text:
Trouble in Paradise - La Roux
- Band Name: La Roux
- Record Label: Interscope
- Release Date: Jul 22, 2014
- Summary: The second full-length release for the British synthpop artist Elly Jackson (Ben Langmaid left the band during the recording of the album) was co-produced with Ian Sherwin.
- Record Label: Interscope
- Genre(s): Pop, Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Left-Field Pop
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
Positive: 22 out of 28
Mixed: 6 out of 28
Negative: 0 out of 28
Jul 21, 2014At only nine tracks long, but with every one of them worthy of single status, it displays, as pop albums go, both rare economy and staggering consistency.
Jul 16, 2014This polished set is pure aural candy from front-to-back and firmly re-establishes Jackson as one of Britain's premier pop talents.
Jul 22, 2014Jackson writes open-endedly, shifting between direct experience and metaphor; mysteries left unsolved by her lyrics and persona are alternately heightened and resolved by the hurt in her voice, the assuredness of her arrangements.
Jul 22, 2014Is Trouble In Paradise a groundbreaking work of unparalleled foresight and talent? No. But is it a spectacular assessment of La Roux's painfully progressive growth over the past half-decade? Maybe.
Jul 21, 2014With songs like this, Trouble in Paradise proves Jackson is still better than many of her contemporaries when it comes to making fizzy electro-pop.
Jul 21, 2014It's been five years since those initial encounters, yet, as with all close friendships, the dialogue still flows as comfortably as ever across La Roux's sophomore LP, Trouble in Paradise.... Still a pop record at the end of the day, the album is not without its share of weak lyrics.
Jul 21, 2014When Trouble in Paradise loses its way, it's because Jackson has traded in her frigid allure and commanding bellicosity for frailty and soft-heartedness, sentiments she doesn't deliver with any sort of sincerity.
Score distribution:
Positive: 12 out of 13
Mixed: 1 out of 13
Negative: 0 out of 13
Jul 23, 2014This is one of the best albums I've heard in 2014. Uptight Downtown is a great lead single and I'm excited to see which songs follow it. It's definitely more tropical than her last album (On her first album, Quicksand and Cover My Eyes gave off a tropical atmosphere but on here all of the track do) and I really do hope Tropical Chancer is the next single. Kiss and Not Tell and Sexoteque sound like they were taken directly from the Carribean and Paradise is You sounds like Adore You by Miley Cyrus done in a tropical fashion (and a better fashion to be honest). The only real downer here is the final track The Feeling but I go easy on it because Elly Jackson wrote it all on her own and that's a tough thing to do especially for an artist on their sophomore album. This is altogether an awesome album and has motivated me to keep La Roux as one of my favorite artists… Expand
Aug 1, 2014'Trouble In Paradise' is easily the best album of 2014. While La Roux's first album was much more aggressive and shrill, this album is softer and feels more inclusive yet still oozes the same confidence and assertiveness.
The melodies are instantly addictive, the lyrics are creative and even though some songs feel unnecessarily long ("Paradise Is You", "Silent Partner") and a bit repetitive at times, it's easy to forgive as even the slightly more dragged-out moments are as ethereal and addictive as the rest of the album. The bouncy, summery beats even manage to make Elly Jackson's trademark falsetto feel warm and welcoming.
Even though there are only 9 tracks on the album, it's instantly satisfying and it just shows that Jackson wrote this with quality, not quantity, in mind. There isn't a single wasted moment on this record but I do have a particularly soft spot for "Sexotheque" and the lead single "Uptight Downtown". This album was well worth the 5 year wait!… Expand
Jul 22, 2014Euphoric, joyous, vulnerable, sparkling pop that you will never get tired of unless your mind isn't capable of dreaming. Consistent, sonically delicious and brilliantly thought out. La Roux is that rare pop artist who is writing great stuff and pushing forward, an artist whose career is well worth following, as she knows exactly where she is going.… Expand
Jul 23, 2014If there ever was a proper 80's sounding pop record since the millenium, La Roux's much anticipated second album just took that to a whole new level. Now crafting sounds in solo, Elly Jackson takes a trip on the record to the realms of Grace Jones and Tom Tom Club, and delivers a fine piece of synth heaven (may I say Paradise?) once again. The majority of songs ooze a sense of frustration, most notably Silent Partner and Let Me Down Gently, which might as well be the centrepieces of the album. With just 9 tracks, but not a single unnecessary moment, the phrase "quality over quantity" has never been more appropriate.… Expand
Jul 30, 2014La Roux is back, stronger and with more sharper collections brought from 80's Synthpop music.
While I did not care for the duo's debut mostly for it's robotic production, this new record from Ella Jackson feels classy and ageless with songwriting tackling the titel "Trouble In Paradise", which where she depicts the topics of trouble and paradise, vocally and sonically on her newest New wave LP.
The five year process is a result of a cohesive Pop record, catchy, yet driven on concepts of love reaching from special ones being their paradise to rockier storytelling about a guys way of finding pleasure through prostitutes.
While lyrics has darker effects at times, as sex being manipulating and controlled, Ella's voice is the beauty on top of heavenly instrumentals. A nostalgic trip, more under influence than La Roux has ever been, still more inspiring than most music out that is trying to be.
Songs themself are for the most part great at their own, others can stand-out more than others and the closer "The Feeling" may be the only really lacking the feeling compared and suffer from flaws the same as found on their debut. And it might not have the international hit as with the single "Bulletproof" but "Trouble In Paradise" on it's own, has the greatness- the work of a fantastic album.
Overall, La Roux is out with one of the most enjoyable albums- sexier, warmer, luxurious and just more creative and fun than competitors. If it grows as it should, it will definitely end up being a favorite, and probably better in the category of Synthpop, if we even can count this record in as just that.… Expand
|Led Zeppelin IV [Remastered] - Led Zeppelin
|The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 - Bob Dylan
|Led Zeppelin III [Remastered] - Led Zeppelin
|Houses of the Holy [Remastered] - Led Zeppelin
|Led Zeppelin I [Remastered] - Led Zeppelin
|Led Zeppelin II [Remastered] - Led Zeppelin
|1992-1998 [Box Set] - Bedhead
|Start Together [Box Set] - Sleater-Kinney
|Offering: Live at Temple University - John Coltrane
|Soul Mining (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [Box Set] - The The
|From Parts Unknown - Every Time I Die
|RTJ2 - Run the Jewels
|In the Orbit of Ra - Sun Ra & His Arkestra
|Cadillactica - Big K.R.I.T.
|Superunknown [Deluxe Edition] - Soundgarden
|Anthology [Box Set] - The Clean
|Face the Music [Box Set] - Nils Lofgren
|Alpha Mike Foxtrot: Rare Tracks 1994-2014 - Wilco
|You're Dead! - Flying Lotus
|Foundations of Burden - Pallbearer


text:
You must log in to access this feature. Sign in with Twellow or Facebook to get started.
By signing in to Twellow, you indicate your agreement to our terms of service.
Simply connect with Facebook and kiss those password blues away,
or go here to reset your password.
Writer & columnist planting seeds, exposing beauty in brokenness & loving people to God. Represented by @RachelleGardner of WordServe Literary.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
As some of my readers might remember, I previously had a support forum up. Sadly that was an epic fail. It became overrun with spammers and was impossible to manage, so I had to shut it down. I've recently opened up a facebook page for the blog. I am hoping that it can also serve as sort of a support group so that folks can get help and support from each other. I also want to use it to post articles and research. My question is, would you use a facebook group as a support group? If so, what kind of privacy settings would you want? Would you want it to be a closed (private) group or open so that many people could join? Answer in the comments section to let me know your thoughts.
Meanwhile, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/bingeeatingtherapy
- Stop Binge Eating
- Create Positive Body Image
- Eat Slowly and Mindfully
- Stop Dieting Start Intuitive Eating
- Motivation to Exercise


text:
Our Newest Items :: Downloads :: Hot Deals NEW :: Message Board :: Why Shop Here? :: Contact Us
Hot Deal
Beyond Belief by Peter Eggink
$34.95 $11.75
Save: 66% off
Reward Points
No points earned yet on current order.
Log in to see how many reward points you have already earned
Love these Guys ...
Jeff and the crew are the best .... The shipping is fast and the communication from them on where your order is and what's happening is amazing .......
Best service on the internet
MJM magic has the best service on the internet. They really care about their customers. I was having a problem with my password. As soon as I told...


text:
This Turkey Day vacay: host a friendsgiving feast!
This sweetie gave an unexpected kiss for the camera
I know I am pretty but I don't have a BF. Is something wrong with me?
The biggest OMG celeb moments of the week
Feel-Good Friday: Tiffany the Terrier eats her pro-ice hockey playing owner's passport
How to look like the trendy one at Thanksgiving
All-natural lippies you can actually eat
4 sneaky moves for stronger and leaner posture
Should you get back with your ex?
What do you think of our Dec/Jan issue? We wanna know!
Kirby Buckets Clip
More Friends = More Fun
GL Tweets !
2 HOURS AGO 5 tips for booting bad grades: http://t.co/kMlNTRGFos
3 HOURS AGO Wondering if you should you get back with your ex? Take the #quiz to find out: http://t.co/6gYmS9fe3s
3 HOURS AGO #BookClub: We're obsessed with the #RavenCycle series. Get a free excerpt here: http://t.co/l35y9bH62j
sponsored links
Check these out, too...
Say No to Fat
When you eat breakfast, it gets your metabolism going and
helps you avoid becoming obese. It also gives you some energy so that you're
not starving later, which means you'll eat less throughout the day. Typically,
people who eat breakfast are able to follow healthier eating habits by having
lots of small meals, instead of a couple huge ones. And it's just better in
general to eat earlier in the day when you still have time to burn off those
Rise and Shine
Having that energy boost from breakfast will help you wake
up fully in the morning. And that can be super-helpful when you get stuck with
math class first period. Since ya can't bring your pillow to school, it's
probably best to have some food and wake up the right way.
A+, Comin' Right Up!
Eating breakfast actually helps you perform better in
school, so if you're shootin' for straight A's this semester, cereal is your
ticket. Gals who eat breakfast before school can remember things better,
concentrate more, and solve problems faster. Make sure you ace all your tests,
and grab some oatmeal on your way out the door!
Save Time
Wait, making and eating breakfast takes time, doesn't it?
Yes, it does, but you'll get that time investment back once you get to school
and aren't wandering around in a daze for the first few hours. Wouldn't you
rather chat with your besties in homeroom instead of fumbling with your locker
combination and dropping all your textbooks in the hall? Make sure you're ready
to go by chowin' down first thing in the morning, and leave the klutziness at
Start Smiling
If you eat something that you like when you wake up, chances
are you won't be so grumpy in the morning. And if your stomach isn't growling
and hurting, that's always nice, too. You can even feel positive about the fact
that you're keeping your diet healthier overall and that you could lose some
weight with this new breakfast thing.
ALL STAR | Kick some booty this year
+ 10
10-second confidence boosters
+ Get
fit before the bell rings—without hitting the gym
+ Make the team with
our best try-out tips
WIN IT | Score serious BTS swag
before ya hit the halls
GET CONNECTED | Want more from GL? Get it on the
daily on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr.
POSTED IN eating, healthy eating 101, breakfast, back to school
It's bad to eat really late at night.
Teenage girl...and assassin nun? Meet Annith in Mortal Heart
Mortal Heart—the third and final chapter in the His Fair Assassin trilogy—follows a trio of teen girls trained in the dark arts of spying and murder. CLICK HERE to catch up on the first two books...and get a sneak peek at the gripping conclusion in Mortal Heart.


