text:
Penn State Football: As The Nittany Lions Win, Hackenberg Passes His Midterms
If you're going to be a great player you only get a few chances to really prove it.
Penn State's 18-year-old gunslinger Christian Hackenberg made his case on Saturday night against Michigan in a 43-40, four-overtime victory.
The true freshman quarterback threw for 305 yards, 3 touchdowns, and ran for another score en-route to an unforgettable come-from-behind win.
Hackenberg wasn't perfect on Saturday -- his two interceptions are a sign that he is still growing -- but the things that transcend the box score are the most noticeable tools Hackenberg possessed on Saturday night.
Nothing seemed to rattle him, nothing seemed to be too big of an obstacle to overcome, and his confidence as he drove Penn State down the field to tie the game was unquestionable.
For Hackenberg it was just another game in a long, but quickly shortening season.
But it wasn't really just any other game.
Penn State and Michigan have provided college football fans with some of the great games in the history of the sport. It's a chance for two of the nation's most prestigious programs to flex their muscles and earn the bragging rights until the next meeting.
The Nittany Lions are still putting distance between the football program and a nine-game losing streak against the Wolverines. It was a span of almost 4,000 days -- filled with pent up frustration and denial for all Penn State fans.
For Michigan it's a chance to maintain a dominating presence as one of the Big Ten's elite. This season, they hoped to keep an undefeated season alive.
Penn State extended its own winning streak against the Wolverines to four games this past weekend. And that streak carries a pointed message -- that Michigan can no longer pencil in the Nittany Lions in the Wolverines' win column.
In terms of Hackenberg's growing maturity under center: anyone watching the game on Saturday with a measurable pulse clearly saw a career defining moment in only the sixth game of a young man's collegiate career. Down by seven, Hackenberg orchestrated an 80-yard drive with no timeouts and 50 seconds to go.
If Kerry Collins' 96-yard march against Illinois in 1994 is considered The Drive, then Hackenberg played a leading role in its 2013 sequel with Robinson and Felder up for Best Supporting Actor.
The opening act of Saturday's drive was a 14-yard sideline grab by Allen Robinson. That was quickly followed by a catch in traffic by Brandon Felder for 29-yards. Then, with a toss that flew through the air for what seemed like an eternity, Hackenberg hoisted a 36-yard pass to a leaping Allen Robinson who fell to the ground at the one-yard-line to set-up Hackenberg's eventual sneak into the endzone.
"(Robinson) and I are always talking," Hackenberg said shortly after the game. "All my receivers, we're always just talking about what they see, what type of feel they have for the defense, how the corners are playing. He and I have a great relationship. It goes back to the hours we put in in the summer."
"Those are situations that we practice every day," Coach Bill O'Brien said following the game. "You guys know that. We practice two-minute situations every day. That one that we had at the end of the game, we practiced that just the other day. I think it was 50 seconds left in the game and we had the ball from our own 25 or 30 yard line."
"We knew there were specific plays we wanted to run there and we just needed the line to block well and they did. We were able to come up with some big plays. I think Christian is, obviously, a very mature quarterback for being 18 years old. He's a fun guy to coach. Some of that was training to and that paid off."
But O'Brien has his team practice a lot of things, and they're executed with mixed results.
Bad quarterbacks -- quarterbacks with little future or no real potential -- fail to make the throws that Hackenberg continually makes. He made some great throws with Penn State was standing on the precipice of defeat.
Those plays are the difference between good quarterbacks and quarterbacks that will be a blip on the ever-lengthening story of college football.
Hackenberg's story doesn't just end now. He isn't playing a video game and has suddenly unlocked the "Destined for Greatness" achievement. He'll be the first to tell you that you can't rely on past performances to win future games. There will still be bumps in the road and mistakes to be made, as Hackenberg continues to grow and mature.
But at the halfway mark of Christian Hackenberg's freshman season, he was presented with tests of his character, mettle, and ability.
And it's safe to say he passed all three.
Related Stories:
Penn State Football: The Top 10 Wins In Beaver Stadium History
Penn State Football: How Big is a Win Over Michigan?
Penn State Football: Nittany Lions beat Michigan, 43-40, in Four Overtimes
Penn State Football: Handing Out The Grades Following Penn State's 43-40 Victory Over Michigan
Ben Jones covers Penn State football and basketball for StateCollege.com. He's on Twitter as @Ben_Jones88.
