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Villa 11205, Layan
THB 7,000 - 11,000/day
1 bedroom honeymoon Luxury Pool Villa. The Villas offer one bedroom villas, each villa is nestled with its own infinity swimming pool, large master bedrooms dressed with the finest linens, an outdoor bathing area with a separate rain shower. Guests can also enjoy the perfect romantic evening in the outdoor sala, the villa offers complete privacy. Designed in a Tropical Contemporary style, both exterior and interior have been crafted to the highest standard and custom-built to follow the natural contours of the lush tropical surroundings for that romantic couple's getaway.
All our master bathrooms have inside and outside rain showers and a Jacuzzi bathtub surrounded by lush tropical plants. The stylish and contemporary floor plan of each villa is very spacious by allowing a seamless spillover of indoors into outdoor living.
View full map
Property Details
- Bedroom1
- Sleeps2
- Bathroom1
- ViewGarden View
- TypeHoliday Villa
- Swimming PoolPrivate Pool
- Bedrooms Description1 king-size bed
- Dining RoomYes
- KitchenYes
- EntertainmentSattelite TV, DVD player
- InternetYes
- Distance Beach5 - 10 minutes drive
- Distance Airport20 - 30 minutes drive
- Distance Phuket City20 - 30 minutes drive
- Distance Golf Course5 - 10 minutes drive
- FeaturesChildren Allowed, Fully-furnished, No Pets, No Smoking, Private Swimming Pool
Interested in this property?
- Office:
- +66 (0)76 325 915
- Mobile:
- +66 (0)82 423 0203
- Email:
- [email protected]
Holiday Rental Rates
- Period Rates
- Low - -
- Mid - -
- High - -
- Peak - -
Rates are inclusive of 10% service charge and 7% VAT.
Please note: These rates are subject to change. Final rate will be confirmed prior to payment of deposit.


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Hi there Moda Bake Shop Bakers, it is LeAnne over at Everyday Celebrations. With all the baking going on around here, it is about time to make some aprons! The great thing about this project is you can pick whatever fabric line you love to make aprons that fit your personality. One layer cake will yield at least four aprons. Or, since only 10 squares are needed, use some leftover layer cake squares from a previous project. Whatever layer cake you decide to use will result in a darling apron that will make you want to get baking in the kitchen or the sewing room!
1 Layer Cake
3/4 yard for lining and front of apron ( 1 1/4 yards if you are going to increase the size of the apron)
1/2 yard for ties and straps
1/4 yard neutral fabric (this will not be seen)
Pattern piece, found in the Printer Friendly Version. Make sure 'auto scale' and/or 'shrink to fit' option ARE NOT SELECTED.
Note on Sizing:
This apron fits teens (as modeled) through adult. (I wear a size medium/large top and I still had room in this apron.) To get an idea how this apron will fit on you, take a tape measure and measure 21" from hip to hip. This is how the apron will measure across you when finished. The apron top measures about 14" across at the bust. Instructions for increasing the size of the pattern are included with the Printer Friendly Version. (In the measurements an * indicates where changes need to be made if you are altering the size of the apron.)
1. Unfold your 3/4 yard of fabric. Fold one selvage to the middle of the fabric. (Make sure it is the EXACT middle or you may not have enough for the lining.) Place pattern piece on the fold and cut. This will be the 'front' of your apron. You will cut the lining from the remaining fabric shown in the photo.
Optional: To make a pieced section at the top of the apron, as shown in the gray and yellow apron, cut the apron front as marked on the pattern piece. (For the lining however, cut as directed in step 2.)
Next, cut out the following pieces from the layer cake squares:
(1) 2.5" x 3.75"
(2) 3" x 3.75"
(1) 2" x 3.75"
(1) 4" x 3.75"
(1) 1.75" x 3.75"
Sew the pieces RST end-to-end using 1/4" seam allowance. The length of this piece should be about 13.5". Press seams open. Sew this piece to the top edge of the apron front using 1/4" seam allowance. Press seam open. To curve the edge of this new piece, fold the apron front in half and use the pattern piece to trim to size.
2. From the remaining fabric above, cut (1) 25" long x 21.75"* wide piece. Fold in half, matching the long edges. Place pattern piece on the fold as shown below. Cut only along the curved edge of the apron as shown in the second photo below.
