of KO'ing the opponent with accuracy while those not blessed need to look to put far more fire in their shots. Strength is also an important aspect though and the stronger your fighter is the more accurate you can afford to be.
- Stick Positions -
A GnP guy should look to stick at half guard or side control (depending on passing ability) as you can cause all the damage with far less risk of getting subbed.
A BJJ guy is completely up to choice. From mount you get the most options however it is the most difficult position to obtain so your BJJ level is going to have to be significantly higher than your opponent.
Side control opens up a lot of arm submissions such as kimuras and is easier to obtain so it is better for those closer matched in bjj.
None/back is the default as it is the place to get the RNC. However it does have another usage as it can be useful for a strong bjj guy going up against a stronger wrestler as it allows you to go from scramble to back position from the bottom which double your opportunities especially when the triangle has been taken away by half guard etc.
- As more of these questions become more prevalent I will look to add them here to further help people's understanding.
Hopefully this is helpful for people starting the game as it pulls some of the boards information together. I would also like people to point out my mistakes and what alternatives they would suggest as well as alternative theories as it can all be incorporated and I am certainly no genius at the game.
i just read everithing but o relly dont know how to fight ?
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Posted 06 June 2010 - 11:39 PM
Fights happened automatically when they are set. You determine how they fight by setting the sliders and a computer program works out the winner
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Posted 15 June 2010 - 02:59 PM
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Posted 15 June 2010 - 03:21 PM
My GnPer that was in mount generally got subbed or missed half of his strikes. Usually both. I think its damage and sub def you need to take into account
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Posted 16 June 2010 - 11:01 AM
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Posted 16 June 2010 - 03:35 PM
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Posted 16 June 2010 - 04:33 PM
Improve your GnP and I saw it first hand that GnP on the mount position has the highest hit rate. On one match, my opponent took my fighter down in a guard position, he was missing a lot of strikes but the second time he took me down and this time directly in mount position, he actually hit me a freaking lot of times.
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Posted 07 July 2010 - 08:46 PM
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Posted 08 July 2010 - 02:44 AM
- When you create a fighter you are given a independent and unique set of numbers that cannot be seen by anyone that represent your fighters intangible ability to be a fighter.
- These are Intelligence, Experience, Heart, Chin, Self Confidence, Injury Proneness, Cuts, Fast Leaner and KO Power.
- It should be clear that you have a number for all of these abilitues, the tick box you click at fight creation give that characteristic 30 point boost and not selects it as an ability.
Not selects it as an ability, as in?
Does is simply give the selected attribute a 30 points boost?
Or place it at a fixed amount and randomize the rest of the "Hidden Skills"?
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Posted 08 July 2010 - 02:52 AM
Does is simply give the selected attribute a 30 points boost?
Or place it at a fixed amount and randomize the rest of the "Hidden Skills"?
Your fighter has all those hiddens when he is created which are assigned a random number. That number could be all 150's or all 0's as far as we know (chances are you will get a mix of quite high and quite low stats that you need to try and identify and then use to your advantage/cancel out your disadvantage) but this is what makes each and every fighter unique.
When you make the fighter you can select up to 3 boxes which gives these stats a 30 point (or 1/5 boost). This does not guarantee that they will have this skill though as a fighter with naturally 15 ko power (for instance) with the 30 point add on will only have 45 ko power which is still in the bottom third of the stat. On the other hand if he naturally drew a 120 he would be one of the ultimate ko forces in the game, however you can only interpret these results as they can not be seen.
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Pope Francis' diplomatic style and strategy is about to be put to the test — the pontiff is set for a highly anticipated appearance at the U.N. as part of his U.S. tour.
The world reacted with surprise in December when the U.S. and Cuba, foes for more than 50 years, signed a deal to renew diplomatic relations. A second surprise came when the Vatican piped up, announcing it was none other than Pope Francis who secured the historic agreement.
The Argentine pontiff wrote to the two countries' leaders last fall, and the Holy See said it hosted their diplomatic delegations in October to further smooth negotiations. A South American septuagenarian had succeeded where scores of politicians had failed for decades, raising questions of what else the pope-turned-diplomat could achieve.