More articles by Ben Jones →


text:
Tuesday, 15 Feb 2011 07:31 PM
Republicans controlling the House are advancing a $1.2 trillion omnibus spending bill to wrap up the unfinished 2011 spending bills they inherited from Democrats. The measure cuts $61 billion from the 2010 bills endorsed by President Barak Obama. Highlights include:
$516 billion for the Pentagon, an $8 billion or 2 percent increase over 2010.
$158 billion in additional military spending for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
$41.5 billion for the Homeland Security Department, a 3 percent decrease from 2010.
$44.9 billion for foreign aid and the State Department, a 21 percent cut from Obama's request. Aid to Israel, Egypt and Pakistan would not be cut, but the Peace Corps would be cut by 17 percent from 2010 levels.
$18.4 billion for NASA, a 2 percent cut.
$6.5 billion for food aid for low income pregnant women and women with children up to the age of 5.
$4.4 billion for Congress' own budget, a 5 percent decrease.
$11.5 billion for the IRS, a 5 percent cut.
$1.4 billion for Amtrak subsidies and capital investment, a $152 million cut.
$2.2 billion for the National Park Service, a 1 percent cut.
$7.3 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency, a 29 percent cut.
$2.1 billion for the Food and Drug Administration, a 10 percent decrease.
$14.8 billion for Title I grants to disadvantaged schools, a 7 percent decrease
$12 billion for special education programs, a 5 percent cut.
—Program eliminations:
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting — rescinds $86 million in previously appropriated funds and denies new appropriations of about $500 million.
Federal family planning and teen pregnancy prevention grants — $528 million.
Corporation for National and Community service — $1 billion.
Police hiring grants — $298 million.
High speed rail — $1 billion, plus a $2.5 billion rescission of stimulus funds.
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Sunday, 08 Dec 2013 18:17 PM
NSA leaker Edward Snowden may testify before the European Parliament by video later this month, according to a German me . . .
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Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed on a cooperation pact with Iran on Sunday, an Afghan official said, while continuin . . .
Sunday, 08 Dec 2013 17:26 PM
Uncertainty now represents the biggest problem plaguing the economy, says former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan . . .
Newsmax is a bit late on this story. I knew about Bashir's resignation on...
As a Catholic I completely agree with Rush as do the majority of Catholics I...
Harry Reid is a pathetic excuse for a human being...
The GOP did not make Obama lie. The GOP did not f up a simple web site. Obama...
If I got stuck in one of these road blocks I would refuse to give anything....
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
I'm DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It's as simple as that. Most of the time. If you're new around these parts, here's the long version of my story.
Wanna help support the site? You have two options. The first is to use Clever Training with the link and 10% off everything coupon below:
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UK based here! Canada! Germany! France! Spain! Italy!-
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Did you know I write a weekly column over on Slowtwitch?
Check out my Product/Electronics posts in Ray's Sports Electronics Mailbag - they are packed full of gadget goodness.
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
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You probably stumbled upon here looking for a review of a sports gadget. If you're trying to decide which unit to buy – check out my in-depth reviews section. Some reviews are over 60 pages long when printed out, with hundreds of photos! I aim to leave no stone unturned.
Read My GPS Recommendations.
Here's my most recent gadget recommendations guide (2013 edition) – covering almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day to day? I also just put together my complete 2013 'Gear I Use' equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here's The Girl's (my wife's) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
Understand technology and sport in the How-To Guides.
I enjoy explaining new things to folks – especially showing people how to get the most from their gadgets. Here's an ongoing list of "How to" guides.
Read my Top 25 most useful posts.
It turns our I've written a fair bit of stuff over the past few years – and after it disappears from my front page, a lot of it never really sees the light of day again without Google'ing skillz. Or a photographic memory…which I don't have. I've taken a look back and found stuff that…continues to find a trickle of readers via web searches or forum links.
Have some fun in the travel section.
I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Here's a bunch of random trip reports and daily trip-logs that I've put together and posted. I've sorted it all by world geography, in an attempt to make it easy to figure out where I've been.
2 Comments
OMG I am caught up on the last 30 or so posts!
As always a whirlwind or information, travel, food, training and of course inner soles!
You asked about the Instant Debate plugin for Blogger…it's ok, my comment traffic has died right off although that could be a result of being such a bad commenter myself…it's a cyclical thing right! The upside is that the spam is now all filtered but Google is doing that itself now!
One attraction is the ability to start a dialog in the comments section and that just wasn't happening
So in conclusion I am going to unplug it at the weekend, it's been an interesting experiment for 5 months but I don't think it's really working.
As always love the blog
Happy Halloween
Oh and FIRST!
I am guessing those are spitting images of you and The Girl? Happy Halloween!


