text:
Review by HollowNinja
"All style, no substance."
Vanquish is a shooter that attempts to break the mold of what a shooter should be. Platinum Games took a look at what the modern third person shooter is, saw a plodding, slow cover-hopping-fest, and decided they'd show the West how it's done. Unfortunately, their idea of what a third-person shooter should be didn't translate as well to reality as they had imagined, and perhaps now they realize why the genre is as it is.
Because of the way this site is structured, you have probably already seen the score I have assigned this game: a decidedly mediocre 5/10. I won't pretend this isn't a harsh score. I'm being very harsh with my assessment of this game, and perhaps you'll understand why by the end of this review.
Story: 7/10
Vanquish makes the decision to allow the gameplay to drive the story, rather than the other way around. This is a sound decision by the game's developers, keeping the focus of the game to the gameplay and not the plot.
You play as Sam Gideon, a former football player who had to quit because of an injury, but was offered the chance to work with DARPA and text out a new advanced battle suit. He chain-smokes so many cigarettes you'll wonder how he still has lungs. He's supported by Elena Ivanovich (this game's voice-with-an-internet-connection), a genius who can remotely take control of practically any electronic device at plot-convenient moments. Alongside Sam is Lt. Colonel Robert Burns, a 7-foot-tall beast of a man with a mechanical gun-arm and a mouth that spits parodical amounts of obscenities. The entire plot seems to a parody, actually, of Western shooters, seeking refuge in its own audacity.
The game opens with a Russian terrorist group using a microwave array to fry San Francisco from outer space. Their leader then demands that the American president surrender within the next 10 hours, or he will fry New York City as well. There are a couple of interesting plot twists along the way - nothing is as it seems - and then the game ends with an unsatisfying sequel hook.
Visuals: 10/10
Considering that this is a console game, I'm rather impressed. If there's one thing this game doesn't lack, it's visual flair. Both technically and aesthetically, Platinum has done a fine job here. I can complain about neither graphics nor aesthetics. Also impressive is that both the PS3 and 360 version are almost identical visually. Well done, Platinum, for being able to milk this quality out of the aging PS3 and 360.
However, there are still some visual flaws worth mentioning when you take a closer look. First is that this game noticeably renders at less than an HD resolution - 1024x720, to be exact. This is narrower horizontally than the 1280x720 resolution that is standard among console games, and it shows in a slight blockiness around some polygons. 2x MSAA isn't quite enough to remove all the jaggies from the image, a fact made more apparent by the lower resolution the game runs at. My eye tells me Platinum skimped a bit on anisotropic filtering, and textures far away and at an angle to the camera are noticeably less sharp. However, given how fast you'll be moving in this game, these minor issues aren't noticeable at all, and I applaud Platinum for keeping the focus of the visuals where it really matters in order to achieve a solid framerate.
While the game has a 30 fps cap that stays impressively solid throughout the game, there are some minor framerate drops here and there. Thanks to the game's excellent use of object-based motion blur, these drops aren't as noticeable as you might think (and props to Platinum for using object-based blur rather than frame-based blur). Vanquish is perhaps the only game I've played that uses more motion blur than Crysis (and in Crysis, the twitchy nature of mouselook actually makes motion blur more apparent). In hindsight, they could have toned it down quite a bit. I'd have liked to see something more subtle like Half-Life 2 had, but I think as it is it is meant to fit a certain visual aesthetic that is quite appealing.
This game's use of shaders is quite impressive. I am astonished to think that Platinum managed to squeeze these visuals out of the hardware of both the PS3 and 360. There is also an impressive use of particle effects and heavy post-processing.
On the animation side, there are quite a few nice touches. The animators put soon good work into this game, and it shows. Sam throws his grenades like a football player and most of the melee attacks look fluid and well-animated. Even the robots are well-animated.
A lot of the cutscenes seem to be prerendered. The compression used here is of very high quality. Sega should start licensing this tech out to other companies Unreal Engine-style. Sega, you can pay me the royalties after you make enough cash off my idea to break back into console manufacturing.
The only real downer here is that there's no PC version - it would have been impressive to see this game in true high-definition glory (though the heavy use of prendered cutscenes would then be pretty jarring). Even as it is, this is a damn good-looking game.
Sound: 7/10
The music is sufficient, but as is the case with all modern games, unmemorable. This is the natural byproduct of the existence of voice acting and sound effects - the memorability of games from the days of yore wasn't because music was better back then, but because in modern games voice acting and sound effects tend to steal your attention. As a result, the effect of music today is subconscious for the most part. I have no complaints, and the little bits of music I caught were fairly good.
The voice acting was average as well. At no point did I find it bad. Perhaps hammy at parts, but I get the feeling it was intentional in its hamminess. Still, I've heard better.
Gameplay: 5/10
Now we get to the meat of the game. This is make or break. The gameplay of a game is the most important thing, and here is where it falls short.
I'm not going to waste your time describing how third-person shooters typically play. If you're not already familiar with them, then get off your hipster soapbox already.
What I will tell you is that Platinum Games wanted to make themselves different. Taken from an article, these are the three aspects of a typical shooter that Platinum Games wanted to avoid:
1. Remember the map, find a good spot, hide, then move.
2. If you get discovered, move to another hiding spot.
3. Fire before you are fired upon.
As far as realizing these goals goes, they succeeded. Cover in this game can actually be destroyed by enemies. However, this isn't necessarily the best example of game design. The biggest problem with this game's gameplay is that Platinum Games tried to "fix" what was wrong with Western shooters without understanding Western shooters in the first place. Japanese developers seem to prefer high-speed stylish gameplay rather than the intense but methodical nature of Western design.
To that end, we have the bullet-time mechanic, which you can activate by holding the aim button (L1) while performing certain actions (boosting, rolling, vaulting over obstacles, and the Heavy Machine Gun's melee attack). Bullet-time isn't original anymore. It was abused to hell last generation, and only died out this gen because it's hard to implement in multiplayer.
One of the key complaints I had with this game was the weapon selection. You have a rocket launcher that does tons of damage but has poor ammo capacity (therefore, it is very limited in its usefulness), an assault rifle (fires fast, has good accuracy), a heavy machine gun (which is the same thing with a slower rate of fire and worse accuracy but better DPS), a "disc launcher" (point in the general direction of an enemy and it will home in, can bounce off floors and walls and hit multiple targets), some sort of energy ball shooter called the LFE gun (more on that in sec), a lock-on missile launcher (useless due to low damage and poor ammo capacity), a sniper rifle (pretty standard one, too), a shotgun (I got little use out of it, since it does poor damage for what it is), and your trusty grenades. There is an interesting little level-up system here. By picking up a gun that you already have equipped or by picked up certain upgrade packs, you can upgrade your weapons permanently for the rest of the game, even if you drop it and pick the same one up somewhere else. Three can be equipped at a time, and you select between them and your 'nades with the d-pad. You'll have either the assault rifle or the heavy machine gun on you at all times (I always had both and either the disc launcher or sniper rifle at all times). The problem here is the notable lack of precision weapons besides your sniper rifle. Basically, this means you'll spend most of your time opting for the spray 'n' pray method of attack rather than pulling off skillful headshots and using controlled bursts to take down enemies. It feels unsatisfying, to say the least. I'd have appreciated some 3-round burst weapons that center around precision... but I get the feeling that such weapons wouldn't fit well with bullet time. It would be like Scouts in Valkyria Chronicles all over again, except this time the game isn't turn-based. What I am forced to play with just feels insulting to my skill.
I said I'd elaborate on the LFE gun. At first glance it seems useless. Through the entirety of the game, I could never figure out what the weapon did. It appeared to shoot out large, slow energy balls that... did nothing, as far as I could tell. Reading a few forum posts taught me that it's meant to stun enemies, which was news to me; I swear I shot that thing at the robots multiple times and it didn't seem to do anything. One should not have to read information on the internet to figure out something as simple as what a weapon is meant to do.
In fact, practically all you'll be doing in this game is going into bullet-time, unloading your clip or ammo into an enemy, then coming out of bullet-time. Your bullet-time mechanic is powered by your suit's ARS reactor... which, unfortunately, also powers your boost. As far as bullet-time mechanics go, this one isn't particularly good, due to how poorly balanced it is. When you run out of meter, you instantly go into a rather long overheat phase during which you can't use your bullet-time or your boost at all, and you'll be reminded how helpless you are in this game without it. The game also has a sort of "last stand" mechanic. Your bullet-time automatically activates when you're near death, so you can find cover and hopefully get a second chance. Unfortunately, it rarely works out that way - your "last stand" bullet-time lasts until you overheat, and you aren't allowed to quit out of it right before you overheat - basically, this is a death sentence. You'll be helpless against enemies, and the game only tries to prolong your inevitable death by extending your life while taking away your main offensive and defensive tool. Even more annoying is that melee attacks will instantly overheat your reactor. This makes melee attacks far less useful, as after using one you'll be stuck in the middle of enemy fire with no boost to get you out of there quickly. Perhaps they should have had melee attacks take out half your ARS meter instead?
For some reason, all the enemies in the game, with the exception of one short segment near the end, are robots. My first thought was that this was due to Japanese censorship concerns - they're stricter over there about both violence and sexual content (by the way, this game really likes to taunt you with camera angles that almost but don't quite allow you to see Elena's panties; she has some very nice legs). That was my theory until that one act late in the game, when you do fight human enemies (is that a spoiler? I think I'm being vague enough that this shouldn't be a spoiler for anyone who hasn't played the game). That segment has blood in it as well. So now I have to ask - why didn't we fight human enemies throughout the game?
Unfortunately, the controls aren't as good as they should be. The action elements of the game control quite smoothly, but the shooting isn't quite as solid. Vanquish eschews the heavy auto-aim used in most console shooters like Call of Duty - there's no aim assist at all. This isn't unusual for a third-person shooter. Gears of War had no auto-aim either. The biggest problem is that there isn't enough range in the sensitivity to allow for quick camera movement while preserving accuracy while in combat. The most comfortable sensitivity I could find required three whole seconds (!) for a full 360-degree rotation of the camera - and I had to give up my ability to fire off the hip with any reliability to even get that much (which, admittedly, isn't as bad as it sounds. You won't be firing off the hip much in Vanquish). Thankfully, the game allows you to adjust the sensitivity separately for when you're firing off the hip, aiming down the sights, and zooming with the sniper rifle. This isn't even due to the usual issues that spring up from using a dual-analog control scheme in a shooter, since I don't have such bad problems with other shooters. Platinum just didn't tweak the controls well enough.
Replay value: 2/10
There's practically no replay value here at all. No incentive to play the campaign multiple times exists. There's little reason to play on a higher difficulty with the same clunky controls and poor design. No multiplayer mode exists, probably because this game's heavy reliance on bullet-time doesn't lend it to multiplayer - I can't even see a co-op campaign working here.
Final Verdict: 5/10 (not an average)
The biggest problem with Vanquish is that its attempt to outdo Western game design shows exactly why Western developers have been more successful when it comes to shooters. There's nothing wrong with Japanese game design. Platinum Games' own Bayonetta is proof of that. Bayonetta was an incredible exhibition of everything a hack-and-slash action game should be. Western games such as God of War look pitiful in comparison Vanquish was a poor attempt to one-up Western shooters that utterly failed. Vanquish's unique gameplay elements essentially boil down to bullet-time and boost, and the result is even worse than if the game had just been another Gears of War knockoff.
I'm ripping on this game quite heavily. This isn't because it was painful to play (like many 5/10 games are) but because I found this game's premise so pretentious that I found it necessarily to score it as harshly as I did. Japan is surely capable of making good shooters, but I'd like to see them take a look at Western shooters and, rather than try to prove how bad they suck, even when they don't (like Platinum did), take the best elements of what makes good current Western shooters enjoyable and apply the appropriate elements of Japanese game philosophy to them. Vanquish should stand as an example of what happens when you let your arrogance get the best of you.
Reviewer's Rating: 2.5 - Playable
Originally Posted: 01/09/12, Updated 01/30/12
Game Release: Vanquish (US, 10/19/10)
Got Your Own Opinion?
Submit a review and let your voice be heard.


text:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- For the second straight year, Saint Mary's women's tennis player Jenny Jullien will represent the Gaels at the NCAA Singles Championship as one of 64 players invited to the final tournament of the season.
Jullien, who recently earned West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors for the second straight year, will travel to Athens, Georgia as a seeded player in this year's tournament. She will play as one of the 9-16 seeds, which are not numbered individually, and was the WCC's automatic entrant into this year's tournament.
Play begins on May 21 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex with the University of Georgia hosting this year's tournament. The team competition wraps up on May 20, with both men's and women's individual championships taking place until May 26.
For Jullien, the invitation was well deserved after another historic season of tennis in Moraga. She heads her final tournament as a Gael with a 19-2 spring record, a mark that includes a 7-2 record against ranked competition. Jullien was ranked No. 9 in the nation in last week's ITA rankings and the Gaels' No. 1 player has slotted anywhere between No. 7 and 13 in the country all spring.
The strong spring showing backed up a tremendous fall for Jullien. She got her season started in earnest by reaching the finals of the ITA Northwest Regional, then added a strong showing at the USTA/ITA Indoor Intercollegiate Tournament in New York. The fall success earned Jullien her No. 7 preseason spring ranking, the highest ranking ever given to a Saint Mary's women's tennis player.
Last year, Jullien joined former Gael standout Alex Poorta as the only SMC women's tennis players ever to play in the NCAA Singles Tournament. Jullien and Poorta are also the only SMC tennis players ever to earn WCC Player of the Year honors.
Jullien also comes into the NCAA Tournament on a roll, having gone 3-0 at the recently completed WCC Championships in San Diego. At the tournament, she defeated her longtime rival, Pepperdine's Lorraine Guillermo, in addition to beating players from San Francisco and BYU.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1 Year
1 Year
1 Year
1 Year
1 Year
Digital & Mobile Only
1 Year
Already a paid subscriber but not registered for online access yet? For instructions on how to get premium web access, click here.
Get our free LIBN e-alerts & breaking news notifications!
By: Henry E. Powderly II November 13, 2007 15 Comments
Already a paid subscriber but not registered for online access yet? For instructions on how to get premium web access, click here.
Tagged with: shopping Tanger The Arches
July 17, 2017
December 12, 2016
August 30, 2016
June 27, 2016
April 27, 2016
March 25, 2016
This is interesting…the Arches was billed, I thought, as a high end outlet center. I thought it would compete with Woodbury Commons, but it seems to be a mix. I guess we'll see.
The agent leasing the property provides a very detailed map of the tenants…
Sorry, from Newsday…
"The Collection at the Arches, a separate 120,000-square-foot wing, will be devoted to luxury brands, the developer said.."
Interesting…like th concept. I guess 800K plus sq. ft. of luxury is a lot?
Here's more from the statement:
The 81-acre project, located at the corner of Grand Boulevard and Commack Road in Deer Park, will offer a wide variety of fashion and lifestyle brands, along with restaurants and entertainment in a European-themed outdoor pedestrian center. A separate 120,000-square-foot wing, to be known as The Collection at the Arches, will be devoted solely to luxury brands. Anticipated completion for the center is summer 2008.
Thank God they are building this, there just are not enough places to shop on Long Island. Sometimes I feel like moving to another part of the country because of our lack of retail outlets and strip malls.
I hope they can find enough people (with transportation) to staff it.
1) There will be plenty of people to work and shop there. It will be a huge success. This is the first retail development of it's kind on LI and it will be an asset.
2) By most accounts, LI is underretailed as compared to most of the country. I assume population and affluence are the main contributers to this.
3) Perhaps this won't be good b/c it will pay millions in sales, income, and RE taxes…maybe it should have stayed a vacant site? Perhaps people should go to Woodbury commons or NJ to shop, too.
Wow GC — it will bring so many more $9 hour jobs to the Island. That will make such a difference. As for taxes, that money goes straight into someone else's pocket because it doesn't seem to make any difference whatsoever. Please — it's just another way for the rich to make more money. Why not fix up the delapidated stores we already have?
Marc Ecko will be opening a Rhino Unltd store here that should be amazing! Exclusive product just for this store that you cannot get at and dept store!
HA! WELL ALL OF YOU ARE HAPPY! What about those of us that live in Deer Park. A nice little small community that will have all of you piling in to shop! Roads that the state and town of Babylon have not improved. Who will suffer! Deer Park! Try to get your kids to soccer practice or to school on a day they are having a sale at the Arches. Or just need to go grocery shopping! WHAT FUN! Steve Belone Sold DEER PARK OUT!
Another thing will be the disaster when the railroad gates go down during rush hour. Yeah Steve Balone and his buddies really thought this one out good. Look at Tanger Malls anywhere else. Major 2 lane highways get you there and back! But no, not here in Deer Park, Steve and his buddies have one lane roads off the expressway and off Deer Park Ave!! What a joke! My 12 year old daughter could have told them that this will be a nightmare!
Well, my daughter did try to talk to Mr. Belone! Guess what – he did not respond to her letter! The streets of Deer Park are falling apart and now we will have more traffic — Good Luck getting around!
The Riverhead Tanger Center will still have many more high end retailers including Lacoste, Giorgio Armani, Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand Jeans, Michael Kors, Cole Haan, Polo Ralph Lauren, Ugg Austrailia, J.Crew, Elle Tahari, Kate Spade, Coach, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor LOFT, Barney's, Saks Fifth Avenue, DKNY, Stuart Weitzman, and coming soon… True Religion Brand Jeans
I live in Deer Park, I think this is great for the community. Because its providing jobs for young people and old alike. They have Tanger in Florida, why not here? The economy isn't good, so people may have to get up earlier to go to work. People are selling their houses and leaving because of the economy, every little bit helps.
Exactly. Any cash you can squeeze out now helps. Nice read, by the way.
Company says it will donate $50,000 to Save The Children


