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Walk-on is 26, served in Iraq
Edwin Lopez is little more than a name, mug shot and hometown in the Arizona football media guide.
If he really was 6 feet 10, as is listed there, that could be a heck of a story.
Alas, he's only 5-10. More than that, he's a backup fullback for an offense that is more focused on passing than running.
Not much interesting there.
And yet, Thursday, as Arizona holds its first-ever practice session at Fort Huachuca near Sierra Vista, Lopez is more than just a line of type on the roster.
As coach Mike Stoops brings his team to an Army base to train, sleep in barracks and be inspired by stories of leadership, discipline and sacrifice, Lopez has been there, done that.
He is a 26-year-old Air Force veteran whose seven-year stint took him to five continents. He learned to speak conversational Turkish. He spent 120 days in Iraq.
He is a guy who knows more than any Wildcat about what it means to be a member of a team. He was in a RED HORSE squadron – Rapid Engineers Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron Engineers – that constructs bases from where there was nothing.
"We are the guys who when we land, it's completely bare," Lopez said. "And then we build everything."
He is a guy who never gave up on football.
He is a native of Puerto Rico, but his fourth and final high school stop was in Valdosta, Ga. Lopez said he had some football opportunities at lower-division schools, but all the moving around hurt his visibility.
"My sister is in the Air Force, and she took me under her wing and said, 'Look, this is what I think is best. You should consider it. See the world. And school is free, 100 percent,' " Lopez said.
"I took that. It was a great decision."
Lopez was able to take college courses while he was enlisted but could never erase the football itch. Eventually, he had to decide whether to re-enlist or finish his college education and pursue football.
He knew he wanted to come to Tucson. He began to follow the UA football team.
"Shoot, I'd been looking to do this for quite a while, at least two years before getting out of the Air Force," said Lopez, listed at 237 pounds.
"My last year in the military, I was like, 'I'm going to go for it 100 percent. And that's it. I went for it 100 percent.
"Football is a passion for me. When you enjoy something, it doesn't matter the obstacles. You go for what you believe in and what you want. That's what I did. I trained for it. I prepared myself. And when the chance came, I took it."
A chance meeting at a Tucson restaurant with a UA football alum helped Lopez get an audience with UA's coaches, but it would have happened eventually anyway. He had worked too hard to let the moment pass.
"I let the coaches know a little about my background and how I can contribute to the team," Lopez said. "Point blank, I said, 'This is why I'm here. What do you think?' "
And so the coaches welcomed Lopez as a walk-on linebacker before last season. He did not play.
"He is really progressing as a football player after being away from the game. You can definitely see improvement," said assistant coach Dana Dimel, who coaches the running backs.
"There is a different football IQ with him. He is still playing some catch-up, but he is getting there. He is an experienced guy in terms of his age, being a lot older than the other guys in our meetings. They might be ahead as far as football goes, but he has them in life experiences."
Now, Lopez is moving up the fullback depth chart, and history indicates that someone with his background can be a contributor.
Arizona football twice benefited from post-military players in the 1990s.
Cullen Plousha was a Marine who never played football until he enrolled at Orange Coast College in California after his four-year service. He signed with Arizona as a receiver in the 1992 recruiting class.
Plousha had a decorated military career, selected as rifle inspector of the elite U.S. Marine Corp Silent Drill Platoon. Much to his chagrin, he dropped his M1 rifle – twice – during a performance for President George H.W. Bush.
Nonetheless, the president was impressed enough with Plousha's performance and composure that he extended an hand-written invitation to breakfast at the White House.
After all that, starting a game at No. 1 Miami – as he did when the four-touchdown underdogs Wildcats nearly upset the Hurricanes in 1992, losing 8-7 – wasn't much to get flustered about. Later that season, Plousha recovered a late-game on-side kick to preserve a 24-17 victory at Cal.
Adrian Koch also was a four-year Marine when he walked-on at Arizona in 1997.
The Desert View High School graduate became a valuable special teams player, earned a scholarship and, despite being undersized, was a starting linebacker as a senior.
Really, you can't get enough of these kind of high-character guys, willing to work their way up from the football bottom.
While Lopez, a junior, continues that climb, he is undertaking a double major in business management and retail sciences.
If Lopez can impart one thing to his teammates, he said it would be a seize-the-day mentality.
"I'd pretty much tell them to don't take things for granted," he said. "Once that day is over, it's not going to come back."
Thursday-Saturday: Workouts in Fort Huachuca
Aug. 23: Fan Appreciation Day, scrimmage, 10:30 a.m., Arizona Stadium
Aug. 30: Opener vs. Idaho, 7 p.m., Arizona Stadium