3. When you unfold the lining it will look like this:
4. From the neutral fabric cut:
(3) 4" x 21.75"* pieces (for the under ruffle pieces)
From the 1/2 yard strap and tie fabric cut:
(4) 3.5" x WOF pieces (ties) - trim selvages off and cut to 36" in length
(1) 2.25" x WOF piece (strap) - trim selvage off and cut in half
5. Take (2) 3.5" x 36" tie pieces and place RST. (Pressing helps keep edges lined up.) With the two ties still RST angle one end of the tie as shown below. Repeat for remaining tie.
6. Sew the tie RST using 1/4" seam allowance. Leave the not angled end open for turning. Clip corners at the angled end of the strap. Turn right side out and press. Repeat for remaining tie.
7. Topstitch around the tie about 1/8" away from the edge. (I did not topstitch the opening.) Repeat for remaining tie.
8. Press under 1/4" on one of the short ends of a strap. (This end will be the end you want showing on the apron.)
9. Fold the strap in half lengthwise and press to crease. Unfold the strap and fold one long edge to the center crease. Press. Repeat for the other side.
10. Fold strap in half again and press. (The raw edges will now be turned to the inside.)
11. Sew the strap closed by starting at the end that you folded under. Start sewing away from fold and continue down the open side of the strap. Backstitch at the beginning and end. (Basically I didn't sew down the folded edge of the strap.) Repeat steps 8 -11 for the other strap.
12. Select 8 - 10 Layer Cake Squares. Cut in half so they measure 5"x10". (You will only need 16 5"x10" rectangles, so you can either choose 8 Layer Cake squares and use each print twice, or choose 10 Layer Cake squares to have a little more variety in prints.) Lay out the 5"x10 rectangles in four rows of four to help you determine which prints you want to make up each ruffle strip.
13. Sew each row of four rectangles together short end to short end using 1/4" seam allowance. Press seams open. (These seams will be the only exposed raw edges. Serge or zig zag if you desire. However, I just left the pinked edges as they were.)
14. Turn under the bottom edge of ruffle strip 1/4" and press. Repeat. Sew folded edge in place.
15. Turn under the short ends of each ruffle strip 1/4" and press. Repeat. Sew folded edge in place. Repeat steps 14 - 15 for all the ruffle strips.
16. Ruffle the top edge of each ruffle strip using the method of your choice. (Ruffle about 1/8" away from the edge.) Need help with ruffling? Check out my tutorial here. Repeat for all the ruffle strips.
17. On the apron front piece and three under ruffle pieces, mark 1/4" from both bottom short ends. (See my purple marks below.)
18. With the right side down, pin one ruffle strip to the bottom edge of the apron front. Use the mark you made above to place the ruffle strip 1/4" away from the edges of the apron front. I like to place a pin at the bottom of ruffle strip to keep the strip nice and straight. (See green pin in the second picture.) Sew ruffle in place 1/8" away from the edge.
19. With the ruffle strip still right side down, place one under ruffle piece on top of the ruffle strip. (Make sure the edge with the purple mark is at the top. See outlined black circle.)
20. Flip over the apron to the back and pin under ruffle piece in place. (I pin from the back because I will be sewing on the back.)
21. Sew just beyond the stitching line from sewing on the ruffle, about 3/8" from the edge. Backstitch at beginning and end. Press seam up towards the top of the apron. Topstitch the seam in place.
22. Turn the ruffle to the top of the apron. You will now see the under ruffle piece. Place another ruffle strip right side down and repeat steps 18 - 21 for remaining ruffle strips/under ruffle pieces except for the very last ruffle strip.
23. When you add the last ruffle strip, you will only repeat step 18.
24. Mark 1/4" from the bottom of the curve on the apron front. Place a tie below the mark and pin as shown. Baste tie in place with 1/8" seam allowance. Repeat on the other side. (Keep tie pinned down in the middle of the apron.)
25. Mark 1/4" in along the top edge of the apron. Line up the edge of a strap with the mark and pin. Baste strap in place with 1/8" seam allowance. Repeat on the other side.