text:
Ratings based on 19 Verified Reviews
They paid and stayed. We double-checked.
4.3 Room cleanliness
4.1 Service & staff
4.2 Room comfort
3.8 Hotel condition
They paid and stayed.
We double-checked.
We double-checked.
for Everyoneby A verified travelerfrom Palm Springs, California
Nice hotel in ArtesiaPosted Nov 14, 2014
Pros: Clean. Indoor courtyard. Sparkling pool. Comfortable rooms
Location: The location is good on the edge of town. We were not in town long, not much to do in Artesia itself. Nice drives into mountains or nearby Roswell.
I was pleasantly surprised at what a nice hotel this was. The employees were extremely nice, the hotel was well-kept, attractive and extremely clean. Our hotel room was roomy, very clean and the beds were very comfortable. Reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone.
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
A Good Hotel To Stay AtPosted Sep 15, 2014
Pros: They had everything I needed, the hotel room was very clean, people are freindly.
Cons: The heating system needs work. I turned on the heater and it sounded the alarm because the dust began to burn.
Location: The location of the hotel is in a town that is located in the desert. 30 miles in either direction, Carlsbad Caverns and Roswell (UFO Town).
My overall experience with the stay at this hotel went well. The staff was courteous. The rooms were clean and comfortable.
for Everyoneby A verified travelerfrom Beavers
Nice hotel & staff.Posted Sep 9, 2014
Overall was a great experience. Very friendly staff and the house cat is adorable and very lovey. The only two issues we had was, first the poor food selectiion and quailty of food from resturants in the area. Second was the additional charges after check out for state tax and lodging fees. So no matter how you book room or what site add an additional $50.00 on top of the total so you are not shocked.
by A verified travelerfrom Rochester, NY
Overpriced and not nicePosted Jul 12, 2014
I paid $150 for a room. The hotel staff were very unhelpful. I saw another guest spit into the pool from standing on the side, which really grossed me out. The hotel staff didn't say anything. The breakfast made me feel sick.
by A verified traveler
"Nonsmoking" room was smokey.Posted Jul 3, 2014
The nonsmoking rooms are on the same hallway as the smoking.... Yuck! The shower is the worst we've had in a while. Do not stay here.
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
Posted Jun 13, 2014
Cons: The motel needs a general update in the rooms and the general areas.
The motel needs a general update in the rooms and the general areas.
for Everyoneby Kenfrom Arizona
A little pricey, but expected for an oil boomtownPosted Jun 8, 2014
Construction next door made the car a mess. Hotel staff was very cordial. Pool and hot tub were very nice. The rocking recliner was so comfortable after a long day of driving.
for Everyoneby Frederiquefrom romford
Excellent hotel, a bit expensive.Posted May 23, 2014
Pros: Nice design, internal room entrances, very clean, nice rooms.
It is a bit far from the Caverns, but from the reviews the closer hotels seem lacking in quality, hopefully this will change soon as Carlsbad seems to be undergoing a make over. Best Western Artesia was good and ticks all the right boxes.
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
A great place to stay.Posted May 20, 2014
Friendly, helpful staff. Easy to find, easy to get around town and easy to get to nearby attractions.
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
Highly recommend.Posted Feb 15, 2014
Great night at this hotel. The room was very nice with comfy beds and had a fridge and microwave. The indoor pool and hot tub were a fabulous way to relax after a long weary trip. Full breakfast in the morning served by friendly staff, much nicer than the usual continental breakfast at other hotels.


text:
After a highly successful career in sales within a corporate environment, real estate sales was an easy transition...for me. What works here works everywhere...top notch customer service. That's what you can expect from me.
(952) 927-2818
Send an email
We're sharing our knowledge of cities across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Get details on schools, real estate listings, demographics and more.
Get a professional home value estimate - FREE and with no obligation.
Rates provided by:
Delightful solid 50's rambler in Richfield. Walk to Nature Center, shopping and new restaurants. All redone interior with new kitchen and bath. Nice flat yard and large back screened porch. Great value.
Licensed in: MN (Agent)
Edina Realty is a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, the second largest full-service independent real estate brokerage firm. Our family of companies serves home buyers and sellers throughout the U.S.
We're here to help you 7 days a week
Sign In
Don't have an account? Create one here.
We value your privacy.
More control. Complete privacy. An easier way to find a home.
Already have an account? Sign in here.
No spam. Complete privacy.
©2003-2014 Edina Realty, Inc. A HomeServices of America, Inc. company and Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.
All rights reserved.
Edina Realty - Real Estate, Mortgage and Title experts in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Terms of use Legal copyright notice Business relationship disclosure


text:
Vacation Planning
Regional Food/Cooking
Business Directory
Islamar Villas
Island & Reef Maps
Car Rentals
Cozumel Island History
IslaMar Studio Villa 1 Vacation Rental
This lovely 2nd floor studio efficiency vacation rental villa is all one big, open space with lots of elbow room! It is perfect for a couple or a single traveler and features a full kitchen with built in electric stove top, toaster oven, microwave and refrigerator. There is a nice sized eating bar with 4 solid jungle hardwood bar chairs, a bathroom and queen size bed. Decor is tropical, casual & comfortable.
Downstairs in the common area garden, there are lawn chairs, a pool/spa, dive equipment stow bins, gear rinse tank, and hammocks to enjoy. For those who are frequent visitors to the island, moving out of the hotel zone and integrating into the culture of an ordinary neighborhood in a vacation rental home is the "next step" to becoming "a local!" And this wonderful IslaMar Studio Villa apartment is the perfect way for visitors to transition from "hotel staying" to an "island living" experience.
Over the years, this IslaMar Studio Villa vacation rental has amassed quite a following of repeat guests. Some folks email or call Sherri and simply say "Get my apartment ready - I'm coming down!" or they ask "?Is the chic pad available?!" It's just a really comfortable space that feels like home! So come give it a try and see for yourself what living in paradise could feel like!
Accommodation Specifics
IslaMar Studio Villa 1 Vacation Rental
IslaMar Vacation Villas
COME & SEE ~ Entire facility & villas remodeled & ready for 2014 !!!
Accommodates a maximum of 2 Persons
Villa has 1 queen size bed
Full Kitchens & Bottled Water
Air Conditioning & Ceiling Fans
TV-Cable/DVD & Phone For Local Calls + FREE Wi-Fi
Book & DVD Library
Privacy & Security (10' privacy wall surrounds the property)
Pool/Jacuzzi with Tranquil Waterfall
Open Courtyard with Garden
Sunbathing & Hammock Areas
Dive Equipment Rinse/Dry Area
Storage Bins for Dive/Snorkel Gear
Charcoal BBQ Grills
Host & Staff On Site Daily for Guest Needs
Services Available Upon Request:
Activity Coordination
In-House Masseuse
In-House Chef services
In-House Basic Spanish Lessons
In-House Laundry
US$ 59 / night
US$ 413 / week
PLUS 19% Local Fees
Please inquire about special Holiday and Monthly rates
Personal Experiences
Submit Feedback
Very nice home base for our diving vacation! Nice villa, enjoyed our neighbors, hearing the roosters crow and relaxing in the hammock. Wish we knew more Spanish so we could talk more with lovely Zuri and others in town. Loved being greeted at the airport! Next Time, we'd like to check out the Beach Club! Thank you!!!
Bret & Debbi C. ~ Parker, CO
Stay (02/24/2012) - To the IslaMar Staff: Thank you so much (gracias) for the wonderful service in Cozumel. We have learned to respect and enjoy the pace of living here. The island and events have been beautiful. Again, gracias for your kindness and service during our stay here. God Bless!
Mike C. & Marlyce F. ~ Ettrick, WI
Of our many trips to Cozumel, this ranks right at the top. Airport greeting, Zuri & Jacqueline all made a difference. IslaMar is a special place for special people, staffed by special people! We shall return and recommend to all of our fellow Cozumelaholics! Viva Cozumel!
Jed & Paula C. ~ Huntersville, NC
Stupendous time! Absolutely perfect experience and a great incentive to become an expat ourselves. See you soon! P.S. Do you have any real estate tips? By the way, Sissy and YB made this week wonderful. We missed our 4 cat children, so having them to visit us or visit our ham and cheese scraps was a gift!
Stacy & David G. ~ Augusta, ME
We were here with my sister, brother-in-law and their girls. We had a wonderful time and made lots of good memories! It was especially nice to be with the local people who were perfect hosts and hostesses. We hope to be back with more of our family. La Choza great sauce and food!!!
Mickey & Holly R. ~ Sherman, IL
Copyright © 2000-2014 Sherri Davis, All Rights Reserved. All website content is the property of Cozumel Insider unless otherwise attributed and cannot be used, displayed or reproduced without express written permission from Cozumel Insider. Contributors retain the copyright to their work where applicable; please do not take art or words without permission. Other graphics and reference materials are used and attributed as per the Fair Use Provision of The Copyright Act and individual terms of use.
Contact Sherri Davis
Set a Meeting
Send a Message
Contact Form
Meeting Scheduler