text:
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Latest local news, weather and sports for Syracuse and Central New York
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Fayetteville man indicted for allegedly attacking a woman in dispute over pictures
Thursday, April 25, 2013
A Fayetteville man was indicted by an Onondaga County grand jury on charges of unlawful imprisonment and assault related to an incident that happened in October.
read story
Mother's Cupboard in DeWitt burglarized
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Mother's Cupboard, the DeWitt diner that got a visit from Adam Richman of "Man Versus Food" in 2010 due to it's massive frittata, was burglarized early Wednesday morning.
read story
New technology used by Dewitt Police can help first responders
Sunday, December 16, 2012
The Dewitt Police Department adopted a new program which provides a 3-D virtual tour of each school in the town, giving first responders a familiarity with the buildings during a crisis.
read story
watch video
Fayetteville man arrested after police respond to woman running down street in underwear
Monday, October 29, 2012
John Norderhus, of Fayetteville, faces serious charges after a woman is beaten and threatened with a knife.
read story
Village of East Syracuse board of trustees vote to abolish its police department
Monday, October 01, 2012
The Village of East Syracuse Board of Trustees voted Monday night to abolish its police department and be absorbed by the DeWitt Police Department.
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Should the East Syracuse Police Department be abolished to save money?
Thursday, August 16, 2012
The East Syracuse Village Police Department was established in 1885, but soon village residents may vote on whether to abolish the department.
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text:
Fitness Friday: More great 20-in-20 exercises for golfers
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Here's Ron: For the past three weeks, I've been rolling out new exercises for the advanced 20-in-20 workout for golfers. (Click here to get caught up.) This week, I've got two more. Simply put, the 20-in-20 is a total-body workout geared toward strengthening and lengthening golfers' muscles with the added benefit of improving endurance. The idea is to do two sets of 10 different exercises in 20 minutes. Complementary exercises are paired (one lower-body exercise and one upper-body exercise) so you can train with shorter breaks between sets and really get your heart pumping.
Keep in mind that this is an "advanced" workout and should only be attempted by golfers who already are working out regularly or have been cleared by their doctors for strenuous activity. There is a basic version of the 20-in-20 for beginners and it can be found here.
Ron Kaspriske
Fitness Editor Golf Digest
The latest on golf digest
How To Play
Rethinking The Swing
What to play
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Where To Play
Weekend Getaways
News & Tours
The Failed Coup At The USGA
Arnie & Kate
A look back at the people behind the season's worst gaffes.
Patrick Reed
Best In State
Sang-Moon Bae


text:
Back to Shadowrun – pt 2.
Reworked the priorities of Alaine Langoire de Bussey. Much better this way, I think.Turned out okay in-game, as I joined the group on Tuesday night, and the session went well. Mostly planning but I think the other players will benefit a bit from that. The run is to extract samples and VIP's from a Doc Wagon storage facility in Tacoma. We're playing in Seattle. There are plenty of potential complications and my gut says there's a rival 'runner team going to show up: whenever the J thinks it's worth mentioning that you are the only hired team it usually isn't true.
We have a seemingly workable plan. Thanks to good NPC decker coverage information is being acquired pretty fast. After hours infiltrate the sub-basement pumproom via the sewer/drain system and then work up to the basement level with the objectives. ASAP patch the decker into the Rigger's network. Hire a Shaman to get a spirit to make a distraction in the gym or cafeteria. If possible abscond with a vehicle from the facility's garage. Otherwise have a "roadworks crew" at the manhole to move out the objectives. We still need to do more legwork, the old-fashioned kind of talking to people, in case there's more info to be had but unless that turns up something rather unusual the plan is workable.
Here's Alaine's updated "worksheet".
---[ Alain Langoire De Bussey ]---
Born in Montreal. PhD mother, Post Grad father at University.
Crash + awakenening. Magic at 11 y.o.
Part of formal study of magic. Left CAS for UCAS for economic and political reasons.
Moved into security work (forging wards) including surveillance & investigation.
Mother was killed in metahuman riots.
Father couldn't live in the house any more and moved out to the nice rural properties.
Was baited into a 'run via security work since he was depressed.
Kind of liked the thrill and the pay.
Still did contract Warding.
Forged a bit of a name for himself as a good support mage.
Went on a hellish run and tried to sacrifice himself with an overcasting.
Resulted in searing his stomach muscle tissue and burning his right eye.
Unctious Pilot dragged Alain out of that run and helped pay for his medical care.
Now trying to find the money to get a power focus & then initiation.
Cautious of being wounded because any further essence loss means magic rating loss.