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Anarchy Reigns, Platinum Games' multiplayer brawler, has been confirmed for a western release by publisher Sega. The game will release on January 8, 2013 in the United States and January 11, 2013 in Europe on both the Xbox 360 and PS3 and will retail for $29.99/£19.99/€29.99.
The game launched in Japan in July of this year, but a western release was delayed by Sega several times, which was unexpected considering the fact that the game was completely localised. Reasons for the delays are still unclear, but the most likely explanations is that they were simply unhappy with the current ones from a promotional standpoint.
Anarch Reigns features several cameos from other Platinum Games, including Jack Cayman from Mad World, and Bayonetta from.. Bayonetta as a downloadable character. Critical receptions were mostly positive, with Gamespot giving it a 7 out of 10, Eurogamer giving it a 9/10, nothing but 9's from Famitsu, a 6 from EDGE. We look forward to playing the game ourselves.
Article from Gamersyndrome.com

subset: commoncrawl


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LONDON: The Racing Journal
VALLEY STREAM, N.Y. — This year's Indy 500 will be the first in more than 60 years without A.J. Watson.
Watson, long time chief mechanic and successful car builder during the roadster era, died this month, the week of his 90th birthday.
He was part of the post-war racing boom in Southern California, living in Glendale. Like most others, his goal was Indianapolis, which he met in 1950. He built his own chassis on the cheap as he was low on funds. The rest of the car came from borrowed, used and other sources.
A bunch of friends chipped in so he could pay the entry fee. Rookie Dick Rathmann was his driver of the "City of Glendale" special.
The car had so many sources for parts, it was dubbed the "Pots and Pans Special." Needless the say, the entry was given little chance to make the race.
Rathmann qualified handily at almost 131 mph to start 18th. He was knocking off some rivals but on the 25th lap the crankshaft broke.
Watson used to laugh when saying, "It was the only thing we didn't borrow."
Watson took the car to Milwaukee the next week and Rathmann finished sixth. With purses so low, Watson was broke. He sold the car to Bob Estes and stayed on as its mechanic.
In 1954, Watson and Jud Phillips built a new roadster for Estes. Don Freeland drove it to seventh. He was in the hunt for the lead in 1955 when the transmission failed and drove it to third in 1956.
In 1955, Watson started working for Oklahoman John Zink. He wrenched the new Kurtis Roadster for Bob Sweikert who promptly won the Indy 500. He was national champion, the last for AAA. Sweikert and the rather difficult Zink were at loggerheads most of the year despite their success. Sweikert quit Zink at the end of the season.


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A breaking and entering call ended with a drug arrest for officers in Roanoke Rapids.
Deputies arrested and charged Priscilla Otella Walker, 60, with possession with intent to sell.
The arrest came after police responded to a breaking and entering call at a residence. Once at the scene, lawmen say they found drugs and cash.
Walker was given a $1,000 bond.


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GREENSBORO, N.C.-- Some Triad Charities are getting some unexpected funds from a Congressman. U.S. Rep. Howard Coble announced Tuesday that the pay he received during the 16 day government shutdown will go to several charities.
The sixth-district North Carolina Congressman had requested that his paycheck be held until the budget impasse among the House, Senate and President Obama was resolved.
Information from Coble's Press Office:
Rep. Coble stated that he and his staff received their full paychecks at the end of October. "My portion of pay during the 16-day shutdown came to $5,150.40, so I have decided to donate $5,200 to seven charities located throughout the Sixth District. The more difficult decision was which charities to select from among so many outstanding organizations located across the district."
Congressman Coble announced that he would be mailing personal checks this week to the following charitable organizations and institutions:
Alamance Presbyterian Church
Greensboro, NC
MARC - Museum & Archives of Rockingham County
Wentworth, NC
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Congressional Papers Project
Greensboro, NC
Elkin Rescue Squad
c/o WIFM-FM Radio
Elkin, NC
Residential Treatment Services, Inc.
Burlington, NC
American Red Cross
Greensboro Chapter
Greensboro, NC
Salvation Army of Greensboro
Greensboro, NC