text:
So Limited: a look at international special editions
by Robert Workman, shacknews.com, Mar 11, 2014 9:00AM PDT
Every once in a while, publishers will prepare special editions of upcoming releases that differ by region. For instance, U.S. players would get some form of downloadable content and physical extras... Read more
DriveClub was taken 'back to the drawing board'
by Alice O'Connor, shacknews.com, Mar 11, 2014 6:30AM PDT
MotorStorm developer Evolution Studios' PlayStation 4-exclusive racer DriveClub was once due alongside the new console, but a month before launch Sony delayed it to the vague period of "early 2014." And we haven't heard much from it since. Sony has now explained that rather than simply polishing up a little, it wanted "go back to the drawing board and make sure the game is great before we ship it." Read more
Infamous: Second Son live-action trailer gives a taste of dystopia
by Steve Watts, shacknews.com, Mar 10, 2014 8:30AM PDT
Infamous: Second Son has gotten a live-action trailer, showing just what happens to future-cops when they corner a super-powered graffiti artist. Read more
New releases of March 10-16
by Alice O'Connor, shacknews.com, Mar 9, 2014 9:45AM PDT
Oh, happy days! Next week will finally bring the launch on Dark Souls II, on consoles at least. We're also seeing the PC and Xbox One launch of Titanfall, Yoshi's New Island for 3DS, TowerFall Ascension on PC and PS4, and oh, some other pretties too. Read more
R.B.I. Baseball 14 slides onto Xbox 360, PS3, iOS, and Android on April 10
by Ozzie Mejia, shacknews.com, Mar 8, 2014 2:00PM PST
R.B.I. Baseball '14 will arrive on Xbox 360, PS3, iOS, and Android on April 10. No release date has been given for the Xbox One or PS4 versions. Read more
Guacamelee: STCE changes detailed, PC update 'possible'
by Ozzie Mejia, shacknews.com, Mar 8, 2014 1:00PM PST
Drinkbox Studios' lead designer Greg Lesky talks about some of the new changes made to Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition, including new moves, a toned-down final boss, and whether the game's changes will see the light of day on PC. Read more
Galak-Z blasting onto Vita too
by Alice O'Connor, shacknews.com, Mar 7, 2014 1:00PM PST
A roguelike-like top-down space shooter citing the likes of Halo games and Far Cry 3 as inspirations for its combat is a game of interest, so how pleasant that Galak-Z: The Dimensional is coming to another platform. Developer 17-bit today announced that it'll blast onto Vita, as well as PC and PlayStation 4, later this year. Read more
Lego The Hobbit trailer just needs one last big score
by Steve Watts, shacknews.com, Mar 7, 2014 11:30AM PST
A new trailer for Lego The Hobbit poses it as a swanky heist flick. Read more
Defense Grid 2 also invading PS4 and Xbox One
by Alice O'Connor, shacknews.com, Mar 7, 2014 9:45AM PST
The thrills, spills, and intricate mazes of tower defense are coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in Defense Grid 2, publisher 505 Games has announced. Hidden Path's original Defense Grid: The Awakening was one of the slickest TDs around in 2008, so its sequel should fit in nicely on next-gen consoles. It's still on for PC, Mac, and Linux editions this year too, of course. Read more
Foul Play brawling onto PS4 and Vita
by Alice O'Connor, shacknews.com, Mar 6, 2014 2:30PM PST
If I were to make a play about how great I am, I'd want as many people to see it as possible. It's a sentiment Baron Dashforth evidently shares, as the Victorian monster hunter's tale Foul Play is coming to PlayStation 4 and Vita too, publisher Mastertronic announced today. It's a downloadable beat 'em up, starring the dashing gentleman and his sidekick recreating their adventures on stage. Read more
Most Anticipated PS4 Games
- The Order: 1886Release 2/20/2015
- Batman: Arkham KnightRelease 6/2/2015
- BloodborneRelease 3/24/2015
- The CrewRelease 12/2/2014
- Dying LightRelease 1/27/2015


text:
Find records of Ella Olufson
Find birth, death, marriage, military, and other records of Ella M Olufson at Ancestry.com.Search for records
Biography & Family History Add details
Ella M Olufson (1952 - 2002) was born on September 6, 1952. She was born into the Olufson family.
There are no known spouses or children on file for Ella. Ella died on December 26, 2002 at 50 years of age.
This record of Ella M Olufson comes from the United States Social Security Death Index. According to information provided to the SSDI, this death record has been verified by a family member of the deceased. This data can be considered very accurate. What is the SSDI?
This look at Ella M Olufson's life was created by AncientFaces users like you Contribute what you know to connect to the people who knew her. Some common things we would like to know about Ella's genealogy:
- Where was Ella born?
- Where did Ella die?
- Who was Ellas family?
- What did Ella look like? Add some photos of their life.
Family Tree & Genealogy Add / Edit People
You can add or remove people from this genealogy by clicking here.
History of Ella M Olufson Add details
- Given name
- Ella
- Surnames
- Olufson family history
- Born
- Death
- Gender
- Female
Do you know more about Ella M Olufson?
You can add details to this page and share Ella's story.
Obituary Add details
We don't know info regarding Ella M Olufson's obituary records. You can add obituary information about Ella M Olufson by clicking "Add Details".
Discuss Ella
Share your memories below with the rest of Ella's family. We'll notify anyone else who is searching for Ella of your message.
Find records of Ella Olufson
Find birth, death, marriage, military, and other records of Ella M Olufson at Ancestry.com.Search for records
Possible Relatives
- Edna M Olufson
- ·
- Mildred Caroline Olufson
- ·
- Carl Olufson
- ·
- Lyle H Olufson
- ·
- John E Olufson
- ·
- Alfred Olufson
- ·
- Clora Olufson
- ·
- Ingvald Olufson
- ·
- Lola Olufson
- ·
- Hilda Olufson
- ·
- Edwin S Olufson
- ·
- Emeline Olufson
- ·
- Leonard Olufson
- ·
- Oscar Olufson
- ·
- Clarence Olufson
- ·
- Grace A Olufson
- ·
- Randall L Olufson
- ·
- John Olufson
- ·
- Gordon Olufson
- ·
- Rosalie Olufson
- ·


text:
Pistachio Sugar Cookies
VN's Beverly Lynn Bennett's sugar cookies turn grown up with a pop of pistachio.
These cookies marry classic sugar cookie dough with an unexpectedly sophisticated twist—ground pistachios. Perfect for eating straight out of the oven and either dusted with powdered sugar or frosted to your heart's content, these treats are sure to become a staple in your traditional holiday cookie roster.
Makes 5 to 7 dozen
What You Need:
- 1-1/2 cups non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
- 1 cup unbleached cane sugar
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3-1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 cup ground pistachios
- 3/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
What You Do:
- In a large bowl, beat together margarine, sugar, water, and vanilla until light and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to form a smooth dough. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until firm. Divide the dough in half, work with one half at a time, and keep the remaining dough covered.
- On a floured work surface, roll the dough out to desired thickness (1/8-inch for crispy cookies or 1/4-inch for soft), cut into shapes with a knife or cookie cutters, and carefully transfer the cookies with a spatula to ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Allow cookies to cool slightly before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.
Click here for more delicious recipes:
Sugar Cookie Dough
Orange Sugar Cookies
Stuffed Maple Tofu
Served with apple-cranberry chutney, this stack makes a gorgeous Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Read More »
Creamy Leek Polenta
The buttery texture of leeks and soft texture of polenta culminate in this dish of creamy perfection.
Read More »
Classic Fry Bread
Perfect for Thanksgiving, traditional fry bread is easily customizable for a quick savory snack.
Read More »
Mummys Favorite Pumpkin Soup
This spicy pumpkin soup will be a hit with everyone this Halloween.
Read More »
Vegan Shawarma Sandwiches
You'll love this savory soy-free shawarma topped with a tangy tahini sauce.
Read More »
More Flashbacks
- Chocolate Mousse
- Grilled Vegetable Pizza
- Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mini-Muffins
- Neapolitan Bars
- Fresh Spring Rolls
- Peach & Blackberry Parfait
- Spinach-Artichoke Dip
- Raw Berry Pie
- Grilled Smores with Strawberries and Bananas
- Sweet Cashew Spread
- Peanut Noodle Salad
- Dijon Macaroni Salad
- Peach Crisp
- Tomato-Basil Crostini
- Indian-Style Cauliflower
- Coffee Chip Frozen Yogurt
- Kale Slaw with Barbecue Walnut Crumble
- Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp
- Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice


text:
Nature's Perfect Package: Labeling Our Way to a Clear Conscience
Consumers opposed to factory farming want to know more about the animals we eat. How were they raised? Did they live on a pasture? What did they eat? Where were they slaughtered? The ultimate problem with these questions, important as they are, is that it's generally not in any producer's interest to provide complete answers. The labels that describe animal products today thus rely on an industry-influenced lexicon that salves our conscience but obscures the harsh reality of raising, killing, and eating animals. Continue reading


text:
AntMan Wonder - Sleeping Giant 2
Artist: AntMan Wonder
Featuring: Skyzoo
Producer: Antman Wonder
Album: Century Gun
Avg Rating: 4.4 ( 12 votes )
Whether or not you're fortunate enough to live a luxurious life, or you're on the grind trying to attain that level of status, producer AntMan Wonder's new single, Sleeping Giant 2, can be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates the aesthetics of lush composition. The first featured cut from Wonder's upcoming album, Sleeping Giant 2 employs a rich opening that unfolds into sprawling horns, layers of drums, synths and a pulsing bassline. Brooklyn emcee and Booth regular Skyzoo makes an appearance, adding to the grandeur, while vocals from Dayna Watkins soften the brazen sound momentarily. The end result is like listening to a hip-hop orchestra play theme music for a rap superhero flick. This is AntMan Wonder's first DJBooth feature as an artist, but you can check out previous DJBooth cuts that he's produced, and check back for the release date of Century Gun, hopefully coming soon.
AntMan WonderSkyzoo DownloadsIndie
Written by Stephanie Vaughn on 07/31/13
Submit your Rating
First DJ Booth Appearance:
"Meeting the Presidents" (2013)
Total DJ Booth Features:
1 Songs
You Might Like...
Commentsblog comments powered by Disqus
- Beyond the Lights: Machine Gun Kelly Learns to Act Like Himself
- Reggie Bonds - Stream of Consciousness Pt. 1
- Eminem Vs. DJ Whoo Kid - Shady Classics
- Kid Cudi Thinks Hip-Hop Is Endangered - He's Wrong
- Tayyib Ali - Keystone State of Mind III
- 10 Must Have Hip-Hop Downloads of the Week (11/21)
- What Rappers Would You Pick for "New York vs. Everybody"?
- Your Favorite Indie Rapper is Secretly Signed to a Major Label
- The DJBooth - Top Prospects EP (Vol. 2)
- The Best Hip-Hop & R&B Songs of 2014 (Ongoing)
DJBooth TV
Discover the best new songs, videos, and albums added to the Booth.