text:
Over 1.8 million nonprofits and charities for donors, volunteers and funders
Causes: Animals, Protection of Endangered Species
Mission: Keepers of the Wild is a 501(c)3 non profit organization dedicated to the protection of abused, neglected, abandoned and retired captive wildlife. To provide the best standard of care and help enforce the humane treatment of all animals. The preservation and protection of wildlife and the environment is paramount in our goals. Through education and public awareness we seek to alleviate all animals suffering and help eliminate use of wild animals as pets and their exploitation in show business. Keepers of the Wild provides a permanent home and true sanctuary to all the animals it rescues.
Results: Keepers of the Wild, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is currently home to over 140 exotic and indigenous wild animals that were rescued, surrendered by an owner, or placed with us by other animal welfare agencies. Animals placed at Keepers of the Wild can depend on a safe and life-long home. Keepers of the Wild has a strict "No Breeding" policy with a special focus on advocacy, education and protection. Keepers of the Wild has built a solid reputation throughout its 18 year history. Keepers of the Wild is an accredited charity by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and was awarded a National Charity Seal for meeting the highest standards of charity accountability from the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Keepers of the Wild has built a base of loyal supporters, been the recipient of numerous commendations and awards for excellence in animal care, and earned the highest ratings with charity watchdogs including Guidestar, Great Nonprofits, and BBB Wise Giving Alliance. The sanctuary is fully licensed by the United States Dept. of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.), the United States Dept. of the Interior (U.S.D.I.), the Department of Wildlife, and Arizona Fish & Game. Keepers of the Wild has received numerous commendations and awards including Nevada Wildlife Federation, the S.P.C.A., the Humane Society and Arizona Attorneys' & Sheriffs' Association. Keepers of the Wild is an internationally recognized sanctuary and has been featured on a number of local, national and international educational film projects, documentaries, news broadcasts, articles and magazines including National Geographic, Animal Planet, Discovery, the History Channel, Anderson Cooper, Montel Williams, The O'Reilly Factor, Smithsonian Magazine, Route 66 Magazine, Chronicle of Philanthropy , U.S. Journal and many others. Most recent appearances include PBS, Furthest From the Wild, Billy Connolly's Route 66, HDNet World Report, and AAA Highroads.
Programs: Protect and care for exotic animals that have been either neglected or abused.