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Community of Kashi
The Community of Kashi
When the Kashi community was established in 1976, there were just seven acres and two houses. Over the years the property has grown to include 80 acres and 5 main houses. Residents have lived communally in the houses, raising their kids and learning to live together.
Members of Kashi have also moved 'across the street', expanding the community further.
Kashi's Planned Development
Over the last 5 years Kashi has been in the throes of implementing a planned development for the entire 80 acre property. Currently underway are the sale of residential lots and the operation of By the River, a 41 bed affordable housing residence for seniors. There are also areas on the property set aside for a conference and wellness center, expansion of the Ganga and temple area, as well as a second phase of residential development and a school. This is the changing face of Kashi!
The Village of Kashi
As part of the overall development plan for Kashi's land, Kashi has allocated land for residential lots for sale to people interested in building their home in the Village of Kashi. To date fourteen of the lots have been sold, with two more that are currently under contract. If you are interested to know more, please contact Baba Ram at 772.473.8168.
Kashi Next Generation
Over the 35 years of Kashi's history, many kids have grown up at Kashi, attended the River School and been touched by the community. Now many of those kids are having their own kids and when everyone comes home for the holidays it's quite lively!
Extended Kashi
Over the years the network of Ma's students has extended around the country – and the world! Kashi has ashrams in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. These ashrams have active service programs, teach yoga and connect in to the monthly global live audio satsangs. See the Contact Us page for details about contacting any of the ashrams.


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Superior + Jacuzzi Bath Kingsize Double/Twin
Situated on the first floor at the back of the house overlooking the garden, this room offers en suite Jacuzzi Bath and Shower and comes complete with flat screen TV, DVD player, air-conditioning, Molton Brown products, Hospitality tray and includes Full English breakfast and off street Parking.
This room can accommodate an extra single bed at a charge of £25.00 per night.
Your room will be made up for you as a King, however if you wish to have any of the following configurations please just request as required:
Twin or King + Single or Twin + Single.
- Superking or Twin
- Molton Brown Products
- Jacuzzi Bath with Shower
- Bathrobes
- Flatscreen TV
- Hairdryer
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- DVD Player
- Tea/Coffee Making
- Telephone
- Alarm Clock Radio
- Non Smoking


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It does not take all 10 fingers and toes for me to count the number of times I have been moved to reproduce a dish featured on one of those cooking shows where the host attempts to re-create a restaurant favorite. But this one grabbed my attention, because it seemed easy and different.
The sauce is no-cook. The gluten-free noodles are glass, made from sweet potato. I like the look and chew of them. They pick up the bright green of the sauce, and taste just as good at any temperature. The down side is that I could not find them at regular grocery stores, so you'll have to make a special trip to a large Asian supermarket. It'll be worth it; buy a few packages and you'll be set to make this recipe again and again — perhaps adding a few vegetables or other herbs as you like. You can use rice stick noodles or vermicelli instead.
A few hints: Start the noodles' cooking water with hot from the tap or just-boiled water from the kettle, to stay on schedule. It won't affect the texture of these noodles. The original recipe called for powdered vitamin C, which is expensive. Its function here is to preserve the beautiful color of the sauce, which will darken slightly when applied to the hot noodles or after a few hours' refrigeration. Feel free to leave out the vitamin C, especially if you plan to eat these right away.
Green Glass Noodles
4 servings
About 8 ounces (half a package) Korean glass noodles
3/4 cup pine nuts, plus more for garnish
3 scallions
1 large jalapeno pepper
About 20 stems chives
1 or 2 ripe Hass avocados
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 ounce powdered vitamin C (optional)
3/4 cup packed Thai basil leaves (may substitute Genovese or green basil leaves)
About 1/4 cup freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish
Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions (6 to 8 minutes), stirring after a few minutes to detangle them a bit and make sure they are all submerged.
Prepare an ice bath (ice, cold water) in a large bowl; this will be used to chill the sauce for the noodles.
Puree the pine nuts in a food processor for a few minutes. Transfer to a large zip-top bag.
As you prep the following ingredients, transfer them to a food processor (no need to rinse it out from the pine nuts): Cut the white and light-green parts of the scallions into chunks. Stem and seed the jalapeno, then coarsely chop the remaining flesh. Snip enough chives to yield about 2 tablespoons. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado (to taste; using all of it will make the sauce thick and milder-tasting).
Add the salt, sugar, the powdered vitamin C, if using, to the mix in the food processor. Puree until smooth. Stop to add the basil, packing the leaves down so they will blend easily. Puree to form a smooth sauce. Transfer to the zip-top bag; seal, pressing out as much air as possible and working to incorporate the pureed pine nuts, then immediately place the bag in the ice-water bath where it should sit until you are ready to assemble the dish.
The noodles will be translucent and flexible when they're done. Drain, then transfer to a mixing bowl and cover to keep warm.
Empty the entire bag of sauce over the still-warm noodles; toss to coat evenly.
Divide among individual bowls; garnish with the cheese.
Per serving: 450 calories, 5 g protein, 60 g carbohydrates, 24 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 970 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar


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Mrs. Armour's Snowmen: Operetta March 1956
Thanks to Bob Greene. Now maybe we can encourage him to tell us which snowman he is.
Photo Comments
Uh, Bob is the 2nd snow-dude standing in line at the window (from L to R). Also, that teacher standing in the rear of the room looks a lot like Mrs. Mann our 4th Grade teacher...not Mrs. Armour. Maybe I was a "confused" snow-dude!
Jul. 13, 2008 By:
Bob/by Greene - That Welch Kid!
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Meson factories?
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In February 1959, a conference on sector‐focusing cyclotrons was held at Sea Island, Ga., under the joint sponsorship of the National Academy of Sciences‐National Research Council and the American Physical Society. Eighty‐six specialists attended from six countries and thirty‐nine institutions in Europe and America. Theory, orbit computation, and tentative designs were discussed, and the participants parted with a general feeling of both the feasibility and the desirability of accelerators of this kind.
The most recent of several conferences on sector‐focusing accelerators was the Gatlinburg meeting on advances in meson and nuclear research below 1 BeV, which was held last November. The matters discussed are reviewed here by A. Zucker, associate director of the Electronuclear Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and A. H. Snell, assistant director of ORNL.


text: On a hot May afternoon in the capital this year, when Nandan Nilekani walked into South Block to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, unique identity cards and cash transfers were on his mind. The ruling UPA had publicly staked its political future on these two projects, whose creator and keeper was Nilekani, and such meetings with the prime minister had become routine. That meeting turned out to be anything but routine.