26. Since this apron is lined, pin the straps to the middle of the apron to keep in place.
27. Using basting pins, pin the ruffles away from the edges and to the center of the apron.
28. Place the lining and the apron RST and pin from the back. (Again, I like to sew from the back so I can watch my stitching lines.) Sew the apron together using 1/4" seam allowance. Leave an opening along the bottom for turning. After sewing, press, clip corners, and turn. Remove all pins.
29. Topstitch beginning along the bottom edge, making sure to close the opening. Continue top stitching around the rest of the apron. When you get to a ruffle, backstitch, stop sewing then remove apron from machine. Clip threads, return apron to the machine, and begin sewing after the ruffle.
One layer cake will yield 4 - 8 aprons
LeAnne Ballard
{Everyday Celebrations}


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(En español: Medicamentos de control)
Say: kun-troh-ler med-ih-kay-shuns
Many people with asthma need to take medication every day to control their asthma. This may seem strange because why should people take medicine when they're feeling fine? But there's a good reason. Controller medications work by keeping the airways in the lungs open and clear, which makes it easier to breathe. But these medicines work slow, not fast. It may take days or weeks for them to do their job. That's why a person with asthma needs to take them regularly. That gives these medicines a chance to get working, so they can keep airways from getting swollen and narrow.
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Vectron Hidden Message
- unlock
Once you complete level 99, at the bottom of the screen, you can see the words 'Congratulations you are very good'
Once you complete level 99, at the bottom of the screen, you can see the words 'Congratulations you are very good'
Move your fishing boat to the far right side, right beside the Island. Press left and right constantly and move slightly up and down until your boat goes through the wall. Once your in move right for a while then come back to the game and your boat will be like a pirate or a hurricane. You will not be able to exit your boat but you can destroy Pirate ships and the other players ships. I was also able to get on land once and destroy crops and buildings.
Note the narrow spot on the upper half of the skyscraper. Shooting at that location horizontally will always result in the bullets passing directly through the tower, and out the other side. This lets you shoot targets without flying round the building.
To see the credits, press 0 on the title screen.
At power up, hold 1 and 9 on the left controller (or 3 and 7, which is equivalent).
At the title screen, press 0 to view the credits.
Hold the D-pad on controller one in any position and press one of the Top Action Buttons. The ship will remain at the same screen position, and no time will pass. Release the D-pad to resume normal game play.
Run by using controller one, and use controller two to shoot.
At power up, hold keys 1 and 3 on the left controller, and hold keys 1, 2, and 3 on the right controller.


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Wolfgang's Vault gladly accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover credit cards, PayPal, debit cards, checks and certified money orders as payment options.
The Vault's stickers hail from the 1960s to the '90s and are of three general types; bumper stickers, window decals and three or four-inch circular patches. A few of the stickers are metallic, and many of them are unique to certain performers or shows.
Fleetwood Mac,
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers


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Notes from a small trade tasting with Serge Hochar in Vancouver.
I hadn't seen Serge in a couple of decades, but he was looking great and dapper as ever despite some recent health scare. He was on one of his peripatetic promotional tours and had some of his recent wines with him.
2003 Hochar Pere et Fils Rosé – Serge says he makes the Pere et Fils wines to please everyone, while he makes Ch. Musar only to please himself. Pale pink, pleasant and balanced with a hint of spice, a middle of the road decent rosé for summer consumption. Made from cinsault with some Grenache.
2001 Hochar Pere et Fils Red – this wine is bottled after 3 years (6-7 months of it in wood) and is mainly cinsault. The colour is fairly light, the nose was ripe with some pepper, and it was balanced, soft and ready to drink,
1999 Musar – bright wine with leather and spice in the nose, and only a hint of VA. Medium body, good acidity, and the tannins are quite soft. Made from cabernet, carignane and cinsault. He considers this a very good vintage, and the 1995 an excellent vintage.
1998 Musar – a little spicier in the nose, which carries through on palate, a bit oxidative at the end. Forward wine.
1995 Musar – this was more like the vintages of old that I remember fondly. More depth to the nose and markedly greater VA, which Serge indicated was intentional. Sweet entry, quite juicy middle and good length.
These wines have always been a bit unusual in that the seem to put on weight as they age instead of the opposite. Hochar himself says that he thinks Musar should be drunk from about the age of 15 onward.