text:
Holidays to Orange
Orange is a commune in the north-west of the department of Vaucluse in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the heart of a rich agricultural region between Spain and Italy, it was a strategic location for the Romans, who have left numerous remnants, such as the Roman Theatre of Orange and the Triumphal Arch, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The theatre, one of the best preserved in the West, was built in the first century AD. It owes its reputation mainly to its superbly well-preserved stage wall, which projects an exceptionally pure sound. It is also hosts the Chorégies, an opera festival that is held every year. The triumphal arch dates back to the same period and marks the entrance to the town via the Via Agrippa, the Roman road network in Gaul.
The Tourist Information Office offers walking routes to explore the town's heritage from the Middle Ages to the present day, from the Protestant Temple to the Château des princes d'Orange and Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth Cathedral. The Museum of Art and History hosts exhibitions recounting the different eras in the town.
Orange is also famous for its Côtes du Rhône wines, which have been known since Roman times. Around the town you'll find very extensive vineyards, producing a range of extremely rich and varied, mainly red, wines. Local craftspeople also offer culinary specialities, such as Augustines and Orangines.
To get to Orange, you can fly to Avignon Caumont airport or Marseille-Provence international airport, then reach the town by motorway. The train station is right in the town centre and offers direct high-speed links to Paris. Once in Orange, you can get around easily on foot or by bike, or use the bus network for longer journeys.
History buffs and foodies alike will be spoilt for choice in the fabulous town of Orange. Have a great holiday!


text:
Happy Fall
by: Noodlecake Studios Inc • 43.6K
All Android applications categories
by: Noodlecake Studios Inc • 43.6K
Published: 2013-12-10, by Ana Gracia.
If you enjoyed Happy Jump, you will definitely like Happy Fall.
Happy Fall presents a red and adorable jelly creature who just wants to keep falling down. You need to help it drop from platform to platform, collecting gold coins, apples and other power-ups.
Avoid enemies at all costs, otherwise you'll need to start all over again.
The objective is to accomplish a series of objectives in order to obtain a three-star rating. As you progress through the game, new objectives will appear and gameplay will definitely become more challenging.
Noodlecake Studios Inc is the developer of Happy Fall, a cute game with endearing graphics and an addictive gameplay that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. Not original, that's the truth.
Tags: happy fall , happy fall на андроид , скачать игру happy poo fall на андроид , happy poo fall скачать на андроид , скачать happy fall на андроид , happy fall играть , happy poo jump играть , happy афдд , happy foll
by Ana , Appszoom
Dec 10, 2013
from 43.572 reviews
by reem habli
Aug 14, 2017 | "Awesome"
Let me down load this
by Isabella Sidbeck
Aug 06, 2017 | "Awesome"
by Chelsea Lee
Aug 05, 2017 | "Awesome"
by A Google user
Aug 01, 2017 | "Great"
Cute game fun and addictive
by Lisa Washburne
Jul 14, 2017 | "Awesome"
Ok I know I'm phantom foxy but this is so cute!
by A Google user
Jul 13, 2017 | "Awesome"
I love this! I played this a few years ago and just forgot about this app. Then it was in my recommend and all the fun memories came rushing back! And I love how I don't need WiFi so I can play this on the go! 5 stars from me!
Download Happy Fall
Free - V1.2.4 - 8M
Share this app


text:
Kristin Cavallari Flaunts Teeny Baby Bump in Figure-Hugging Gown (PHOTOS)
On Sunday, Kristin Cavallari stepped out of her Los Angeles apartment in a gorgeous form-fitting gown and all eyes were drawn to her little baby belly peeking through the sheer material. The mommy-to-be was all smiles as showed off her emerging baby bump and posed for onlooking cameras.
Kristin is currently carrying her first child with fiance Jay Cutler. In January, the couple announced that they were expecting and Hollywood has since been on bump watch with the Dancing With the Stars alum.
Celebuzz also caught up with Kristin at New York Fashion Week where the fashionista spilled on her pregnancy cravings — including what she dubbed a "dairy phase."
"Ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, like anything dairy I had to have it and I am out of that now. I have been eating a lot of Twix which I don't typically eat but that is it."
"I find out [the sex of the baby] at my next appointment. I am dying to know, once I find out though I am probably not going to tell. [laughing]"
We can't wait to meet your bundle of joy, Kristin!