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Healthy Fast Food Options
In today's society, the fast food mentality that so many people posses is quickly becoming the norm. People want everything accomplished, purchased or finished yesterday and feel entitled to have everything now, now and now. This is most apparent in our food choices and if you're a fighter or just someone trying to eat healthy, this mindset is even more detrimental for you. Think about it. If you take your training seriously, there is so much more to take into consideration when it comes to food choices. For a fighter to be successfully following a diet he has to be constantly evaluating food quality, quantity, including a variety of food groups, convenience and the time it takes to eat.
For many people, and fighters are no exception, this is a huge undertaking. Unfortunately it's not usually given enough consideration when convenience and time come into the picture. The question is…at what cost are we choosing time and convenience over health and nutrients? And are there options and methods to eat healthy and still have some of the convenience of being able to eat out? My personal feeling is yes, it is possible as long as you can willingly change your habit and trade in a Super Size mentality for a Superman-style physique.
We all know that cooking your own food is unquestionably the best, healthiest option. Unfortunately, this is just not always possible, practical or something most are willing to do. It can make a world of difference in the size of your waist, as well as your wallet. Making meals ahead of time requires a little planning and follow through, but should always be your first consideration. Use a day of the week to plan a number of meals that can be made a day or two ahead of time. Foods that can be taken on the go and require little or no cooking, such as mixed vegetable salads, fruits, raw nuts, trail mixes, chicken salad, cold meats and hard boiled eggs fairly portable. Any of those are smart choices that are healthy, taste good and require very little effort to prepare. Brown-bagging it may not sound as appealing as picking up one with a redheaded, pigtailed girl on the outside of the package, but that's where a fighter's discipline comes into play. You have to exercise it as much in life as you do in the gym. Besides, once you get out of the habit of eating fast food junk, it usually only takes a couple of weeks to get in a better habit and way of life.
That being said, let's go back to the norm and explore how we can live in it without it killing us in the process. Even though the term "Fast Food" is most often regarded with a negative connotation, it doesn't mean that there aren't places that offer healthy meals on-the-go. In fact, healthy options are popping up more and more everyday. Panera Bread is one good option. With 1,230 locations in the US and Canada it's not unlikely that you live nearby one. They offer a wide selection of healthy meals with an emphasis on whole grains, vegetables, and clean meats (most of there chicken is antibiotic and hormone-free). Plus, you have control over the sides that come with your meal (such as an apple or baked potato chips) so those can be healthier choices too. You can even "half-size" any soup, salad, or sandwich, which makes portion-control easier and you don't feel obligated to eat all of the food, you paid hard-earned money for, after you've become full. Panera Bread also won awards at Kid Fare for serving dishes that are healthier, like squeezable organic yogurt, natural peanut butter on PB&J and organic grilled cheese on their homemade bread. To be honest, in terms of "healthy fast food," Panera Bread is not my favorite, but I think the facts certainly show that they're a company that is making an effort to provide better quality and healthier options than 95% of the other fast food alternatives. That alone makes them challengers in my book.
Jason's Deli is another great fast food option. With only 206 locations in the US, it doesn't quite match up to Panera, in terms of availability, but I feel like it is way ahead in quality. It has an obvious devotion to providing not just healthy, but organic food choices. Around one-fifth of all the ingredients found at Jason's Deli are organic. Whether that is spinach, mixed greens, whole-wheat wraps or blue-corn tortilla chips, Jason's utilizes the freshest ingredients to construct creative dishes that aren't just healthy, but taste good. Yes, it can be done. To top it all off, they are more than willing to provide you with the nutritional information on all of their menu items and that's always a good sign.
Now let's get to my favorite on the list… Chipotle. This fast-growing, popular Mexican eatery is currently boasting 800+ locations nationwide. Before I get into all the reasons I think this is the best fast food restaurant available, let me address the big issue that "healthy eaters" have with its food. "It's loaded with calories" everybody says. To a degree, that is true. I know that a typical Chipotle burrito is loaded with calories, but that's not the only thing on the menu. I don't care where you go, or how high the quality of food your eating is, if your pilling on cheese and sour cream and wrapping it in a white-flour tortilla, then "yeah, its going to have some extra calories." The key is to exercise a little bit of self-control (and that goes for heading into any restaurant). I don't know of any food company that does that job for you by only allowing certain foods and moderate portions to customers. So, before you walk in the doors of Chipotle, rethink what you want to order. Remember that a big giant-sized burrito isn't the only thing they offer, so get the image of a 5lb. mammoth burrito, stuffed with all the amenities, tightly-wrapped in a shiny tin foil sleeping bag, out of your mind. That's not deprivation, that's the great thing about Chipotle! It gives you full control. It gives you, the customer, complete decision-making power over what goes into your burrito, taco, or salad. Isn't that empowering? Plus, all of the ingredients are fresh, local and some are even certified organic. They source from local suppliers and only offer meat that is hormone and antibiotic-free. This is revolutionary for a big restaurant chain and it's sales are showing that people do care. They just need the convenient choice. With a company that is so committed to serving its customers the highest quality food and doing it in a way that is affordable and convenient, its hard to believe it could get better … but it just might. Chipotle Mexican Grill has just opened a new Asian-inspired restaurant chain called Chophouse: Southeast Asian Kitchen, offering the same great quality of food, but in a Southeast Asian package. With only one location currently open, it has a ways to go to catch up with its big brother, but if history repeats itself, you may see a ChopHouse down the street very soon. Then, you'll have two topnotch, championship-caliber food choices.
As a fighter you have to be extra picky about where and what you eat. Your body is your temple. Your food intake matters for training, gives you energy and will definitely factor into your weight gain or loss. No part of a fighters preparation should be overlooked when training and, all too often, diet is one of the most neglected components. Education, commitment and preparation are key to getting and staying on top of your food intake during training. Choosing what is fast and easiest is seldom best. Making those important decisions ahead of time and on a consistent basis is what will separate you from those less committed fighters. You will see a difference on the scales and the spectators will see it in the ring. It's time to show them what your hungry for…extra fries or success.
Spencer Ward is a Nutritionist with the Acupuncture Center in Overland Park KS.


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Who's excited for the Toy Selectah EP coming out tomorrow?! This month is stacked with the Dillon Francis EP next week and Kito & Reija Lee dropping Sweet Talk to round it out. Until then check out all of these great soundcloud selections and this new insane short film by David Oreilly. He did a bunch of visuals for M.I.A. at coachella back in 09. Find more of his work HERE.
REAH (CUTLASS & BUCKETS) by THICK BUCKETS
Samim – Heater (Ckrono moombahton edit) by Ckrono
Magic Mountain – Plains (Physical Therapy Praise Mix) by PHYSICAL THERAPY
Slumstate – Southern Gurls by SlumState
Emilie de Marc – dAUghter by Monteiro Zaibatsu
ZENIT – FUTURE BOOGIE by BASS VANDALIZM
Baika – El Hijo De La Diabla (Original) by El Hijo De La Diabla
the binary cumbia orchestra – la inconformable (schlachthofbronx remix) by schlachthofbronx