Clothing style: High fashion
Hair style: Buzzcut, natural hair colour - sandy brown
Likes: Personal electronics
Parents: middle-class academics
One parent dead (mother) - died in metahuman riots
no siblings
College (MIT)
Age; happenings
17; Wins, eq val 1100
18; -
19; losses, enemies (male, gov official, killed/injured his wife, Local Councillor Bob Graham)
20; wins, eq val 500
21; friends (female, like a teacher/student, "Unctious Pilot")
22; friends (female, college, "Gelly" Giselle de Winter)
23; losses, accident/fragged up run 2000 med-costs, lose pt of strength
--------[Character Sheet]---------
Full Mage: A
Resources: 400,000
Attributes: 24
Skills: 30
Human: E
Attributes (24)
Body, 2 [4]
Quickness, 4
Strength, 1 (0) [2] {Max: 5}
Charisma, 6
Intelligence, 6
Willpower, 5
_Essence; 6
_Magic; 6
_Reaction; 5
Skills (Active: 30)
Conjuring, Int, 6
Sorcery, Int, 6
Aura Reading, Int, 4
Computer, Int, 3
Pistols, Qu, 4
Stealth, Qu, 3
Etiquette, Cha, 2
Athletics, 2
Skills (Language: 9)
English 5
Netspeak 4
Skills (Knowledge: 30)
Matrix, magic knowledge, 2
Crime Org's, 3
Safe houses, 3
Hermetic orders, 4
Paranormal animals, 5
Magic, 5
Corp procedures, 3
Security procedures, 3
70's music & gear, 2
Resources 398430/400,000
Mr Fox (Mr. J) 1 free
Gelly, Giselle de Winter (street shaman) 1 free
Michelangelo (decker) 1 5000
Unctious Pilot (Hermetic order leader) 2 10,000
Sir Blackheart (Smuggler/talismonger) 2 10,000
Lifestyle Mths
Low (safehouse) 1 1000 1000
High 3 10000 30000
Squatter (safehouse) 2 100 200
Spells Force Spell Points
Combat Sense 1 1
Physical mask 5 5
Mind Probe, ex 5 3
Stealth, ex 3 1
Control Actions, f. 6 5
Physical barrier, f. 3 2
Magic fingers 1 1
Stunball, f. 3 2
Lightning-bolt, f. 6 5
Increase Reflexes +3 1 (1 purchased) 25,000
Treat 2 (2 purchased) 50,000
Magical Gear Force/rtg
Fetishes (for spells above) Amt: 4 1200
Summoning materials 5 Amt: 2 10,000
Hermetic Library - Sorcery 6 36,000
Hermetic Library - Conjuring 6 36,000
Sustaining Focus - Increased Reflexes +3 - bonded (15,000 + 25,000 to bond) 1 15,000
:Bonding cost 25,000
Sustaining Focus - magic fingers 1 15000
:Bonding cost 25,000
Summoning materials 6 Amt: 1 6000
Armor Jacket (long coat style) 5b/3i 900
Ares Viper Slivergun Hvy Pistol sil, BF, SL 1200
6 magazines, 30rds flechette 9S(f) 1800
fl BF 12D(f)
2 magazines, 30rds Regular 9M 120
Reg. BF 12S
Defiance super shock, taser Hvy Pistol 10S(stun) 1000
5 magazines, ea. 4 taser-darts 100
Offensive AP, grenade 20 10D(f) 600
Concussion, grenade 20 10S(stun) 600
PocSec 2000
Binoculars 100
Smartgoggles (r1, Lowlight, Thermo) 5000
Jammer (r-6) 6000
WNG (r-4) 6000
Pocket flashlight 10
After injury from overcasting on a fragged run
Mascle Aug. 2 BI 0.8 40,000
Dermal sheath 1 Ess -0.7 24,000
Datajack Ess -0.1 1000
Cyber eye (Sony Hazelwood) Ess -0.2 5000
:Flare comp (Ess -0.1) 2000
Protective covers: Neon-blue, mirrored 600
RPGs Require Art
Inspiring art is a benchmark for a quality product in the RPG industry. Without a captivating cover the book relies on marketing and reputation to reach players. For the private publisher this requires budget. Cover-quality art is about $1000 per piece from pro-artists. It will be a gamble if the cover-art alone can net you sales to recoup those costs.
What does this say about the people we sell RPG product to?
They are visually driven. The branding of RPGs is around the imagination of the artist who illustrate the product. It also says, to me, that we gamers are far less imaginative than we believe.
Peace and giggles.