text:
Skip Top Navigation Skip to Content
Click image to see entire map.
Newly re-painted I-5 Nisqually River Bridges.During the project, the old lead-based paint and rust was removed off of the steel structure before applying the new paint. During this process, containment measures, were put into place to keep construction material out of the environment.
OverviewThis project cleaned and painted the steel framework of both Nisqually River bridges on I-5 in Thurston county. The fresh coat of paint will help prevent future corrosion to the steel, preserve the bridges' structural integrity, and prolong the life of the bridges.
Partnerships & Cooperation
Contact Us
Kim MuellerWSDOT Project Engineer 253-365-6750
back to top


text:
Archive for October 2nd, 2012
Who You Are Cruising With
Honestly, there is no way to specifically identify the demographic of every cruise line, on every itinerary, though I do think it's a question cruisers wonder about before they cruise, or even before they consider which cruise to book. However, I believe there are some generalities which can form pretty good guidelines to serve an […]
Posted: October 2nd, 2012 under Kuki.
Comments: 2


text:
Simple Search:.
. Search Options
Use an asterisk ( * ) near the end of words to search for
all their forms. Examples: proph*
(not prophet*) finds prophecy, prophecies, prophesy, prophesies, prophesied, prophet, prophets, prophet's, prophetic, prophetically. Or victor* (not
victory*) finds victor, victory, victories, victorious, etc.
Meeting Times at Craighouse®
114 E. Mc Nab Road
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
"People bringing people to help and hope in
Jesus Christ."
Top of Page
Full Craighouse Brochure
MCM Catalog Featured Books
The teachings in the MCM catalog are designed
to help you fulfill God's purpose for your life. You
are created for God. He made you. Be open to God's creative purpose. He desires you to be a vessel in whom He is
glorified, one who worships and serves Him, one who enjoys Him forever.
Manual Series
by Dr. Mary Craig
Mary Craig's books and study manuals consist
of intense Bible-based prayer, strategic warfare, and studies.
You can pray the prayers in the prayer manuals (Prayers I - IV), gain breakthroughs and overcome the enemy through
understanding and making Bible- based appeals to God. We have heard and received numerous testimonies of answered
prayer and deliverance from people who have used these in their prayer life.
is Jesus Christ?
by Dr. Mary Craig
An in depth study of the gospels, Acts, and
Revelation in chronological order examining the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The 21 lessons include a teaching portion and a "Digging
Deeper" section for individual search and discovery.
118 pages.
Thou Be Made Whole?
by Dr. Mary Craig
12 sessions on wholeness according to the
Word of God, including repentance, forgiveness,
restoration, faith, prayer, and more! Includes readings, principles, discussion questions, and personal response
75-page manual for study groups.
Mary Craig Ministries
Craighouse Christian Fellowship
114 E. Mc Nab Road
Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano Beach, Florida 33060-9240
Phone: (954) 491-7270 Email: [email protected]
Click for a zoomable Map to Craighouse
To be added to the MCM Mailing List click here
Visitors June 2000 to July
1, 2004 12,690
Visitors to this page thru
Oct 2011 46,200
*Mary Craig Ministries is a 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit organization. Our Federal tax ID number is: 65-0429517. All gifts are tax-deductible as allowed
by law.
Fair Use Act Disclaimer
This site is non-profit and for educational purposes only!!
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for
purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.
Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
Last updated 9/2/16
Website created and maintained
by KroyTech
Top of Page
About Us | Our Mission
| What We Believe | News&Views
| Missions | Healing,Deliverance...
| Prophetic | Events
| Favorite Places | Catalog
| Search | Who is God
| About
Eternal Life | Donate
| Terms of Use


text:
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sacha Baron Cohen has escaped yet another lawsuit.
A federal judge on Monday dismissed a copyright claim brought by a writer who claimed that a scene in last year's "Bruno" was too similar to one in his original script called "Himbos."
John Musero filed suit in March against Baron Cohen, director Larry Charles, producers Mosaic Media Group and MRC and others claiming that a scene involving the "mayhem" that ensues when Bruno dons a Velcro suit in the 2009 fashion farce was ripped from Musero's script, which had been pitched to Mosaic and later rejected by the company.
The court ruled that the general idea of a man in a Velcro suit isn't subject to copyright and that the two works were not really that similar anyway.
"In the 'Bruno' scene, the lead character gets stuck to a curtain, crashes into a rack of clothes, gets stuck to the clothes, and tumbles out onto a runway," the seven-page decision says.
"In contrast, the 'Himbos' protagonist gets crumbled rabbit food stuck to the back of his suit that attracts a rabbit, followed by a cat, and then multiple cats that are trying to get to the rabbit. The protagonist gets stuck to a canopy in the course of fighting off the cats, gets stuck to a waiter, and then falls into a pool."
Case dismissed, although Musero can take solace that his Velcro-suit scene sounds a lot funnier than anything in "Borat."


text:
Now Viewing:
The Sea & Sea Sea Arm VII Set is constructed of fiberglass-reinforced plastic resin offering a lightweight yet strong arm. With the included components, you can create a custom arm setup for your lighting needs. It is suitable for either strobes or video lights. The included ball with slide on base connector allows you to attach the arm to the handle of a Sea & Sea SLR housing.


text:
Posted 5 years ago
(1 item)
My new favorite and first Illinois wristwatch! This watch is all original down to the band. The dial is nearly perfect. It has a 17j #307 manufactured in 1929 - 2930 judging by the serial number. The movement runs very well. 14K rolled gold case and great styling. A very heavy wristwatch for the time. I bought it at Goodwill!