But some played down the pontiff's diplomatic coup. Negotiations were already well underway and signing a deal would prove politically beneficial for both countries, with or without Francis' backing.
His role, however, was seen as significant enough to warrant a trip to Cuba, where the pontiff arrives on Saturday (Sept. 19), before traveling onwards to the U.S. The upcoming journey has taken on a clear political dimension, particularly in the U.S. where he will address Congress and speak to world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly.
In a rare move for a papal tour, the Vatican's foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, has been invited along for the ride. The Vatican noted that while the pope is meeting the Cuban leader, Raul Castro, and President Obama, his staff will hold diplomatic meetings with their counterparts in each country.
The trip will be a key test for the pope's diplomatic clout, which Colum de Sales Murphy, president of the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, said is constantly maturing with his papacy.
"I'm told by people around His Holiness that he's very open to be told that (he's made) a mistake, that he must adjust his thinking," he said. "But his central message of compassion and of St. Francis is actually very sophisticated and he's very knowledgeable; he's not in the least bit naive. … I think he has a natural diplomatic skill and it's going to be developing."
The pontiff is well-known for calling for peace and dialogue between communities, deploring the persecution of Christians and conflicts around the world. But his statements can be criticized for lacking substance, as Francis rarely takes sides in a dispute or specifies concrete actions that should be taken.
Raffaele Marchetti, assistant professor of international relations at Rome's Luiss University, however said that this is a marker of the pope's diplomatic strategy. "If you start looking at specific resolutions, it really restricts the margins for maneuver for discussion. He leaves the possibility to open up for dialogue," he said. The pope may not publicly put forward his opinions, but the Vatican's views on dispute resolution are made clear in private negotiations.
The pope also has a distinct advantage over world leaders whose fragile power base hangs on the will of the electorate — he can't be kicked out of office.
As Marchetti explained, this allows the pope to respond in a more straightforward manner than other leaders: "Yes he has been elected, but he cannot be forced to resign. So in that sense there is an insurmountable difference to all the different leaders; their political career can end at any moment. (With the pope) it's an election for life and that gives him more freedom."
While Francis' approach has already won favor in the U.S. and Cuba, his next challenge comes on Sept. 25 when he will address the U.N. General Assembly. Without knowing the crux of the pontiff's speech, which will be read in Spanish, Murphy speculated that politicians will be left to reflect on the pontiff's words: "I do believe the aftermath of his speech will be, after some hesitation, a very positive one."
Marchetti described the pope's moment under the spotlight as "one of the most important speeches at the General Assembly," agreeing that Francis would be well-received by world leaders.
He noted China, Russia and Turkey as some of the states that have not had "particularly positive" relations with the Vatican, although he added that there have been signs of diplomatic progress with each country. "Few leaders can afford to have a tense relationship with the Vatican," Marchetti said.
With the U.S.-Cuba deal secured, there is speculation about where the pontiff could intervene next. Last month Colombia's FARC rebel group said they had requested a meeting with the pope in Cuba, where negotiations have been held with the Colombian government. The Vatican at the time said there was no scheduled meeting between FARC and the pontiff, although Francis is known to make last-minute changes to his agenda.
Earlier this year the Vatican signed its first legal treaty with Palestine, calling for a two-state solution with Israel, but the Israeli government swiftly rejected the move as a damaging "hasty step."
Francis has repeatedly voiced his concern for Christian groups facing persecution in the Middle East, while also calling for peace in the region, Syria in particular. While the pope will not be able to end conflicts single-handedly, Murphy said Francis at least offers an alternative approach to those "who rely on military might."
This failure of the world's politicians to reach solutions without resorting to weapons provides greater room for papal diplomacy. "He's going to be seen as an increasingly universal figure," said Murphy. "The pope told diplomats to be builders of bridges, and that will become increasingly evident."
Courtesy: Religion News Service
Photo: Cuban President Raul Castro, right, smiles as he meets Pope Francis during a private audience at the Vatican May 10, 2015.
Photo courtesy: REUTERS/Gregorio Borgia/poolReuters
Publication date: September 21, 2015