Back to Shadowrun
Making a new character to join an existing Shadowrun 3rd Edition campaign. The concept is loosely based on first edition's Burned Out Mage. This one is not so burned out, though. However, he is on the edge of really getting low in magic.
Here's a draft sheet:
—[ Alain Langoire De Bussey ]—
Born in Montreal. PhD mother, Post Grad father at University.
Crash + awakenening. Magic at 11 y.o.
Part of formal study of magic. Left CAS for UCAS for economic and political reasons.
Moved into security work (forging wards) including surveillance & investigation.
Mother was killed in metahuman riots.
Father couldn't live in the house any more and moved out to the nice rural properties.
Was baited into a 'run via security work since he was depressed.
Kind of liked the thrill and the pay.
Still did contract Warding.
Forged a bit of a name for himself as a good support mage.
Went on a hellish run and tried to sacrifice himself with an overcasting.
Resulted in searing his stomach muscle tissue and burning his right eye.
Unctious Pilot dragged Alain out of that run and helped pay for his medical care.
Still owes Pilot money (she's a bit merc).
Now trying to find the money to get a power focus & then initiation.
Cautious of being wounded because any further essence loss means magic rating loss.
Clothing style: High fashion
Hair style: Buzzcut, natural hair colour – sandy brown
Likes: Personal electronics
Parents: middle-class academics
One parent dead (mother) – died in metahuman riots
no siblings
College (MIT)
Age; happenings
17; Wins, eq val 1100
18; –
19; losses, enemies (male, gov official, killed/injured his wife, Local Councillor Bob Graham)
20; wins, eq val 500
21; friends (female, like a teacher/student, "Unctious Pilot")
22; friends (female, college, "Gelly" Giselle de Winter)
23; losses, accident/fragged up run 2000 med-costs, lose pt of strength
——–[Character Sheet]———
Full Mage: A
Skills: B (40)
Resources: C (90K)
Attributes: D (21)
Human: E
Attributes (21)
Body, 2 [4]
Quickness, 4
Strength, 1 (0) [2] {Max: 5}
Charisma, 3
Intelligence, 6
Willpower, 5
_Essence; 6
_Magic; 6
_Reaction; 5
Skills (Active: 40)
Conjuring, Int, 5
Sorcery, Int, 5
Aura Reading, Int, 4
Computer, Int, 4
Electronics, Int, 1
Pistols, Qu, 4
Stealth, Qu, 4
Etiquette, Cha, 3
Negotiation, Cha, 3
Interrogation, Cha, 3
Car, Rea, 2
Athletics, 2
Skills (Language: 9)
Skills (Knowledge: 30)
Matrix, magic knowledge, 2
Crime Org's, 3
Safe houses, 3
Hermetic orders, 4
Paranormal animals, 5
Magic, 5
Corp's, 3
Security procedures, 3
70′s music & gear, 2
Resources (78,570/90K):
Lifestyle (10,500):
Squatter (safehouse), 5 months
Low, 5 months
Contacts (20K):
'Mr. Fox' (Fixer), free
'Gelly' (Street shaman), 1 {Giselle De Winter, Dutch, Bay area shaman}
'Michelangelo' (Decker), 1 {Likely a mage}
'Unctious Pilot' (Hermetic order leader), 1
'Sir Blackheart', (Smuggler/talismonger), 1
Spells (25 spell pts):
{Limited: Fetish, -1, req' fetish to cast; Exclusive, -2, req' exclusive action to cast}
Name, force (spell point cost)
Combat sense, 1 (adds 1 combat pool per 2 SM)
Physical mask, 5
Mind Probe, 3 ex (1)
Stealth, 3 ex (1)
Control Actions, 6 f. {pocket watch, jewellery charm} (5)
Increase Attribute (Intelligence), 3 ex (1)
Phys barrier, 3 f. {tower qv. chess piece, jewellery charm} (2)
Armor, 3 f. {flattened bullet, necklace piece} (2)
Levitate, 1
Magic fingers, 1
Stunball, 3 ex (1)
Lightning-bolt, 6 ex (4)
Magical gear:
Fetishes: 900
Summoning materials: 10 force points worth (10,000)
Binoculars (100)
Goggles (lowlight + thermal) (2,700)
Jammer, rtg. 6 (6,000)
WNG, rtg. 4 (6,000)
PocSec (1000)
DocWagon contract, basic (5,000)
Pocket torch (10)
Ares Viper (600) fl. ammo, 180rds (1800), Regular 60rds (120) in mag's.