text:
NJ Democrats and Republicans Trade Wild Insults Online [AUDIO]
It's an accepted fact of life – Jersey democrats and republicans are constantly bickering and criticizing each other – but with only a few weeks left before a new state spending plan must be adopted, the rhetoric and insults have been ramped up – especially online in a never-ending flood of emails.
Democrats have been sending out messages lately, denouncing the Jersey Comeback as a myth, posting pictures of Governor making funny faces and referring to Christie as a "liar, liar, pants on fire."
Last week they sent out a picture of a pair of pants engulfed in flames, and the only comment in the subject box was – anybody got a fire extinguisher?
Republicans have also been sending out their own emails, referring to democrats as jokers and liars who are obsessed with raising taxes.
Peter Woolley, the Director of the FDU Public Mind poll says "both sides have gotten a lot more practice and they're getting better at it..the budget is coming to a head…which means both sides are forced to work together, and really we're in the time of the year when the big crunch is on – everybody wants their way and has their own ideas about how the money should be spent – which is why from now right through the end of the month, and sometimes into July, you get these very sharp attacks by republicans on democrats and democrats on republicans."
He points out even though the general public may not see most of this stuff, "email makes it easier than ever to distribute your attacks to a wide ranging audience directly – you don't have to go through the newspapers- you don't have to have a press conference… people get a lot of emails- so if you want any chance of people reading it rather than deleting it, it's a good idea to be entertaining, to be clever…many of the people who work in the legislative leadership offices and the Governor's office are very clever…they're insiders, they're smart, and a lot of these guys frankly enjoy the fight- so they're very capable of making your emails entertaining and informative."
Woolley adds "they put this stuff out because they want to shape the debate- and the debate is shaped by the questions that reporters ask in part -they certainly do want to throw a little gasoline on the fire of public discourse…you can expect the deluge of emails to slow considerably by the end of this month, and then we'll enter a quiet period until Labor day when of course the Presidential campaign and the conventions – democratic and republican conventions are going to inundate you once again…with the firefight between republicans and democrats."


text:
Wow! Only done a few cakes with fondant because it was just such a pain! This looks like it will make fondant a breeze!
Love the Mat! The first time I used it it was tough but now that it is broken in I use it all the time. I've used Satin Ice, Fonderific, Fondx Elite, Jennifer Dontz recipe that uses Pettinice & Wilton fondant. I found the fondx elite a bit trickier as it is sticker.
i bought the mat from sweetwise.com about a year ago. the first time i seasoned it and my fondant stuck really bad. i washed it and seasoned it again and havent had a problem since.
i make my own marshmallow fondant.
16 oz bag of marshmallows
2 lb bag of powder sugar sifted
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp buttered vanilla flavoring i get at the cake shop
grease EVERYTHING that will touch the marshmallows,
grease a glass bowl, put marshmallows water and flavoring in it. microwave for 1 minute stir and microwave 30 seconds if not melted repeat every 30 seconds. be sure to grease your spoon too. i use a metal spoon.
then grease another glass mixing bowl. put half the powdered sugar in it. and make a bowl out of the powdered sugar in the bowl.
pour the marshmallow mix into the bowl. stir with spoon until most of the marshmallow and sugar are mixed. pour 1/4 of the remaining powdered sugar in and continue stiring
at this point its getting stiff so i start using my hands. be sure to grease your hands very well.
i pour the remaining powdered sugar and work it in.
the fondant is done when it is no longer sticky when you pull at it while your working with it.
wrap in cling wrap and let sit for an hour atleast.
work it one more time before you start rolling it to make sure there are no powdered sugar clumps.
I love my mat, but had huge disasters using fondarific. Works great with satin ice and fondx
I like The Mat for rolling out my homemade marshmallow fondant. I used it for zebra prints and it saved me a lot of time too. However, I don't like how heavy it is when I am placing the fondant onto my cakes. It is heavy and smushes the edges of my cake everytime. I've watched the company's video several times. Now, I just use it for rolling out then, I place the fondant sheet on my countertop (take it off the mat) and I use my rolling pin to lift the fondant and move it over and onto my cakes.
I struggled with the mat for a long time, my fondant stuck to it or it left little marks on it and my fondant never looked smooth....so I rolled it up and put it away. I took it out last month wiped it off regreased it and it worked just fine....
wow it's so inexpensive
i bought a big single sheet silicone thing from geraldine ransome
10 years ago for rolling fondant
it was twice the price of the pro mat
it really looks like a great system
the mat i mean
AThis happened my first try as well. I like to use fresh made marshmallow fondant. I rubbed each side with a bit of Crisco and it rolled out like a dream!
HI Guys,
I got one as an early xmas present and used it to cover about eight times. I love it-except I have had some issues with air bubbles. I don't know if it's because we have been going through a heat wave at the moment and every time I need to cover my cakes it seems to be 37 degrees. I've been getting up at 6am or having our evap cooling on. I've never had bubbles before so don't know if it's the mat or the heat. Any thoughts?
I used my new "Mat" this past weekend for the first time, and it worked like a dream!!! I think for those who are having trouble with theirs, it's probably too much shortening or not enough....Don't give up on it...it's FANTASTIC!!!
I purchased the MAT last June and must say that it was the BEST BUY ever! I thought it awkward to work with at first, but then I managed to stand back take time out and go watch the Sweetwise video. Its a great tutorial - from start to finish! I live in Ireland and have used Regalice, Covapaste and PME Fondant - with no problems at all. The MAT is brilliant too for rolling out marzipan - don't know how I managed without it. The MAT has made decorating cakes, for family and friends SO much easier now!
I haven't been on here for some time.....I can't get over the amount of replies I've received. CC has never sent an email to say that there is a posting. I'm using the Mat now just as a mat to roll fondant out on, I don't use the top layer. I move my fondant around as I'm rolling it and then I roll half of the fondant on my rolling pin and place it over the cake. I have found that this is the easiest for me. I don't know if I would get the "new and improved" "MAT", as it is very expensive to have it posted to Australia all up around $50.