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I'm working on a book, collaborating with three other folks, well at least two other folks and maybe just one other person, and I'm lost for words on this blog. The research I'm doing is heady and I need a good read that comforts the soul and tickles a bit and this is it! Enjoy.
I untangle my legs and pull myself away from Adeline; she's flipping through a book, sitting on the floor of her room, distracted. I scurry into the kitchen and find my phone. My fingers instinctively find the Instagram app and open it. I hit refresh and wait for the page to load. Damn. No new likes on my most recent picture. I start to wonder if maybe its no good. I scroll through the feed and "Like" some other pictures, partly because I do, in fact, like them, but partly just for good karma. Okay people, like my pictures now!
Next I check Facebook, hoping someone will have "Liked" my latest update or post. And then there's Twitter, did anyone reply or retweet me? And, of course, there's the blog. I refresh my email over and over, hoping for a comment notification or at least a "Like."
And that's when…
View original post 520 more words


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best rate guarantee
Luxuriously fitted out for business and pleasure travelers, each of the V Hotels is strategically located within walking distance of readily accessible public transport; in havens of fine and casual dining, amidst excellent shopping hubs. Each V is urbane, contemporary, but calm and quiet. Each V carries a different design motif while providing an unrivalled hospitality experience for discerning international travelers.
The towering flagship of V needs no introduction to its high standard. The 2009 American Institute of Architects Award of Design winning hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Causeway Bay, the island's prime dining and shopping area where you can feel the pulse of Hong Kong.Read More
A dwelling cave crafted to purpose, V Wanchai is a fresh take on the concept of home. The hotel catches the eye with bold raw materials, epitomizing the state of modern luxury design. V Wanchai is also the proud recipient of the Gold Award for Hotels of Asia Pacific.Read More
Famed for its award winning oriental chic design, Chinese elements are infused throughout V Wanchai2 Hotel, from the 250-abacused lattice in the hotel reception area to exclusive art piece engraved with the flower and bird ink sketches on every guest room door. The hotel is just a stone's throw away from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.Read More
Investigate all the surprises in the surrounding areas!


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Ocean Springs, MI (AP) - The administrator of the $20 billion
BP PLC fund doling out money to Gulf oil spill victims says the
program will be offering claimants an additional payment.
The Gulf Coast Claims Facility, which took over the process from
BP this summer, would not provide further details Friday. It
planned an announcement on Monday.
The facility says the program has so far paid out about $2.4
billion to 163,632 individuals and businesses.
It is being run by Washington attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who
previously oversaw claims to Sept. 11 victims and their families.
The fund has been doling out money to people who have been able
to prove losses from BP's April 20 oil well blowout, but many are
complaining they are being shortchanged and the payments are coming
too slowly.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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Sorry, Admin, but this sucks! Pixelshader or not, the 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 with AGP8X is still a popularly used card....am I getting old or something or does anyone else think its crazy (and very short-sighted for sales) to exclude compatability for an adapter card which I only purchased last summer?
Bitterly disappointed! Guess I'll never get to see how great PT could have been....it's going to the second hand Games Exchange tomorrow, unplayed! (I'm damn sure I ain't gonna buy a new card yet when there are so many great new titles that give stunning performance with my card)
Back to Call of Duty......
cheers, A Bitter and Twisted Gamer


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American Idol
Nicole Kidman: Husband Keith Urban Sends Me Love Letters!
Right now you might be feeling a tad inundated with red hearts, chocolate boxes, and gushy stories. Well, let us add another to the rose-scented pile!
Nicole Kidman recently told InStyle (via E! News) how her husband of eight years, Keith Urban, keeps the magic alive. Warning: It's as sickly sweet as a microwaved Valentine's Day Peep.
"For every single night he's away, he leaves me a love letter," Nicole tells the magazine. "Every single night of our relationship."
Not that the two are apart all that often. Nicole says she and the couple's two daughters, five-year-old Sunday and three-year-old Faith, often join Papa Keith on the road.
"That's basically how I've seen most of America, on that bus," says the Australian-raised actress. "Keith and I are both gypsies at heart. We can make our home wherever we are. The girls are like that too now, so we take them everywhere."
We should have expected such a sweet gesture from Keith. He's clearly the softy of the American Idol judging trio. While Jennifer Lopez might go a little easy and Harry Connick, Jr. has no problem with straight talk, it's Keith who always makes sure to have a personal connection with each contestant. Just think of his teary-eyed appearance at the Grammys or the moment he had with Season 13's Casey Thrasher when the young father said he'd met Keith in Nashville.
"I said, 'Keith, I'm gonna do my best for you to see my face again,'" Casey recalled. "And you said, 'I believe in ya, brother!'"
And we believe Keith Urban might just be the sweetest guy to ever make his way on to Idol.
Source: InStyle via E! News