I asked him about the difference in the showing of the 1995 versus the later two vintages and he indicated that he had to cut back on the VA quite a bit after.
He then presented his white wine, serving it last as he thinks it is the most ageworthy and because he believes that it stands up to the reds. It is made from two local varietals, obedieh and merwah, which he posits were taken back to Europe following the Crusades, and became what we know as chardonnay and Semillon. I have no idea if modern scientific ampellographers agree.
1999 Ch. Musar White – now showing some colour, musk melon nose, a bit reticent, and pleasant, full and balanced. One of his only wines fermented in steel (he prefers concrete for the reds). Only the second time I've tasted the Musar white, and maybe I just haven't had one old enough (he went on about the lovely 1952), or maybe it just isn't my cuppa chai, as I wonder what all the fuss is about.
Always interesting to revisit this producer – I very much enjoyed the wines from the 1970s, then thought they had dropped the ball a bit in the 80s. The 1995 was enough to convince me that they can still produce a pretty interesting wine, and I'll keep an eye on them, if only for use in blind tastings where you can easily fool everyone, as long as they don't know that VA clue!


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Earth KingdomTalk17
this wiki
"The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring."
Earth Kingdom
|Physical information
|Location on map
The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong and adhere to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world. Earthbenders use their abilities for defense and industry and fiercely defended their cities against Fire Nation attacks during the Hundred Year War. It also has a large economy based on agriculture and limited industry, though it is not as economically powerful as the Fire Nation, which benefits from advanced technology.
The Earth Kingdom is characterized by significant ethnic and cultural diversity, a consequence of the country's vast territorial expanse. As a result, it suffers from high levels of local autonomy and ethnic conflict, both of which began accelerating as the central government grew weak. Despite this division, the people's recognition of the Earth Kingdom as a single political entity is largely strengthened through the communal belief in a shared history and identity.
The Earth Kingdom long withstood encroachments on their borders in the Fire Nation's century-long imperialist war. Other than the Avatar, the Earth Kingdom was the only real obstacle that hindered the Fire Nation from achieving world domination. Though the Water Tribe aided the Earth Kingdom in the War, the conflict progressed poorly and took a heavy toll on them as the years passed. This continued until the Coup of Ba Sing Se, when Princess Azula of the Fire Nation seized control of the Earth Kingdom capital city, Ba Sing Se.[6] By the following summer, the metropolis was occupied by the Fire Nation military, and although it had previously been asserted that the fall of Ba Sing Se would lead to the disintegration of any remaining Earth Kingdom forces, rebel fighters continued to resist foreign rule. This warranted Fire Lord Ozai's decision of burning the Earth Kingdom to the ground upon the arrival of Sozin's Comet.[7]
By the end of summer 100 AG, Ba Sing Se was liberated from Fire Nation control by the Order of the White Lotus, ending the Fire Nation occupation of the city. This, in combination with the decisive defeat of Phoenix King Ozai, effectively liberated the remaining Fire Nation-controlled regions of the Earth Kingdom.[8]
After the end of the Hundred Year War, numerous Fire Nation colonies throughout the western Earth Kingdom were transformed into the United Republic of Nations, a fifth nation founded by Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko.[9]
Seventy years after the conclusion of the Hundred Year War, the Earth Kingdom continued to be influential in world affairs with a representative on the United Republic Council until the council was dissolved in 171 AG.[10]
At some point before 171 AG, Earth King Kuei was succeeded by his daughter, Earth Queen Hou-Ting. During her reign, roaming bands of barbarians destabilized the provinces, preventing the central government from efficiently raising revenues for the state coffers. Nevertheless, the prosperity of the Middle and Upper Rings of Ba Sing Se continued unabated, with the Dai Li maintaining tight control over the city as it had for centuries.[11]
When the Red Lotus staged an insurrection and killed the Earth Queen, the Earth Kingdom's capital was thrown into chaos and anarchy.[12] This upheaval quickly spread to the rest of the nation, causing the Earth Kingdom to fall into disarray.[13]
In the era of Raava, predecessors of the Earth Kingdom received the element of earth from lion turtles that granted the bending art through energybending. They could request the ability whenever they ventured into the Spirit Wilds, to aid in the gathering of food and resources. These people eventually congregated to form the Earth Kingdom after the lion turtles renounced their roles as protectors of mankind. At this point, the ancestors of the first Earth Kingdom citizens left the lion turtle cities in favor of establishing settlements throughout the mainland.