text:
On his 21st birthday, William became a Counsellor of State. This means that the Queen can ask him to take over some of her duties if she is abroad or ill for more than a few days.
William has accompanied his father on several official visits. He also learned a lot from visiting homeless people with his mother, Princess Diana.
In July 2004, he took part in Sport Relief. He completed the mile-long charity race along the Embankment in six minutes and 10 seconds and was cheered on by his brother Harry.


text:
October half term lastminute breaks
This mini safari centre houses zebras, lions, gorillas and rhinos, and you can see them all from the window of your car. Other attractions include safari boats, an adventure castle, hedge maze, pets corner and stream railway... it's safe to say Longleat is a kids heaven.
Where to stay: Try converted barn and B&B around the corner, The Place To Stay.
More info: www.longleat.co.uk
Chatsworth House
This historic estate is a perfect family destination. The Peak District attraction has woodland for the kids to scamp about in, beautiful grounds to admire, shops, history and art. The autumn show is called Beyond Limits and presents a series of sculptures including a life-size maquette of Antony Gormley's Angel of the North in Gateshead.
Where to stay: The grounds house holiday cottages, though these can be expensive. There are also plenty of pub hotels and B&Bs in the area.
More Info: www.chatsworth.org
France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
You can find Centre Parcs in all of these countries, so why not mix it up and take the kids abroad this half term. There's currently a 100 euro discount if you book a break in autumn and 17 centres to choose from including Les Bois-Francs (that boasts a new spa) and De Kempervennen that has a snowcenter for budding skiers.
More info: www.centerparcs.com
Gran Canaria
For a bit of last-minute sun (reboot before winter!) head to this Canary Islands destination. You don't even have to lay on the beach: go inland and explore the Gothic architecture of Arucas; or visit the island's highest point, the picturesque Pico del Pozo de las Nieves.
Where to stay: Thomas Cook have some of the best lastminute deals to Gran Canaria.
More info: www.spain-grancanaria.com


text:
The Hang Gliding and Paragliding Commission of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (CIVL) is seeking a suitable person to act as Competitions Coordinator.
The successful applicant will have some knowledge of hang gliding and/or paragliding competitions and CIVL, good written and spoken English, plus some database/spreadsheet oriented IT skills.
As the work is Internet based, it may be done at a location of the candidate's choice.Working hours average 8-12 hours per week, but vary with the flying seasons.The person must be in a position to invoice the FAI for his/her work on a regular basis, in conformance with the tax/employment laws in force in his/her country of residence, and in accordance with the rate agreed with the CIVL President.
A summary of the work includes:
A more detailed Job Description is available on request.
Applications must be sent here before January 31st, 2013.


text:
Red Peel
A worthy contribution to the age old, nudity vs lingerie, debate. We put the peel back on the apple and prove that sometimes the less you show the sexier it is. Fruity.
- High quality clear vinyl material from 3M
- Easy to apply and clean removal
- Super-thin (less than 1mm) and scratch resistant.
- Doesn't interfere with any laptop cases or covers
- Super pimpin
- US domestic flat rate is $1.95 or free for orders of two or more.
- International flat rate is $3.95 or free for orders of two or more.


text: You know what the most un-cool thing is about a power tool? Being out of power, that is what. RIM should advertise the BlackBerry 10 keyboard smartphone as the device where you can do to the Hamptons for a week-long vacation, or survive a week under a hurricane, without needing to charge the device. Instead of a 1,400-1,900 mAh battery, a BlackBerry 10 should come with an integrated 5,000 mAh or bigger battery. Hurricane Sandy should be a BlackBerry commercial. You should be able to talk and email incessantly for a week or more -- not seven hours as with my current BlackBerry. Seven days, not seven hours. Nobody will complain that the device would be 4 millimeters thicker than it otherwise would have been. RIM botched the PlayBook launch in March-April 2011 in the most epic set of ways imaginable, and it was obvious to everyone outside the company. It was like watching a car crash live. RIM now has the capability to botch the BlackBerry 10 launch too: Just ensure that in order to buy BlackBerry 10, you have to sign a two-year contract, that you have to have a special data plan to operate it, and that it offers no significant battery life advantage over the competition. If RIM can just clear BlackBerry 10 off those mine-fields, and the competition doesn't finally emerge with a competitive keyboard, BB 10 could become successful even with a moderate application catalog deficit. We are all rooting for RIM now: Don't screw this one up. At the time of publication, the author was long GOOG and AAPL. Follow @antonwahlman This article is commentary by an independent contributor, separate from TheStreet's regular news coverage.