Armor Jacket (long coat) 5/3 conc. 6 (900)
Grenades (30ea)
Offensive AP, 6
Concussion, 6
After injury from overcasting on a fragged run
Muscle Augmentation, rtg. 2 (BI 0.8) 40,000
Dermal sheath, rtg 1 (Ess -0.7) 24,000 [Body +2, Impact +1] {M&M pg. 28}
Datajack (Ess -0.1) 1000
Cyber-eye, Sony Hazelwood (replacement w/Flare Comp + Image (Ess -0.2) 7000
Eye-covers (both): metallic neon blue, 100
Total debt: 72,100
Paid: 22,400
Plus: 11,000 (out of starting resources)
Owed: 38,700
D20 RUNE PATHS ON RPGNow
Another product released; this time d20 RUNE PATHS hits the virtual shelves at RPGNow.com
Rune Paths are quasi-dimensional trails through forests that are slightly outside of space and time. Rangers are best at accessing them but Druids can, too. Using a Rune Path can greatly speed the travel of any group and lead to a very fast traversal of the forest. The risk is losing the trail which puts the lost person in the 'primordial' forest which sits slightly outside of time and space. The only way back out is on a Rune Path.
It's only $5.00 so check it out.
Lighting the Fire in the Belly
Writing Fiction, "Origins: Krovosos"
It's been a while since I posted here but NaNoWriMo has helped ignite some motivation in me, again. Working on a Roadside Picnic/S.T.A.L.K.E.R themed store called "Origins: Krovosos" that I'm desperately trying to finish in time for the Christmas season of purchasing. It's pushing a little over halfway done and looks to be aiming at a 260pg length novel. Lots of action and a spattering of tech as Luka and Sasha, veteran Stalkers, return to the Zone and its perils.
Black Dawn
Black Dawn: the RPG. A good friend is playing Fragged Empire, itself also in development (albeit with a very nice budget and artwork) and that's made me realise that I should resurrect Black Dawn and update it for the modern markets. That is, simplify it. This is done to about 2/3rds and probably needs only another 100hours work to layout and get ready for sale.
Cloaks Alleys Daggers (maybe Cloak And Dagger?) is a working title for a game of medieval fantasy mundane criminals who rely on skill and gear to achieve their goals. It will use a new system called METAL (just a working title). Characters have four Metals, Iron, Brass, Steel and Mercury to represent their traits. Iron, physical toughness, Brass; courage and persistence, Quicksilver; balance, speed, co-ordination, Steel; smarts, fast-thinking, knowledge. To these metals you add polishes (skills) that are more broad than most games.
The core-mechanic is 3d6 + Metal + Polish. It can be either a passive test, vs a TN, or an opposed test; vs another roll. Results are based on success margins or failure margins – much in common with Simple 2d6. What I like about it so far is the language. It sets up a good vibe and flavor that this is about being thieves, thugs and cads. Not arcane jongleur half-demon sorceror rogues. I like cheese but mostly with my wine…
Well not any more (the cheese with wine that is). I've started eating vegan for health reasons. Check this video out to have your mind blown.
Essence of Gun Control
The essence of the gun control debate is this.
Protectionist vs. Freedom-lover
P – No-one needs guns.
F – How can we defend ourselves against violent criminals?
P – The police will defend you.
F – With guns?
P – Yes, only the police and the military need guns.
F – So some people need guns. Are there violent criminals in the police or military?
P – Well… no, I'm sure they're screened out.
F – Why isn't this screening process used over the entire population?
P – Umm.. you can't.
F – So they're not screened out. You realise there are situations where the police and army never know there are people they ought to save, and therefore can't save everyone, right?
P – The army saved the Jews in WW2.
F – It was the German army that was killing them in WW2!
P – Crazy gun-loving redneck racist.. *insane ranting*
Far Cry 3 – A Critique
Touted as an open-world shooter Far Cry 3 is a pretty long way from that. It is a sprawling environment that has little change. Mountainous tropical Pacific island with ruined Japanese fortifications from World War 2 and thoroughly despicable antagonists (slavers and drug dealers who are exterminating the natives) has little variety. It is really an updated Far Cry 2 with many of the same play elements but beefed up for the latest console players' expectations.
Your character, Jason Brody, is a fantastically tough and mobile "natural with a gun" who is seeking to rescue his enslave friends before they can be ransomed, but sold off into slavery after the money is collected.
The writing of plot attempts edginess with quotes about sanity and the lack thereof from Alice in Wonderland: a favourite of shallow-writers attempting to be deep. Nietzsche would be a better source than the opiate riddled classic by an English diletante. All the writing really conveys is the shallow understanding that psychopaths/sociopaths cannot be reasoned with and attempting to is the definition of insanity; attempting the same thing expecting different results.