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In 30 games this season, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry have combined for 180 threes. Between the two of them, they attempt 15 threes per game and knock down 6.3. They are also both shooting over 41.8 percent from the perimeter, which is just terrifying. I guess you could say – if you really, really want to – that they are living up to their "Splash Brothers" nickname.
Now, this is no secret. The rest of the league knows that a slight look at a three gets Steph and Klay foaming at the mouth, which makes it all the more impressive that they continue to light teams up from distance. Even with all that attention focused on them, they still happen to make a ridiculous amount at an incredible high rate, which got me thinking: How do they do it?
Obviously some of the shots they make are sheer talent. Curry's ability to cross someone up, pull up on a dime and shoot a three over the outstretched arm of some freak athlete doesn't come out of the playbook. That comes from a hell of a lot of practice. But there are some plays that are designed specifically to get at least one of the Splash Brothers open on the three point line and as you know, when that happens, it's often cash-money.
The Warriors have an extensive playbook, but here's one of the plays they've ran this season that I've taken quite a liking to, called something along the lines of "Elevator."
Step One: The Set-Up
Steph brings the ball over half-court and David Lee starts jogging towards Klay Thompson with his fist up as though he's going to set a screen for him. Don't get confused. He's lying. Notice how Jermaine O'Neal is at the left elbow and that Draymond Green is clearing out to the opposite baseline.
Step Two: Options
Instead of setting the screen on Klay in the corner, Lee stops at the free throw line extended, gets the ball from Steph and faces up towards the basket. Steph runs past him to the corner, sets a screen on Klay who presumably has the option of curling up if his man goes under the screen. However, in this case, Ben Gordon sticks to him like glue and follows him around the screen. Klay simply jogs into the paint.
Level Three: Last Call
After setting the screen, Steph moves back to behind the three point line and replaces Lee. Without the ball in his hands anymore, Lee moves towards the other elbow, leaving plenty of space between him and O'Neal. While this is going on, Green starts running from one corner to the other because it gives them another option, it's a nice little diversion and it forces four defenders into the paint.
Level Four: (Ben Gordon is) Stuck in Warriors' Elevator #TimbalandVoice
Klay runs in-between O'Neal and Lee and as soon as he passes them, the two bigs get all cozy and rub shoulders with each other. (This is the elevator part). Ben Gordon has no chance of running out and contesting the shot, which forces Jeff Adrien to fight over the screen to no avail. At this point, Klay's got too much space and the likelihood of him missing is extremely slim.
There is one more thing I want to note about this play, though, which are the options that result from it mainly at the end.
The same play has been run here, only this time it's for Steph in the corner.
Now, imagine that Steph didn't shoot it because McRoberts was able to close out a little sooner. If that was the case, David Lee would have a mismatch in the post with Kemba Walker guarding him. If Curry feeds him the ball and the Bobcats double down, it leaves Barnes, Thompson or Curry wide open on the perimeter, which is what the Warriors wanted in the first place. If they don't, well, Lee will probably get an easy layup or Kemba would just opt to foul him.
Therefore, this isn't only a play for one player. If it was, they'd have no options when it breaks down. The thing is, given how quickly Steph and Klay get their shot off, there aren't many looks they are going to turn down, which is why it does usually end up with one of them firing it up.
Interestingly enough, only 8.5 percent of Steph's offense comes off of screens, so most of the time, the Warriors run this play for Klay. Nevertheless, they have drawn it up for Steph and it's equally as effective, as you'll be able to tell from the short compilation below:
You could probably count the amount of times the Warriors have ran Elevator this season on your hands, but that could just be because they don't want to run it to death in the regular season. Come playoff time, Jackson may be chalking it up some more when the Warriors are in dire need of one of their token threes. But even if they don't, it's a play that has proven to be highly effective, which is why I wouldn't be overly surprised if we see more teams run it in the future, you know, as long as they have someone who can shoot threes half as well as Steph and Klay can.
Statistical support courtesy of MySynergySports.com.