text:
Advanced Search
Google has pulled the plug on Wave, the company's effort to provide a shared online communications hub.
Three university programs have acquired an application from Hyland Software to manage documents and streamline workflow.
Faronics has released a new anti-virus application. Faronics Anti-Virus provides anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-rootkit security. The program also provides e-mail protection with native support for Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and other e-mail programs.
Microsoft has released a beta of its latest client protection software for enterprises.
Microsoft has launched the latest beta of its free antivirus software, Microsoft Security Essentials.
Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be released "within the first half of calendar year 2011," Microsoft announced this week.
Microsoft issued a security advisory Friday about a Windows vulnerability associated with shortcut icons on USB drives.
Microsoft has added an automated means to address a zero-day Windows Shell vulnerability described in a security advisory released late last week.
View More Webcasts
View More Whitepapers
Campus Technology | CT Summer Educational Conference | CT Leadership Symposium | CT Forum ConferenceTHE Journal | FETC | FETC Virtual Event
[ + ] Feedback [ + ]
©2001-2014 1105 Media Inc, Ed-Tech Group. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use


text:
If you buy a new print edition of this book (or purchased one in the past), you can buy the Kindle edition for only $2.99 (Save 80%). Print edition purchase must be sold by Amazon. Learn more.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?.
I actually heard M. Lloyd-Jones preach in London many years ago and his sermons are as applicable today as they were then. Read morePublished 1 month ago by Mrs. Donna J. Harvey
Life changing teaching from Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I could not recommend this book more highly.Published 1 month ago by Craig L. Smith
What an amazing book. Every person who reads this will want to read it over and over.Published 2 months ago by Emily Warford
This is a layman friendly thoughtful study of Christ's Sermon on the Mount. It is a valuable resource.Published 4 months ago by Virginia W. Hartman


text:
Alltech Jobs in Nashville
3 Alltech jobs in Nashville, Tennessee found on Monster.Jobs 1 to 3 of 3
A local client is seeking a Database Administrator that will be responsible for the administration and performance tuning of Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL databases. The client will train the DBA on either technology as long as the DBA is strong in the other database. Position Summary: - Recommends and implements solutions for ensuring database stability including backups, error monitoring and ...
A local client is seeking a C# Developer with 2+ year of experience for a permanent position. Minimal Qualifications: •2+ years of experience as a C# Developer (healthcare related a plus) or an exceptionally strong educational experience in computer science or related field •Self-motivated with strong time management skills for managing multiple tasks simultaneously, while completing work wit...
A local client is seeking a Business Analyst / Project Coordinator for a permanent positon. Position Summary: The BA/PC will assist the expanding development team with achieving objectives within the promised timeframes. This person will also help define technical requirements for application enhancements as well as research and answer application related inquiries. Responsibilities will include...
Didn't find the right job at Alltech in Nashville, Tennessee?
We'll keep looking and send you new jobs that match this search.
Upload your resume and let employers find you!
It's that simple!
Popular Articles
Seven Sports Jobs and What They Pay
Why just work when you can earn a paycheck to play all day? Check out these sports-related jobs and find out what they pay.
Five Holiday Jobs for Extra Income
Want to top up your holiday budget? Get a job that pays more than the minimum and has higher demand around the holidays. Here are five to check out.
Best-Paying Work-from-Home Jobs
It's easier than ever to work from home. Of course, not every job is a mobile job, and some companies aren't interested in having their employees work from home.
2013 Marketing Jobs Outlook
The US may be facing another year of anemic hiring overall, but that won't be the case in the high-orbit world of multichannel, digital media marketing.
2013 Engineering Jobs Outlook
Engineers will find job opportunities in select disciplines in 2013, with candidates who are all-around, client-oriented businesspeople in demand.


text:
I've been writing copy for many more years than I care to remember. Copywriting used to be a skill only copywriters and marketers bothered about. Nowadays however, everyone writes every day, even if only on social media websites.
This report is for YOU, if you need to sell. I hope you pick up a nugget or three of information you can put to work, and sell more.
Download your free report now, and watch your Inbox for additional copywriting tips to make your writing life easier.
Have you checked out the Master Class? Imagine starting and running your own highly successful copywriting business, under the guidance of a top copywriter… Take this online copywriting training course to become a professional copywriter, FAST.
Join Angela on Google+, and on Twitter: @angee.
You can find Angela on Pinterest, too.
Related Posts
Latest posts by Angela Booth (see all)
- Turbocharge Your Writing Business: Coaching Discounts - November 25, 2014
- Selling Your Writing Confidently - November 24, 2014
- The Best Way to Sell Your Writing - November 23, 2014


text:
Original males that are NOT from any anime series or game. You want an image in your album? Click a picture, copy the Direct Link, upload it to your album using "The web" under "More".
Get Deals, Giveaways & More
Your import is in the queue.
We will email you when your albums are available.


text:
Friday Links
In the past, I would occasionally share a random collection of short links on Fridays. I don't have
In the past, I would occasionally share a random collection of short links on Fridays. I don't have
I mentioned in my post yesterday that I made the decision to resume blogging here at Bicycle Design
Call me indecisive, but BicycleDesign.net is back. When I made the decision to formally end the blog
It is hard to pinpoint the exact reason that I started this blog in 2005. I could say that it was to
Velo-Design is an excellent blog by French designer Johann Paquelier. If you didn't already guess it
I spotted these neon colored fixies hanging in a small bike shop in Dongguan, China yesterday. I have
I mentioned The Open University's "Design Behind the Bike" videos on Twitter last week,
If you are reading this, you probably know that Interbike is underway in Las Vegas this week. I started
I have been amazed and delighted to see the traffic to Bicycle Design increase over the years…especially
Many of you may already subscribe to this blog's RSS feed. If you usually read Bicycle Design from


text: POPSUGAR Fashion Splash New York Fashion: Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2010 by coutorture 2/18/10 0 Reactions 0 Shares Print 0 0 0 0 0 Previous Photo 1 of 106 View on One Page ADVERTISEMENT ( more slides) Next What's Your Reaction? Thanks for your reaction Don't forget to share this with your friends! 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 New York Fashion: Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2010 New York 02/18/10 Getty 0 0 0 0 0 Read More 2010 Fall Fashion Week2010 Fall New York Fashion Week2010 New York Fashion Week2010 Fashion WeekSplashGalleryRunwayTommy Hilfiger Tommy Hilfiger 13 Classic Cold-Weather Pieces to Warm Up Your Winter Look 4 days ago The 18 Absolute Best Boots, Because Winter Is Coming 5 days ago Fashion Insiders Pay Their Respects at Oscar de la Renta's Funeral 2 weeks ago The Secret to Dressing Like Zooey Deschanel! 4/23 Zooey Deschanel's First-Ever Clothing Line Has Arrived! 4/13 Tommy Hilfiger Talks His Fall Collection and the Oscars 2/11 Watch Tommy Hilfiger Turn a Runway Into a Ski Chalet 2/11 Splash The Plus Sized Thang 1 week ago Joey Lawrence Talks Splash's Big Finale and '90s Nostalgia 5/07/13 Paris Fashion Week: Thierry Mugler Fall 2010 3/12/10 Paris Fashion Week: Miu Miu Fall 2010 3/11/10 Paris Fashion Week: Cerruti Fall 2010 3/10/10 Paris Fashion Week: Hermes Fall 2010 3/10/10 Paris Fashion Week: Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 3/10/10 Get chic with our daily newsletter Enjoy street style trends, runway looks, and the best in celeb beauty in your inbox. Celebrity Style Beauty Tips Fashion & Beauty News Street Style What's Your Reaction? Thanks for your reaction Don't forget to share this with your friends! 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Reactions Link Love Sophia Amoruso outlines the basics of being a boss — Who What Wear Shopping for luxe gifts for your girlfriends? Try looking here — Style.com How to master monochrome and maintain your style — InStyle The best dressed star of the week is 4 years old — HuffPost Style The wear-everywhere crop top that belongs in your closet — The Cut So, how do all those superhot male models get discovered? — Fashionista There's a serious problem with Anna Wintour's new office . . . — Racked If District 12 wore couture, it'd be courtesy of this designer — Lucky Rumi Neely lets you into her stylish home — StyleList Latest Fashion