text:
Track Your Investments
Americancentury.com provides secure online account access, where you can:
- Access your accounts anytime
- Transact on your accounts
- Customize a watch list of funds you want to track
- Receive updates from American Century Investments® about your funds
You'll need:
- Internet access
- A valid email address
- User Name and Password (register here)
Why register?
Registering a User Name and Password gives you secure access to your accounts and the ability to transact online.
Get fund reports, prospectuses, account statements, newsletters, transaction confirmations* and more electronically rather than by regular mail. To sign up online for eCommunication, you'll need to:
- Register a User Name and Password for secure access to your account information
- Have Internet access and an active email account
Find out how to sign up for eCommunication.
*Some transaction confirms will be sent in paper.
Automated Information Line
Automated Information Line
|Personal accounts
|Not-for-profit, corporations, partnerships, endowments,
retirement plan trustees and business accounts
Use our voice-activated telephone system to follow your investments 24 hours a day.
You'll be able to:
- Track your accounts
- Invest into existing accounts from your authorized bank account
- Exchange dollars or shares between identically registered accounts
- Access market quotes, fund prices and market commentary
The automated system will:
- Respond with your information or ask a series of questions to deliver the information you need
- Protect your personal information by requesting that you key in your Social Security number and Personal Access Code (PAC)
To obtain a temporary PAC, or if you've forgotten or misplaced your PAC:
- View or Change Your PAC Online
- Log In with your User Name and Password.
- Select My Profile.
- Select the View or Change PAC link.
- Call 1-800-345-2021 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central time
You'll need:
- Your Tax Identification number (Social Security or Employer Identification number)
- A Personal Access Code (PAC)
- Your fund's name
- Your account number to make transactions
Newspaper Listings
Most large newspapers include a daily mutual fund section and many offer historical performance figures on selected days of the week.
We offer several different classes of fund shares. The performance information for your fund will be listed under Investor Class.
Quarterly Statements
After each quarter, you'll receive a statement that includes your total account assets and personal portfolio returns. You'll receive separate quarterly statements for your personal, business, brokerage and employer-sponsored retirement accounts.
Quarterly statements are also available securely online when you Log In with your User Name and Password. Below are some of the types of information you'll find on your statement.
- Total Assets reflects the total value of all your accounts, and a snaphot of your activity for the quarter and year-to-date.
- Asset Mix shows how your investments are allocated at American Century Investments. You can compare your allocation versus a moderate hypothetical example to help you evaluate your portfolio.
- Account Returns are provided for each of your accounts and include the sections listed below.
- Portfolio Returns are shown including:
- Year-to-date total return - since the beginning of the current year
- Total return over the past 12 months
- Average annual total returns since the beginning date of your oldest open account
American Century Investments will send you news and information about your accounts and the funds you own. The charts below highlight some of the information you may receive:
Account Transactions
|Transaction Confirmation
|After each transaction, except automated purchases
|Confirms purchases, redemptions, exchanges and other transactions by written confirmation or by secure online confirmation accessible after you Log In with your User Name and Password (notified by email). Note: When a redemption is done by writing a check on a fund that has CheckWriting services, the check itself is considered to be the confirmation. The transaction can be confirmed online by viewing the account balance.
|Monthly CheckWriting Statement
|At the end of each month that checks clear EXCEPT March, June, September and December, when you receive quarterly statements.
|Confirms cleared checks, transactions, and month-end account balance for your CheckWriting accounts. Confirmation of each check can also be viewed securely online after you Log In with your User Name and Password. Note: You will only receive this statement if checks clear from your accounts
|Service Confirmation
|After each update to your services or account information
|Confirm service, account maintenance and name or address changes.
Fund Performance & Investment
|Annual and Semiannual Reports
|60 days after the end of the fund's fiscal year and fiscal mid-year
|Reports your fund performance and financial data.
|Initial purchase into fund, annually and if significant fund changes occur
|Describes the fund's investment policies and provides key financial data.
|End of each quarter
|Provides investment information and updates about funds and services
|Proxy Statement
|As needed
|Informs you about proposals up for vote on your mutual fund.
Tax-Time Information
American Century Investments also helps take the confusion out of tax time. If you own taxable accounts, you'll receive the tax information and IRS forms needed to prepare your taxes. Refer to the following chart for the kinds of information you might receive from us. Your account type and the transactions you made during the previous year will determine which, if any, of the following IRS tax forms you receive. You may not receive all the communications listed.
Tax Information & IRS Forms
|Tax Communication
|Average Cost and Capital Gain/Loss Statement
|Gives you the average cost of shares redeemed or exchanged during the year. It also reports capital gains or losses from your redemptions and exchanges from non-retirement, non-money market accounts.
|IRS Form 1099-DIV
|Reports previous year taxable distributions for your non-retirement accounts.
|IRS Form 1099-B
|Reports previous year proceeds paid on redemptions and exchanges for non-retirement, non-money market accounts.
|IRS Form 1099-R
|Reports previous year withdrawals from IRAs and 403(b)s or other types of retirement plans.
|IRS Form 1099-Q
|Reports previous year withdrawals from a Coverdell Education Savings Account.
|IRS Form 5498
|Late May
|Reports previous year contributions to an IRA, including rollovers.
|IRS Form 5498-ESA
|Late May
|Reports previous year contributions to a Coverdell Education Savings Account.
|IRS Form 1042-S
|Mid March
|Reports dividends and short-term capital gains and taxes withheld for a non-resident alien.
Dividend and capital-gain distributions from your fund, and any gains you may realize from the redemption of fund shares, need to be reported annually on your tax return. This is true even if you reinvest the income.
To help you complete your taxes, you'll receive the following forms in January:
- IRS Forms 1099-DIV and/or 1099-B
- Your year-end consolidated statement
- Cost basis information, if applicable
If you have an IRA or 403(b) account, you will pay taxes on investments as assets are withdrawn. These distributions are reported on IRS Form 1099-R.
Less Mail for You
To conserve resources and for your convenience, we will automatically consolidate mailings sent through the U.S. Postal Service to investors with the same last name living at the same address. Personal account statements will arrive in one envelope and your household will receive just one copy of reports, prospectuses and newsletters, unless you request that we mail them separately. Business account statements and tax mailings are mailed separately.
In addition, if you prefer not to receive mailings about fund and service opportunities, please contact us. You also have the option to get documents electronically with eCommunication.


text:
Ceremony to celebrate JDP's 100th year
Daily News Staff Report
The public has the chance to take a look into the past with a special presentation at the Jeff Davis Parish (JDP) Courthouse next week.
JDP Clerk of Court Rick Arceneaux said that Jan. 1 of this year marked the 100th anniversary of the parish. In celebration, a special program and portrait presentation is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 26.For the complete story and more local news, please subscribe to Jennings Daily News by clicking subscribe or by calling 337-824-3011.
Short URL: https://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=20628
Posted by Graphic Designer 2 on Jun 21 2013. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


text:
Wang, Jing and Xu, Zhijie
Texture-based Homogeneity Analysis for Crowd Scene Modelling and Abnormality Detection.
In: 20th International Conference on Automation and Computing (ICAC'14), 12-13 September 2014, Cranfield University.
O'Grady, Michael and Wang, Jing
Graffiti detection: Automated crime detection in
security camera feeds.
Global Forensic Science Today (12).
pp. 4-15.
University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, HD1 3DH Copyright and Disclaimer All rights reserved ©