Some tribal magic loosely inspired by the Maori as Rakyat has a classic Serious Sam like monster encounter complete with closed arena and sprawling mass area attacks being put out whilst the monster must be struck in only one area. This kind of tired arcade trope should have died last century. For a game that claims originality it only manages to do a tried formula in fiction of having thoroughly hate-able antagonists, with a protagonist that has the abyss he stares into, look deeply back into him.
Still, the killing and jingoistic patriotism not so subtly veneered behind laconic humor is apropos for the USA audience and the thinly veiled un-PC snappy lines attempt an edginess that would be successful on all the minors who ought not be playing this game.
Game-play is polished to simplicity. There is a lack of leaning, replaced by context based "peek-a-boo" shooting conveyed to the played by the gun being lifted when close to an object – no slicing the pie and using lean in this game. Far Cry 3 successfully captures the kinetic fear of combat with an AI that will flank you well but it fails to suspend disbelief with spawn-behinds and impossible reinforcements, just like its predecessor.
Open-world is often only while you are not on a mission. It's for this reason I have to say the game promoters are lying when they say it is open-world. It simply is not. If you are mid-mission you cannot leave the mission area without the mission auto-failing. Also if you stray to far from the islands you are locked into you will die auto-magically. This is like playing D&D with a 12 year old who can't ad-lib, or a philosophy lecturer who gets upset with you not buying into her false dichotomies presented as moral paradox.
Morality is loosely touched on but there is no ramifications for actions in this game apart from auto-magical results. Ultimately it is a hint of a flavour but never really brought to the forefront. Many sequences intended to shock the player are better off left as a scripted cut-scene, in particular the torture of the younger brother, and the vanishing antagonists whom you are forced to work with become tiresome very quickly.
Far Cry 3 has many failings mostly with what the promoters claim it is meant to be. If presented as a frenetic shooter with visceral elements to build tension and a plot that has despicable enemies you will really want to take-out, then that would be accurate. Its open-world elements are limited to in-between missions and ought to be taken with a grain of salt.
Ultimately, though, it is an addictive experience because the AI is smart enough to be a challenge, the exploration rewarding enough to pursue, and the combat frenetic enough to be engaging. The main missions are a let down and if Far Cry 3 had a "non-story mode" it'd be a far better offering.


text:
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
Monday, November 4, 2013
My short story "Mary Ren's Disease" finds a publishing home
Los maté, si señor by Samy Sfoggia in Foliate Oak's November 2013 issue |
Much thanks to Foliate Oak's staff for accepting this story!
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Painting Czeslawa Kwoka part of NEA's 2013 The Big Read
Cover art, Lori Schreiner |
This year the book focused on is The Shawl By Cynthia Ozick. The short story alone will leave you numb and devastated. After I read it, I remembered all the reasons why Lori and I created our book: to remember and honor the young victims of the Holocaust, to give voice and image to their spirits.
Our book has not gotten world-renowned recognition like Ozick's, but I am thankful to be a part of this year's The Big Read and to have Painting Czeslawa Kwoka partnered in some small way with The Shawl.
I will bring the original color copies of Czeslawa's paintings that Lori sent me and the photos that I worked from in my home office to write the poems. The library will have FREE copies of the book available for participants and patrons.
These children, like little Magda and all the other children who lost their lives because of the atrocity of ignorance, greed, and war, WILL BE REMEMBERED!
To register either stop by the library or call 845-635-8460.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Wonderful review of Painting Czeslawa Kwoka ~ Honoring Children of the Holocaust
Brian Fanelli over at Poets' Quarterly wrote a wonderful review of Lori Schreiner and my book, Painting Czeslawa Kwoka ~ Honoring Children of the Holocaust. You can read it here: Brian's Review. And you can purchase a copy through our publisher unbound CONTENT or at Amazon.com.
This year I am DETERMINED to get this book out there even more than it is now.
It is IMPORTANT; it is UNIQUE; it is FOR THEM and for all who died before they ever got a chance to be seen or heard!
This year I am DETERMINED to get this book out there even more than it is now.
It is IMPORTANT; it is UNIQUE; it is FOR THEM and for all who died before they ever got a chance to be seen or heard!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Triple review sparked from reading my newest book
Check it out on Amazon.com here: The Music of Hands review. Please purchase a copy at createspace and use Discount Code 9JJNPSHE for a 25% discount. Code only good if purchased through createspace until Valentine's Day 2013.
Thanks so much to William Gillan for the great triple review!