text:
News Details
FIA calls Formula 1 teams to meeting on costs
Sahara Force India Formula 1 teams have been called to an urgent meeting as they attempt to bring down the costs of competing in the sport. FIA president Jean Todt revealed last weekend that plans for a cost cap have been scrapped but the sport's governing body remains keen to lower the cost of competing in the sport. During a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Morocco, it was agreed that Formula 1's 11 teams will meet with Todt and Bernie Ecclestone at the start of next month. 'The FIA, the Commercial Rights Holder (CRH), and all the Formula 1 teams have recently confirmed their commitment to work on cost reduction', read an FIA statement. 'Accordingly, the FIA President Jean...
Full Story »
Full Story »
7mo ago from F1Zone.net 0
You May Also Be Interested In...
FIA summons F1 teams to cost cutting meeting
The FIA has called an urgent meeting to discuss ways to reduce costs in...
7mo ago from TheF1Times.com
FIA to abandon cost cap plans - Todt
Mercedes AMG Petronas The FIA has abandoned plans to introduce a cost cap...
7mo ago from F1Zone.net
Cost reduction through rules sought as F1 cost cap...
Cost reduction through rules sought as F1 cost cap unlikely to happen 7...
7mo ago from GrandPrix247.com
Formula 1 must be attractive - Williams
Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 must remain attractive to potential new...
7mo ago from F1Zone.net
Hottest News
Reports link Brawn, Costa, Bottas with Ferrari
The latest names linked with Ferrari are Ross... Read More »
2h ago from ThisIsF1.com
Mallya slams Horner and 'cheating' Red Bull
Force India owner Vijay Mallya has slammed Red... Read More »
2h ago from RichlandF1.com
Lewis reveals Brawn persuasion
Lewis Hamilton has revealed he was first 'sold'... Read More »
1h ago from SkySports.com
Recent News
Mallya slams Red Bull
19m ago from SkySports.com
Lewis reveals Brawn persuasion
1h ago from SkySports.com


text:
UPDATE: UT Student Carjacked Near Campus
Updated: 11/08/2007 - One man arrested, another still on the loose after an overnight carjacking near the University of Tennessee's campus.
Updated: 11/08/2007 - One man arrested, another still on the loose after an overnight carjacking near the University of Tennessee's campus.
Updated: 11/08/2007 - A man is behind bars after drunkenly trying to break in to a West Knoxville art store with a hatchet.
Posted: 11/08/2007 - Today marks the day that police say teenage student Kenneth Bartley brought a gun to school and shot three Campbell County High School administrators.
Posted: 11/08/2007 - The Governor of Tennessee will be in Knoxville later today.
Updated: 12/04/2007 - Winter is here and that means Christmas lights are sparkling across Sevier County, and it also means thousands of visitors from all across the country are enjoying the east Tennessee Holiday season.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - Many people seek a natural approach to prevent flu and medical experts say there are some things you can to build your immune system and avoid getting sick.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - Gasoline prices have shot up over the last week leaving most drivers wondering what they can do to save a little at the pump.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - Jim and Georgia McDonald allege their children, John McDonald, 4, and Michaela McDonald, 1, were infected with E. Coli after eating ground beef patties manufactured by Cargill.
Posted: 11/07/2007 - The dangers are a little different when fire strikes an apartment or multi-story home.
Updated: 09/04/2008 - Friends and family members mourn the loss of Dyan Foulks in an early morning apartment fire.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - Razorbacks looking for first-ever win streak vs. Vols
Updated: 11/07/2007 - Late Wednesday, the Tennessee Department of Health announced they had ordered Hillcrest North not to admit any new residents.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - There are more English as a second language students that ever in East Tennessee, but who is paying for it?
Updated: 11/08/2007 - A man who allegedly robbed a bank Wednesday afternoon while holding a small child in his arms is in police custody.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - There are more than 300 children across Tennessee waiting for someone to love them and give them a home.
Posted: 11/07/2007 - A couple of categories to watch tonight at the Country Music Association awards are female vocalist and vocal duo.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - A sewage problem will close Greenback School in Loudon County for the rest of the week.
Posted: 11/07/2007 - Republican Fred Thompson mocked rival Mitt Romney for spending millions of his own money on the presidential race.
Posted: 11/07/2007 - The Tennessee Supreme Court has denied a request for a stay of execution by death row inmate Paul Dennis Reid.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - Discovery and its crew returned to Earth today and concluded a 15-day space station build and repair mission that was among the most challenging and heroic in shuttle history.
Posted: 11/07/2007 - The Dyer County Sheriff's department says 19-year-old Taylor Cole and 18-year-old Adam Davis, both of the Finley area, had gone to check the water level near a duck blind Monday evening.
Updated: 09/04/2008 - Spokesman Tracy Pitcox says Thompson was battling aggressive lung cancer.
Updated: 11/07/2007 - Toi L. Melvin was arrested Tuesday, after a federal grand jury indicted him on three counts of distribution of five grams or more of crack cocaine.
Updated: 09/04/2008 - Family members confirm the victim is Dyan Foulks, 60.
Posted: 11/07/2007 - Alan Ricks from TWRA says Kenneth Gregg, 36, of Morristown, was injured Friday morning, November 2, 2007, when he fell from a tree stand.


text:
A renowned collection of cookbooks fills this used bookstore. Ruth Reichl, the former editor of Gourmet magazine, spent plenty of time here during an extended stay in Vegas to discover rare, first edition and just undiscovered treasures. Owners Lou and Myrna Donato share the tales behind the books, some of which they don't want to sell.
(Photo: STEVE MARCUS)


text:
Delicate branchlets adorn the snow.
January Snow
Lakewood, New Jersey USA
Canon Elph 100HS
Features (4):
From The Heart
International Women's Photography
Lost In Space
You Got It, We Want It!
Congratulations on your February Feature! Gena
Thank you very much!!! I appreciate your support of my work, thank you for the feature and the favorite :)
– RVogler
Very lovely. The orange leaf is a perfect addition!
Thank you very much! That leaf just happened to fall into the right spot, and I am surprised it has retained its color. Thank you for viewing my work, much appreciated :)
– RVogler
Thank you very much! :)
– RVogler
Delicate and beautiful!
Thank you so much! :)
– RVogler
Delicate, lovely.
Thank you so much! I appreciate the favorite and your comments, thanks again :)
– RVogler
Thank you very much, Ray! :)
– RVogler
Your HEARTFELT Creation is on DISPLAY Here
Thank you very much! I am thrilled to be featured, thank you :) I appreciate the favorite, too, thanks again!
– RVogler
February 3, 2014
Beautiful work!
Thank you for the lovely banner, I appreciate the feature and the favorite very much! Woo!
– RVogler
CONGRATULATIONS on your well deserved features..Such a simple subject but very pleasing to the eye
Thank you very much!!! :)
– RVogler
Lost in Space
Thanks so much!! Such a thrill to be featured, much appreciated ! :)
– RVogler


text:
Greek surplus ammunition. Range was 100 yards.
There were several failures to feed, but other than that, it ran well. I'm going to field strip and clean and lube the heck out of it and that should make a difference. I'm also going to change out the op rod spring.
The first four clips were everywhere, but mostly low and left. I adjusted the sight for the last clip and this photo shows the results. The wind was coming up, and we had shot for a while, so we called it a day.
Join FirearmsTalk.com Today - It's Free!
Are you a firearms enthusiast? Then we hope you will join the community. You will gain access to post, create threads, private message, upload images, join groups and more.
Firearms Talk is owned and operated by fellow firearms enthusiasts. We strive to offer a non-commercial community to learn and share information.
Join FirearmsTalk.com Today! - Click Here
Good job on the groupings. That will take out a zombie rather good, regardless of where you are from.
Like I said, the first forty rounds weren't too good, mostly low and left. The last 8 round clip, which is shown, is the seven rounds in the black and the one flyer at about 1 o'clock on the edge.
I've never fired a Garand before today, so this was my first 48 rounds ever. I know the rifle can do better and I believe I can too. Especially at 100 yards.
I've been using 168 grain Sierra Match Kings with 48 grains of IMR 4064 with outstanding results in my 54. Watch out for that mouse trap when cleaning, it will make you cuss loud enough for the whole house to hear. Hunter Joe
God, Family, Guns, in that order.
Okay, I will. I'm doing my best to avoid "Garand thumb"
When you were having failures to feed and had bad accurcy were you shooting off a reat on the front handguard?
The bottom of the front handguard is open and if it is on a bag ,etc the problems you had can be the result of the Op Rod rubbing on the rest
"Surpress all compassion and you bear a weapon far greater than any held in the hand." - The Psychology of the Assassin
Thanks. I just couldn't seem to hit in the center. Hopefully I'll have a better target to post after the next range trip.
You failures to feed can be from what I already suggested or a dirty, not properly greased rifle ( grease not oil) http://www.nicolausassociates.com/PDF/M1GarandRifleGreasePoints.pdf or a loose gas screw, worn op rod pidton and or gas cylinder to name a few.