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Ms. 'Splosion Man
Got a successful game under your belt and wondering what to do next? Take that leading man, whack a bow on his head, slap some lippy on him and get him back out there to bring the gravy train rolling back into town.
Sound familiar? Twisted Pixel's not-so-novel approach to sequel creation means the off-the-wall indie studio manages to bank one joke before the game even begins. And it's only the first of many, a strong and telling gambit that gives a perfect impression of the silliness that lies in wait within the walls of Big Science's labs.
From the fact that even engine splashes and loading screens seem incapable of passing without cracking a funny or two, you have to assume that either Twisted Pixel is incapable of doing anything sensibly or that the team has simply created so much amusing content that it overflows from the game and floods even the most traditionally mundane screens. Truth be told, it's hard to complain either way.
While its title might suggest the same kind of bow-wearing level pack as that Midway put out some 30 years ago on the back of Pac-Man's success, this couldn't be further from the case.
Ms. 'Splosion Man represents the pinnacle of Twisted Pixel's output so far, a game that takes what the firm did with the original 'Splosion Man, splices it with elements of Comic Jumper and winds up feeling completely different to both titles.
Even before the opening level is over, Twisted Pixel has showcased a level of talent, imagination and wit that puts the majority of big-budget developers to shame.
And with a combination of ingenious new features, familiar callouts to the previous game and not-so-subtle bursts of parody, satire and nonsense, the team manages to skilfully craft a hardcore platformer as funny as it is satisfying, as entertaining as it is inventive and as utterly ridiculous as it is unflinchingly brutal.
The new heroine fills the shoes of her explosive orange forerunner admirably, his aeroplane impressions and uncontrollable gibbering replaced here with something altogether more… well, girly.
As she prances, skips, dances and poses her way about each stage, the leading lady proves that she shares her fella's verbal diarrhoea – instead of unintelligible words and noises, she fires off snippets, hooks and soundbites from music's finest girl power classics, occasionally taking a break from singing to engage in seemingly endless pretend phone calls.
It's a relentless barrage of giggly ear mischief and, while to some that may sound absolutely abhorrent (she can be turned down in the options menu, if her noise does get too much), its ability to amuse, distract and annoy depending on the situation is evergreen.
Level design, however, is an area in which Ms. 'Splosion Man is worthy of unanimous praise. New gimmicks push the potential far beyond the simple platforming of the original. Grind rails, rocket cars, pressure pads and action across multiple planes are just a handful of the new features, with even classic features like Donkey Kong Country's rocket barrels joining the fray and mixing things up.
Rather than just being thrown into your way, spacing and pacing in the design give the game a much greater fluidity than its predecessor – there's an almost Sonic-esque flow, albeit one far more reliant on quick reactions and absolute precision to keep it going, usually with horrific consequences for even the slightest mistake.
While it might not be quite so sadistic in its design as Super Meat Boy, sight-reading a level – particularly one of the later profanity-baiting examples – is possible, but only those gifted with the fleetest fingers and sharpest reflexes will stand a chance.
For the rest of us, there are times when Ms. 'Splosion Man can feel a little like a memory test, particularly when faced with a mess of buttons, switches, lasers and new features and no idea how it will all interact.
Crazy as it may appear sometimes, the game's concrete logic holds true throughout and even though some leaps of faith might take a few goes, the sense of accomplishment that goes along with stringing together a slick chain of leaps, bounces, slides and blasts is – whether success comes on the third attempt or the thirtieth – absolutely enormous.
Between structure and gameplay elements ripped straight from 16-bit classics and brutal level design that makes even the most pixel-perfect jumps of yesteryear seem like child's play, Ms. 'Splosion Man is as much a characterised celebration of the platform genre as she is a stellar poster girl for it.
It speaks volumes of Twisted Pixel's boundless creativity that the game is not only so far removed from the usual by-numbers sequel it could so easily have been but also so much of an improvement on the original.
New ideas come thick and fast, an often daunting onslaught of obstacles to overcome made all the more compelling by countless unlockables, self-improvement and, more importantly, that ever-important leaderboard constantly mocking your best run on each and every level.
With its meaty single-player slog backed up by an equally massive multiplayer campaign (which has the power to destroy even the closest of friendships), the prospect of more levels through both free challenge updates and DLC and the aforementioned replayability coursing through both, there's a frankly ridiculous amount of content here, and all for less than the price of a cinema ticket.
That Twisted Pixel is already releasing products of this standard – so drenched in personality, imagination and intelligent design – just four games in is incredible.
The insanely steep difficulty curve will invariably stop some less patient players from seeing the best the game has to offer, sure, but that's just the team's way of separating the 'Splosion Men from the 'Splosion Boys.