Thanks so much to William Gillan for the great triple review!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
My first chapbook The Music of Hands coming soon
Cover art by Christine Ashton |
I think the emotional
progression of the chap expresses what I am trying to achieve in the collection: the movement of life/death like music and how hands (the body) play a large
role in both. It's also, to a certain extent, a work about freedom through some form of
music. Many of these poems are lyrical, and that music flowing throughout is like a shadow untouchable ("on
shadows"), intricately mysterious but present.
Originally, I had titled the collection after the last poem, "The Music of Dead hands"; but I realized that the poems represented life too. If we are to look at dead hands, we must look at live ones. If we are to look at dead bodies, we are to look at the living. Dead hands can be seen,
touched, are stiff and usually similar. But the death of the hands
is not like the life once connected to them. There's that unison seen in
death of body, but what is unseen or untouchable (whether we have hands or not, really) carries the weight—the music in the overtones or the special quiet ("The
Music of Your Hands") that is part of a person.
Even if the music is muffled sound into faint silent overtones—ones that human
ears can't hear, perhaps, it's there and important. Silence is a big part
of music or a musical piece. Silence is a part of death or what we see as
death of body; silence is a part of life. And the mind makes this music—all of this music—from what we see
and don't see, and the mind can change the music and find ways to hear and feel it within these poems.
Sneak peak of the first few pages can be found here at createspace. Please look for this collection the end of this month, November 2012.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Wife as Woman in Carty's An Amateur Marriage
In Jessie Carty's chapbook An
Amateur Marriage (Finishing Line Press, 2012), there is a female speaker's stoic voice that begins the
journey of unfamiliar marital terrain, where even when decorating, she is not
sure to place or eat her arrangement of fruit ("Still Life"). And using this voice throughout the first
half of the collection, Carty shares the ways in which the modern ideals of
newlyweds trouble the speaker (perhaps Carty's reason for the title and title
There is much to make a marriage, especially a successful or
professionally adept one that's weathered with time and experience. An amateur marriage, however, reflects an
amateur couple, especially in the case of this collection, where the amateur
wife is first portrayed as a replaced couch that already "waits, / trying to
look laid back / with her suede fabric / pressed down by matching buttons"
("The Living Room" lines 3-6). We might
be forced to read these lines and much of this poem as cliché, couch matched
with the wide TV "pose[d] like a sumo wrestler," until we realize that the
speaker's concerns of intimacy, change, and aging are subtly handed to us by
way of furniture as metaphor for woman—not just wife.
Even with a shift in the speaker's attitude towards marriage,
making the title of wife known in "Preferences," Carty's word play in "Marriage
Scales" measures the marital relationship.
Carty captures us with the sound of what it is to practice
self-determination before getting the love right in the following lines:
The young bride felt she was marrying
her soul mate. This
thought implied she was a damaged
organ; that like a river
bed she was missing the especially
well worn rock that could
help her on her way to forming an ox
bow lake. ("Marriage Scales" 1-4)
Here amid this river path is the heart of the chap; here shows the
irony of love and what anyone must realize if a marriage of any kind is to be
successful: that there must be independence alongside partnership, but it comes
with hard work and practice. And Carty
reminds us that the speaker, and perhaps Carty herself, is "not good at this
[being a homemaker/wife] but perhaps / if [she] practice[s]" ("The Homemaker"
10-12), she'll get it right.
And more than halfway into the marital practice, that stern voice
which has led us this far becomes a bit vulnerable, even just a little
sentimental (the last three strophes in "If I had a Son" and "Holiday
Sweater"). Yet the speaker does get
better at domesticity, even as her fears of barrenness and aging amplify, the
latter what the speaker dreads to become, "scars / over organs as everything
gives in to being unable to repair / against gravity" ("What I fear" 8-10).
Ironically, however, because of these fears and this
vulnerability, which seems to stem from a yearning for motherhood more so than
marriage, some of the best lines of Carty's book emerge; and I suspect will
linger for a long while. The speaker
reflects on what is a true "marriage of souls"—the sharing between mother and
child—as she "imagine[s] teaching him the theory of crosswalks / the angles of
cathedrals / what angels there are in dark chocolate" ("If I had a Son"
12-14). The amateur marriage that
drives the book's emotional progression forward is no match for this beautifully
sophisticated yet delicate, imaginative communication between mother and son
that wonderfully anchors the book's ending.
Deep in the river water seen in "Marriage Scales," where being a soul
mate is questioned, I hold onto these lines with all their anticipated sharing
of happiness.
Carty blogs at http://jessiecarty.com/blog.
finishing line press,
jessie carty,
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