text:
Cigan's Random Thoughts
A place for all things geek. Table Top Gaming, Card Gaming, Vidgeo Gaming, Movies, Anime, whatever tickles my fancy. You'll see a lot of random stuff in the archives and very inconsistent posting. That is likely to continue.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Ghost in the Shell the Movie!!! or How my Head Exploded Friday Morning
Soooooo. Scarlett Johansson has been offered the lead role in Ghost in the Shell slated to be written by William Wheeler and directed by Rupert Sanders. I have opinions on this news. LOTS of them. Let me first start out by saying that I think if you were to take Ghost in the Shell and move it to a western context and make all the characters suddenly white that Johansson is the perfect casting. She has shown in Under the Skin and in a somewhat simpler way in Lucy that she can do cerebral, she has shown in Lucy and her work in the Marvel cinematic universe that she can do action, and she has shown in several contexts she can do stone cold pseudo sociopath. While that's not who Motoko Kusanagi is, it's the persona she presents to much of the world. In this respect she's a lot like Black Widow. I love this casting for this project. That's where my love ends.
I do not think this project is worth doing. Now before people start lining up their arguments that are pro live action film rendition and pro alternate universe retelling let me say I would LOVE to see a live action GITS, and I am 100% all for AU, especially with a property like GITS that has 3 AU versions already (comic, movie, series). I have no issues with spinning another alternate telling. My issues have to do with casting a western actress for this part and what that represents.
For another round of disclaimers I really don't want to get into the argument about the whitewashing of racial roles in the abstract. There is a broad array of content on the internet about why this is a problematic trend, and I agree with the vast majority of it. However I feel no particular need to re-hash it and I have so many complaints about westernizing this particular piece of IP that I really want to focus on my GITS specific issues instead of getting into the broader cultural trend of casting robust POC roles with white actors.
So with all the disclaimers and straw men swept away (I hope) let me go into my problems with this project. First and foremost I do not trust Hollywood with post homo sapien sentience storylines. There is a long history of Hollywood watering down these stories. The most recent example I can think of is Her. I know a lot of people liked this film, but to me it felt like they walked up to every major question common to this genre and then didn't actually address any of them. "Oh I've evolved past connecting with one person and that's a really interesting opportunity to explore what that would mean for you as a human in love with me and maybe looking at poly dynamics and wait I'm about to leave. Nope I only want to be with you now" (which basically means the earlier state was meaningless). "Oh I'm changing and becoming so much more than I was programmed to be, but I'm going to continue to emotionally process exactly like a normal human". I could go on, but you get the point. It was not a nuanced inspection of post human sentience by any means. The other example that comes to mind is Bicentennial Man which Hollywood felt for some bizarre reason required trampling on the Laws of Robotics (they were violated at several points during the film) and taking what was an internal evolution of sentience and making it a romance story. That externalized the main character's motivation for wanting to be human and honestly drew the focus entirely away from his personal evolution. While the evolution did happen, and was required to make the romance make sense it became a supporting role in the much more conventional plot instead of the core point of the story.
This genre isn't the bread an butter of Ghost in the Shell, but it is a major theme that is woven throughout the universe and it has to be handled deftly. I have very little faith in Hollywood's ability to handle something as abstract as the Puppetmaster, let alone the evolution of the Tachikoma over the course of Stand Alone Complex. While neither of these stories will necessarily be a part of the American film, if the theme itself is missing the story will really fall flat for most GITS fans. What would be worse is if it's present but done poorly, which I feel is more likely. The sci-fi coming out of Hollywood right town tends towards the action packed and less than cerebral. Given that trend I find it very difficult to believe that the studios are going to have the stomach to do a truly cerebral GITS film as a big budget flick. It just doesn't fit their current risk profile. The closest thing we've seen to that sort of experimentation recently is Lucy, and it was a very superficial approach to the genre.
The other concern I have is that many of the themes in Ghost in the Shell just don't make sense in an American context. First and foremost the politics of the series are based on interactions with a corrupt but very functional government. What I mean by this is that several actors in the government that Section 6 exists in are acting in unethical ways, but they are all acting. The speed at which things happen in the politics of the Ghost in the Shell universe is kind of mind boggling. Even the most corrupt individuals in the government of our fictional futuristic Japan are generally doing what they believe is right for the country. They may be trampling individual rights in the process, but they are doing what they think is right. Also, the actions built into this story are often lacking the kind of gravity of "personal liberty" trampling in the way it's framed because Japan is a profoundly more collectivist country than the US is. I mean let's be honest at this point the US is probably the least collectivist major power on the planet. This sense of duty to the whole over the needs of the individual are core to much of the political maneuvering in Ghost in the Shell. What all of the public safety sections represent would be a HUGE violation of due process and civil rights in America. Yet that theme is rarely touched on in Ghost in the Shell. Attempting to strip that cultural context will either leave you with a very poor story infrastructure or if you replace it with something more western will profoundly change the foundation of most of the Ghost in the Shell universe.
The other piece that will be missing is what it means that everyone is Section 6 except for Togusa has a military background. If the story is set in Japan this comes with an huge amount of cultural significance. Japan is not allowed to have a standing military. They can have a local militarized police force, but the actions of that force may not be deployed beyond their own territory. This was a portion of the treaty that came out of WWII and it was dictated by the United States as a term of surrender. There is a great deal written on the significance of this in the Japanese psyche, even in Ghost in the Shell where Japan has retaken their standing as a military power in the world America has been upgraded to an empire. The details of this global political landscape are not necessarily the subject of exposition in the original material but they bear very specific significance. This relationship is a major aspect of Japanese history that can be treated as assumed knowledge, much as the American Revolutionary and Civil wars can be treated in American media. I can't really imagine a way that this context could be maintained in a western version of the story, and without it much of the characters' and the fictional government's core foundation is compromise.
So that bring us back to the core purpose and scope of telling the GITS story with westernized characters and presumably in a western setting. GITS is really a cyberpunk story. However, unlike most cyberpunk stories it is not fundamentally dystopian. It is a future not unlike our own. It focuses on political corruption, military corruption, but at it's core the characters are doing the right thing, for the right reasons. They may be a touch jaded and deeply pragmatic, but at their core they are functioning within a government agency trying to do right by their world in a paramilitary "we don't really exist" context. Now try to place that story in the cultural context of Edward Snowden, and Prism, and Ferguson. With headlines pushing for the demilitarization of US police forces because of how dysfunctional they have become how can these characters possibly resonate as heroes? In a country that suffers not from having their military hands tied, but from being far too loose with military might abroad and at home how are Motoko, and Batou and Ape face supposed to be protagonists? In a society driven by a completely dysfunctional federal government that can't get anything done, and that is notorious for outsourcing their military force with no functional oversight how could section 6 read as anything other than a far off fantasy?
Section 6 represents a realistic answer to the questions "What if our hands were untied?", "What if the future comes with more overwhelming political and social challenges than we've ever seen before?", and "What would it look like if we had the skills and the right people in the right places to tackle those challenges?". It is a far more serious socio-political commentary than Americans are used to from our action flicks let alone our cartoons. It would be none of those things in a western context, and doesn't resonate with any of the current trends or themes prevalent in the world Americans wake up in every day.
I love Ghost in the Shell. I love it for the tension it maintains between Japan's place as a world superpower and how much power is denied them. I love it for the tension it maintains between a future even more corrupt than the one we live in now and the hope that there might still be institutional heroes in that world that will make it survivable. I love it for the harsh pragmatism it represents, and the deep emotional strings it still pulls in the face of that pragmatism. I love it for all of these things, and I just can't imagine any of those themes translating to a western setting. I would love to see a live action Ghost in the Shell movie. I think done properly it could be glorious. I just don't see how westernizing the story could result in it being done properly.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Ain Soph, Unity or HOW DO I BUILD THIS PARADIGM?!?!?!?
A friend of mine who has a lot of background in Mage is going to be running a Mage campaign and I'm going to be one of his players. I am doing something I almost never do and building a character based in large part on myself. I generally avoid this because it can cause a lot of issues in game, but as a pagan and at least a basic student of several occult studies I really wanted to see how my real life paradigm/beliefs worked in Mage. It seemed like a dynamic I would never get to play out in any other games. So I'm trying to make my characters personality very distinct from myself, but his beliefs are roughly based on my own beliefs. This is where things get tricky.
I am not a high ritual magician. I just am not, and I never will be. I think most of that pomp and circumstance is just ridiculous. However, in terms of my belief systems which I more or less worked out for myself in high school Kabbalah/Qabalah really strike a serious chord with me. I like the abstracted and universal themes that lie within. So while I don't practice a very Golden Dawn/OTO style of practice/contemplation/meditation I do use almost all of the concepts in high magickal systems in my practice of finding pattern in and understanding the world.
Things aren't tricky yet. So most high magickal texts that I've found really focus on the sephirot, and Gematria, and the intersection of Qaballah with other occult practices and isn't that lovely. I only care in as much as those practices are wonderful ways to see how all is one. The process of seeing that all is one is the first major step to accepting that all is nothing. This is represented in the Tree of Life generally as Ain, Ain Soph, and Ain Soph Aur. In 777 these attributes which exist above and beyond the sephira are described as:
000 Ain: Zero Absolute
00: Ain Soph: Zero as Undefinable
0: Ain Soph Aur: Zero as basis of possible vibration
The first kabbalistic text I ever read was "The Essential Kabbalah, The Heart of Jewish Mysticism" by Daniel C. Matt. It was a completely non system book. It was written to describe the philosophies of Kabbalah from an entirely Jewish standpoint in prose. So no charts, no Gematria, and a hefty helping of narrative. It explained Ain Soph quite elegantly. I'm going to retell that story here from memory and as I go parallel it into the World of Darkness.
In the beginning there was absolute light everywhere. This was not the light we know which is a distinct thing that exists in discreet pieces and wavelengths. This was the divine light (quintessence in Mage terminology). It was everything reality could be, every physical, mental, spiritual, etc. form that could exist all at once everywhere at once. It was everything and nothing, and it filled all of existence. This was magnificent, but also uniform. There was no differentiation at all. Now this light was not just the work of the divine, it was the divine. At some point for whatever reason, perhaps a plan, perhaps boredom, perhaps a reason that discreet consciousness is incapable of comprehending the divine light retracted from the universe. It didn't cease to be, it just pulled away from existence and only darkness was left in it's wake. The divine light was the pure ones. In fact identifying the pure ones in the plural would run very counter to my Mage's paradigm because in the beginning there could be no division at all.
So the next step in creation was that the light re-entered existence. It didn't fill it completely this time though. It emanated into 10 spheres and filled the spheres like water fills cups. Taking on the form of the spheres and thereby differentiating itself from itself. These 10 spheres were the sephira of the tree of life. Now for those who have studied Kabbalah the spheres emanated in a particular order, duplicating themselves as they went, but for the purpose of understanding my views on Ain Soph and my struggles with defining a Mage paradigm based on those views that detail isn't important, so here we go.
The initial divine light is Ain Soph Aur. While it is everything, everything is nothing. As it is not distinct it cannot be a 1 or a 2 or a 3, nor can it be some irrational cousin of those numbers. It is everything, and because it is everything it is nothing, but the potential for all vibration and pattern exists within it. Until the discreet emanation happens though it is nothing.
The blackness is Ain Soph. It is undefinable. With the universe empty of the divine light, even for an indescribably short period of time (which time itself couldn't exist without the emanation) you cannot define what this blackness is, and ultimately it is the same as Ain Soph Aur for even that void is the result of the retraction of the undifferentiated emanation, and so couldn't have a context without the divine light of Ain Soph Aur.
Ain is . . . well absolute. This is where the fun really starts. I have never found a good explanation of Ain, and I don't think I would find any written explanation of Ain satisfying. I think the best we can do is define what the search of Ain is, not Ain itself. Ain is the nothingness that we seek to understand. It can only be understood by returning to it, for to be discreet is to be unable to understand nothingness. It is the reminder that no matter how far we've come in understanding nothingness because we have discreetly explained it to ourselves we don't understand and should therefore keep seeking. It is about accepting the completely infuriating fact that you have chosen a impossible goal, and it is worth working towards because it is impossible. The tension between our desire to attain it and it's unattainable place will likely do one of two things. One, we will snap under the pressure of it impossibility and stop striving, two we will be driven mad by our quest and go down the path of the unending drive for money, will, emotional bliss, purity of thought, etc. Down this path lie conquerors, CEO's, Union Leaders, Cardinals, Aleister Crowley . . . wait did I just list the same thing 4 times? Oh yes we were talking about nothingness and unity so I suppose I did. There is a third option though. It is the least likely option by far, but it is the one we're going for as will workers. This is the option of the Buddhist. It is not the goal, it is the path. It doesn't mean you don't have a goal, but you let go of your connection to the goal and merely walk the path the goal defines because it is the path. Now I haven't reached Nirvana, so I can't exactly explain the purpose of walking the path when the goal doesn't matter, but it's makes sense to me. It really always has, even when I didn't realize that it made sense.
So from these three concepts extrapolated from this story we see a shape of the path form, but we don't truly understand what the path or paradigm are yet. We must now look from the unity of nothingness and everything down to the emanation. Now while I described the emanation above I want to avoid using any of the terms above here. The purpose stops at the emanation itself before we see what the emanation is in terms of defining my character's paradigm. It doesn't matter what we see in the emanation, what we say Ain Soph Aur emanated into, what it's shape is, what it's resonance is, whether it is good or evil, active or passive, or any other attribute we can ascribe to it, or them. It merely matters that the emanation is. When we stop here we see the absence of all paradigm. We haven't defined anything that is actually definable other than perhaps the beginning, but of what we do not know. This ignorance is important, we must lean into it, we must embrace it and we must internalize it. We must let the absoluteness of it wash away any shame associated with the idea of ignorance, and then when it has almost destroyed what we are as individuals then we let it pass through us and allow the emanation to complete. Now the emanation will take shape. However, the shape doesn't matter. The fact that it has a shape is important (not really, but as we are finite it is important to us), but what the shape is has no meaning. The reason for this is we create the shape. All magickal systems are constructions of human language, mathematical language, perhaps even universal natural language for some more primordial practices that allow us to express the unexpressable. They allow our wills to reach into the unexpressable and shape it, forcing the vessel that contains the divine light to bear the shape we will. The structures and forms which allow our mind access to the universal tapestry is meaningless. It is that which resonates with us, and as we move closer to enlightenment we will move between foci and interfaces to Ain Soph more regularly as the realization of their meaninglessness moves from a thing we tell ourselves to a thing we actually understand and resonate with.
So here is my problem. I don't want my character to believe in paradigm. I mean there are some scraps of structure and pattern that loosely hold together his belief in Ain Soph, but he even believes that those are lies he tells himself to allow his human mind to wrap itself around some degraded abridged version of truth. He often forgets that the scraps of pattern are lies because he is human and imperfect, but I imagine him living in Chicago and regularly eating hot dogs on buns with ketchup on Friday because being profane against 4 great religions isn't enough, so ketchup it is. He does this thing because it's ridiculous, because the ridiculousness reminds him that all things sacred are a crystallization of belief and a distraction from Unity, and because we are not profane to be disrespectful, we are profane to remind ourselves there is nothing to disrespect other than a translation of something that cannot be translated. To top it all off, or to be the cherry on this sundae of paradimatic abstraction he was once head hunted by the Syndicate because of his PhD in Economics. The Economics thing ties into his paradigm in that he is a touch obsessed with emergent properties of systems that seem to be self creating. That gets into his views of emanation and the more concrete portions of the kabbalah that have to do with the Sephira which I have avoided here, it works in my head. If he has a goal he wants to get back to the great work big picture physical world type of workings that the Freemasons were pulling off during the founding of America. A lot of good came from those workings, and the founders clearly had deep ties to what would now be considered Hermetic paradigm, and the foundations of much of the Technocratic societal paradigms. He wants to rediscover the unity that has separated the tradition and technocratic paradigms. I'm likely to give it to him as a driving goal flaw, as clearly it's never going to happen. Still he dreams.
So now that I've written all of this it strikes me that maybe I need to just pick 9 completely different foci, from 9 completely different existing paradigms and assign those to his 9 spheres and call it a day. Maybe in game terms that's as close to a "system" for this paradigm as I'm going to get. I'll still post this on FB to see if anyone wants to comment on it. It's been burning a hole in my skull since I first started thinking about this guy.
Monday, September 10, 2012
A Dark Balkan Beginning
The game opened with a little back story on how they were being prepared for the embrace ritual. I explained that they had been chosen and given the opportunity to become Gods like those they had worshiped their entire lives. Over a month of preparation they learned at least a little bit about what would be required of them once they became "gods" but honestly the important things were not shared.
They were cleaned and prepared in fine ritual robes and taken to the central court of their vampire lord. There several vampires and Mages held court and watched the ritual, but 5 specifically walked forward and took part. They were drained of all of their blood to the point where they were dead, but the last thing they remembered was some of each of their blood being collected in a chalice.
Then in the vague way you see things through the eyes of your dying soul when it is untethered enough to see but has not yet left your body the 5 vampires collected their blood in a chalice and the lord walked down and added one drop of his own blood. While the other vampires' blood was thick the lord's blood looked practically solid. The very nature of whatever allowed it to move at all obviously not of natural origin. When it touched the other blood on the chalice it merged and flowed and became as the other vitae.
The blood was then given back to the players now dead corpses. As with all embraces they rose at the first taste, but were left in a state of extreme hunger.
The court watched patiently as their bodies died and they suffered the agonies of first creation. When it was complete a group of humans were brought into the court in irons. They were introduced as those who had earned the death by committing crimes against their fellow man. The players were all held tightly and made to face one of the prisoners while bits of their human blood from before the embrace was splashed onto their faces. The smell of blood, even their own drove them into frenzy as they were only given enough vitae to fuel the change. Then they were released on the prisoners. However, they were not allowed to completely kill the criminals before them. Something powerful in the core of their blood was brought alive and pulled them back from frenzy. Somehow they were all aware that this power originated with their king. When they pulled away the vampires that made them moved in and the king spoke more words of the ritual. He spoke of the beast and death. His voice rang out in the hall and cried for the beast being so driving and so infernal that it can be summoned even by the scent of ones own humanity. He looked at the players, almost as if into all of their eyes at once and told them that the chained rabid thing in their gut is their beast. It knows not love or compassion, it knows not right or wrong. The beast knows only hunger and rage. The criminals which lie before them bleeding onto the court's floor are here to die, but they had not rended their throats out of justice or what was right. If they had killed those before them the beast would have taken a part of the vampires with them as it is always want to do. Death and killing are part of the world, but the beast must never be allowed to fuel those drives. Then their sires finished the criminals off in a cold calculated manner that, if anything was more unsettling and alien than their previous blood frenzy.
At this point in the ritual the corpses of the criminals were removed and the players closest human companions were brought into the court. The players characters were each put in front of their particular loved one and the king began speaking again, this time about the creatures they had become and the power and responsibility that they assumed as a part of that transition. Now it was time to understand the eternal nature of their new existence. Then their sires walked up behind them and staked them. After an eternity which both lasted for a time beyond agony and was only a few moments they re-awakened with the same loved ones in front of them, only 10 years had passed. A teenage son was now a middle aged boy, and a pregnant wife now stands with with her 9 year old son by her side. The ritual progressed from here with the characters being bound through the blood to the one thing in their life which both ties them to their lingering humanity and reminds them of the alien things they have become. The players are offered their closest loved ones to keep as ghouls. So that they could each have someone to walk with them through the long night ahead who can understand them, but who will give them a link to the mortal world they have left behind.
Their loved ones had been offered a special place standing eternally by the side of a god, and could hardly refuse. They they were all prepared for this moment. After their human companions were bonded to them the ritual was ended and they were taken from the hall and shown their new home, and told of the valley in which they all now live. Their first task would be to go down into the courtyard where the gypsy's were setup and gather information about the outside world.
The players went to the gypsy camp and each of them spoke with someone different. While the gypsies had a relationship with the king of this little mini kingdom they obviously did not hold him in high regard. Many of them were dismissive of the Lord's goals, which were revealed to be the recreation of the balance of the first city. After quite a bit of discussion and investigation one of the childer heard strange voices coming from one of the gypsy's wagons. He asked to look inside, but was refused. The sire who had accompanied them assured the childe that there was nothing to worry about. Though none of the players nerves were settled by that assurance.
They took the news of a coming war, and unstable times back to the king, and then proceeded towards their first day of sleep as new vampires. Though one of the childer was not satisfied with the dismissive approach of just assuring them that the unsettling voices they had heard were nothing to be concerned with. The players confronted the sire who accompanied them to their sleeping chambers and asked again what they had heard. When it was apparent that the young cainites would not be content to sit by and accept what they had been told they were informed that they had heard several names of the dark mother. They were told briefly of Cain's time in the darkness after the first murder and that he was taken up and cared for by the first woman Lilith. It was in her arms, and under her tutelage that he had come into his dark powers.
This satisfied the players and so they thanked the elder for his forthrightness and retired for the day.
Thursday, August 09, 2012
From the Dark Ages to Modern Times an Experiment with Elysium and Inexperienced Players
It all started with the current season of True Blood. The story about Lilith and the vampire "Authority" got me thinking about Elysium games. For one thing much as I'm happier with True Blood's treatment of vampire society this season than previous seasons I still find the overall story lacking. I blame White Wolf for setting an unrealistic bar on this front. I want the Lilith mythology in True Blood to be as rich as the mythology of Cain murdering his brother out of love and then twisting the power of God back around on himself as a curse for what he had done. I know not everyone reads the Book of Nod in this light, but I very much see the Noddist texts and the nature of Golconda to point to a mythology where God was actually totally ok with what Cain did. After all, it's a rather epic sacrifice. However, when he continues to offer Cain access to the kingdom of heaven Cain's own guilt warps the offerings into curses. Either that or God is so put off by the fact that he has lost the individual who gave him the greatest sacrifice imaginable that he decided to curse Cain instead of bless him, but he gave him a way out if he can overcome his own guilt. Between that and the role the Dark Mother plays in the creation story and the end days there is a richness filled with deep psychological torment and complexity that would make Poe blush at least a little. I really want that from True Blood, but while they are creating a ground breaking excellent vampire story if you look at TV history it's no Black Dog buffet.
So that brought me to wanting to run an Elysium campaign. Now I've always been very apprehensive about the idea of an Elysium game. You give players that kind of power and they are bound to run amok with it. Much like a good Wraith game you need players who are willing to dig into the story and aren't going to power monger. You also need a storyteller who can out think all his players. The last time I really played vampire I was in mid college and I wasn't nearly good enough at storytelling to do that kind of wrangling. However, I am now 30 (at least for a few more days) and I have an end times Mage chronicle that lasted over a year under my belt where at least one of the players wanted to take the story in a completely different direction than I or most of the other players did for at least 80% of the chronicle. I felt like on a basic skill level I could handle an Elysium game.
Awesome, so that's one barrier down. Now for the larger barrier. I'm not playing with experienced White Wolfers. My partners have both played a little bit of White Wolf since meeting me, and two of the other players in the campaign only have a Changeling game with a little over half a dozen sessions as primer in the WW universe. If I tried to jump into an Elysium game none of the good plot twists would ring true because the players don't have the lore knowledge to make any of it make sense. They are a talented, mature excellent group, just without lore context.
So I got to thinking about that problem and thought it might be interesting to play out the entire life of a group of vampires. You could slowly build up their understanding of Vampire society. It's also a fascinating opportunity to create organizations that are completely unique with a complete set of "errenous assumption", because let's be honest every group in the World of Darkness has their own set of assumptions about what is right and true, and they are ALL wrong. White Wolf was very clear about that one fundamental element of the world from the beginning. It was never your side, my side and the truth, it was 500 different sides on a slow day and a truth that no one ever actually understood but each storyteller could craft for themselves. That's what I have always loved about the game.
Ok, so now I had a rough framework, what was I going to do with it? I wanted the game to involve major meta lore, so that when the game moved into a modern Elysium style setting I could easily engage with major WoD events and have the players understand what was happening, and I had to figure out how to pace a game like this. The solution lied in the basic campaign model as described in the White Wolf books, that ironically very few people adhere to.
A chronicle in the WW model is a series of stories. Where each story has a conclusion, comes with extra experience and gives an opportunity to start a new story and take the chronicle in a different direction. So I thought each story could be a time period moving forward through history. The waypoints along the way could change based on inspiration, the direction the players take the story in etc. Each time the chronicle moved forward in time they would be given a chunk of experience that would represent the accumulation of power represented by the "Age" background in the Elysium book.
All that was left was establishing the first setting. Choosing something truly iconic in the history of the Vampire experience, but doing so without going so far back in time that I'd be dealing with Elders who's only place in a modern context would be Gehenna. After giving it some thought and pouring back over the Book of Nod and reading the Erciyes Fragments for the first time I decided that a recreation of the first city was in order. A city where man and vampire lived in harmony, and where vampires were worshiped as demigods, though they seek no worship. It goes against written cannon, but is hardly impossible that an elder survived from the first city and sought to re-establish that ephemeral Utopia again. It would be a naive act, but elders can be shockingly idealistic and silly when they put their minds to it. So the game is set in a recreation of Enoch, hidden in a valley in the Balkan mountains.
The players will be raised to live symbiotically with humans. Not exactly "mainstreaming" as the trendy kids are calling it these days, but also hardly the debauchery of modern Kindred living. While I wouldn't describe the results of this little experiment as being devoid of evil I wanted to create something with an idealism to it that will hopefully rub off on the players. Then as time progresses and they move into the world they will have to interact with and adapt to more pervasive Cainite norms.
I would love to post more details about my plans, but the first session hasn't happened yet, and I don't want to put anything in here that the players shouldn't know. I will hopefully be posting summaries of the games themselves and occasionally putting up NPC docs, and maybe even PC stat sheets and back stories. I'm definitely curious about what people think of the chronicle as it unfolds.
Friday, October 14, 2011
I am the 53%
I have had very little given to me in my life, the one exception was I had an incredibly generous aunt who paid my tuition and boarding through college but nothing more. I could have taken out loans to live the party life other student did, but I didn't. I survived scraping together cash for food, and the incredibly expensive supplies for my metalsmithing projects. When I graduated I worked hard to support myself, my husband and other friends who found themselves in the kind of need I had been in earlier. I've saved more money for retirement than anyone I know within 10 years of my age, and I make considerably less than the majority of my friends. I am the 53%. Here's the thing though. I don't think 90% of the people who identify with the 53% should HAVE to have struggled the way they have. I'm not talking about handouts, I'm talking about figuring out why college tuition has gone up %439 since 1982, while average family income has gone up %149 and fixing it. I'm talking about why an hour of work is worth so much less today than it was 30 years ago and fixing it. I'm talking about a world where working 2-3 jobs isn't seen as normal. I'm talking about a world where politicians see it as their job to FIX these problems. I have read as many of the letters posted on the 53% website as I can get through, and I want you to know that when I take action trying to work towards the same goals as most of the 99% movement I'm working towards a world where the 53% live a better life, specifically the portion of the 53% who are posting here and on the tumblr site. I want you to know that even though many of you don't see it this way I will keep fighting FOR YOU to live lives that are appropriate to your contribution to society, because that's the world I want to live in, and that is ultimately what the 99% are working towards. I know the responses to this post will likely not be pleasant, but I will not just look away. I will read them, and I will keep fighting for the 53% as well as the rest of the 99%. I will read the comments to try and understand where this response comes from. I hope that at least some people here will read this and seek to truly understand where the protests are coming from as well.
UPDATE: The 53% facebook group made sure I didn't have to see any ugly responses. They have taken down my link to this post twice.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Best Comment I've ever seen!!!
I wish I could take credit for this, but I can't. It was posted by "Jim" at http://www.courierpress.com/polls/2011/mar/gayamdmnt032911/results/ Enjoy.
Dear Indiana legislators who are trying to pass this, Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:
When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?
I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your devoted fan,
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Why Chrome OS Won't Fail from Someone who Won't Use It
Type 2 seem to be people who think that Chrome OS is going to completely re-invent the computing paradigm and change everything forever. These are the same people who likely rang the death knell of traditional notebook sales when we saw the $199 EEE PC. Amazingly netbook prices have increased, with the average being around $300-$400 and traditional notebooks came down in price to deal with the reality of the market and seem to be surviving quite nicely.
So that leaves us with Chrome OS, and will it "succeed"? In my personal opinion it will. I will also not use it. At least not till it has been through several iterations. It does not meet my needs as a user. The only reason it does not meet my needs is that I run Xubuntu quite nicely on my netbook. If I ran Windows on a Netbook let me tell you the right marketing campaign and a quality demo experience would likely move me to Chrome OS. Why you say? The reason is simple. Netbooks aren't full computers. They were never meant to be, but they come with the bloat that is Windows for simple tasks. Netbooks are meant to be get work done, play simple games maybe, run some chat programs. That's all they are, that's all they were ever supposed to be. As people have gotten used to them and their expectations have come in line with that reality we don't see the constant returns, and people are using them for tasks they are suited to. If everyone were technically adept, and Linux had great marketing power and didn't have HUGE regression issues every release (I'm looking at you Ubuntu. I love you, so why do you hurt my hardware so. What did it ever do to you?) then plenty of people would run Linux on their netbooks. Linux doesn't have any decent marketing people behind it, and at the end of the day there are still hardware regression issues with every release. Without getting too far into that issue right now those issues are built into the decentralized Linux development model. You build drivers into the kernel, and you're going to have breakage. You have breakage on Windows as well, but then the third party can just release a patched driver that works with the new windows and you can download it. While not everyone does, and that causes some consternation, the third party hardware developers who choose to have that option. On Linux as an "End User" (definition of end user. NOT WILLING TO COMPILE THE KERNEL. DEAL WITH IT ZEALOTS) you have to wait for the next version of the OS which will come with new breakage. Yay, what a lovely development cycle that is. You also often have to install a new version of your OS to install new versions of popular applications in the distro supported manner. Compare this to the years of new application support that comes with every Windows release. It wasn't till Vista was almost out that I saw any applications that wouldn't run on Win2K. That's worth something.
So here comes Chrome OS. Fewer regression issues because it's completely developed by a centralized company. You don't have to wait for a new version of the OS to install updated applications. In fact you don't have to install them, they are updated automatically in the cloud, and you don't have all the overhead of Windows for the simple tasks people want to do with netbooks. This is a recipe for success. So why am I not going to use it you ask? I am not going to use it because I don't use my netbook like a normal netbook. I do audio editing in Audacity with it, I do accounting on documents that I can't ethically store on external servers, my husband does webcaming on it, which while available through the browser from Google isn't quite where he wants it yet. I am not the target audience. The target audience is a brand of consumer that currently runs Windows, hates how slow their Netbook is because they just want to chat, surf, check e-mail, and maybe play an online game or two, but isn't comfortable with "Linux".
In summary, Chrome OS isn't going to please a lot of the people who write about bleeding edge tech, which is why it isn't getting great reviews right now. It also isn't going to replace anyone's Windows/Linux/Mac workhorse machines. It is going to bring the things that make Linux good for netbooks to netbooks, while clearing out some of the deadwood that has kept the masses from adopting Linux. It is also going to cause Linux distros and Microsoft to look at how they were not serving this market and perhaps improve their offerings. Microsoft has already done it in response to the original Netbook craze. So Chrome will fill a niche that is being poorly served right now. It will likely do it well enough to be a lasting product. It's not going to take over the world, and as with most of Google's product that doesn't seem to be their aim. They are more interested in products that shape the total market into something that is better for them to sell ads. If MS and Linux redesign their products in such a way that makes the Intenet a quality enough experience that Chrome OS isn't necessary, and everyone uses the Internet more enthusiastically on their existing platforms has Google really lost?