Several aspects of life and observances practiced by the predecessors of the first citizens of the Earth Kingdom became part of the nation's culture, notably in the creation of fortified strongholds constructed out of earth, akin to the structures seen in lion turtle cities populated by early Earth Kingdom citizens.[14]
Citizens of the Earth Kingdom tend to have black or brown hair; green, brown, or gray eyes; and often have dark skin tones, though many nobles have lighter complexions.
Traditional colors worn throughout the kingdom range from vibrant greens and yellows to more muted beiges and browns. The people usually style their hair comfortably for work or elaborately for striking impressions. Members of the army wear green and beige uniforms that may have yellow touches to them and they hide their hair in a conical helmet. However, fashions in the Earth Kingdom vary greatly from one region to another. In the West and South, men typically wear their hair in a top-knot, ornamented with various holders and pins, and they often have beards and/or mustaches. Women living in western and southern parts of the Earth Kingdom wear their hair down or piled on top of their head. In Ba Sing Se, however, women usually wear their long hair wrapped around a support, embellished with tassels or flowers; men usually don a plain queue.[15] Omashu citizens typically wear tunics over a long robe or pants, with their hair hidden by a small turban or hat.[16] Farmers and other laborers wear conical straw hats secured to their heads by a string to protect them from the sun.
National emblem
The national emblem of the Earth Kingdom is a square inscribed with a circle, at the center of which is a much smaller square (like a Chinese coin or the 'Rock' Pai Sho tile). Its many layers symbolize the "depth" of the Earth Kingdom, both literally and figuratively; the insignia represents the "immeasurable layers of deep rock and minerals which earthbenders manipulate to maintain their great cities", as well as the depth of the inhabitants' commitment toward a peaceful and productive way of life.[17] This emblem can be seen on the helmets of Earth Kingdom troops.
Large "coins" of this design made of rock or earth are sometimes used as weapons by earthbenders.[18][19]
Earth Kingdom currency consists of gold, silver, and copper pieces of varying sizes, which are used by Earth Kingdom citizens to purchase goods and services; they are fashioned in the shape of the national emblem, though gold pieces have four notches on the edge, giving them a flower-like shape.[20]
The geography of the Earth Kingdom varies tremendously due to its immense size. The northwestern areas are mountainous and covered in dense coniferous forests[21] with the only known settlement in the area being a merchant town, while the western coast harbors a warmer climate and many deciduous forests.[22] The inland west is also home to several swamps[23] and the arid Great Divide, while the center of the Kingdom is comprised of the enormous Si Wong Desert.[24] The southwestern coast is covered with lush forests – however, a rain shadow leaves the Kolau Mountains and areas to the southwest as arid mountain ranges with sparse grasslands – the only major settlement in the area being Omashu.[16] The southern coast is a lush area filled with rivers and forested areas, populated by wealthy towns like Gaoling; north, over the mountains, the land turns to sparsely populated plains which once again meld into the Si Wong Desert. The northeast is mostly uninhabited beyond Ba Sing Se.
Natural resources
Though at first glance they would appear to be the simplest of substances, rock and stone turn out to be the Earth Kingdom's greatest natural resources. As such, they are widely used and manipulated to many ends, from tools to entire metropolises. While the Earth Kingdom as a whole does not make use of fossil fuels nearly as much as the industrialized Fire Nation, coal is mined in certain villages for fuel.[25] The timber of their forests also serve as fuel along with being lumbered for building.
Architecture, farming, carpentry, hunting, and mining are among many significant Earth Kingdom industries. Its citizens have managed to develop an advanced trade and commerce system so that almost all may benefit. From the complex sewage and postal system of Omashu,[2] to the Ba Sing Se metro transit stations, and various inventions and their inventors, such as the mechanist, all serve as demonstration of the Earth Kingdom's surprisingly sophisticated society.
An abundance of fresh vegetables grows in the rich fertile soil, and fruit and nut trees are plentiful. Animals thrive in the lush forest and farmlands, providing beef and poultry to add to the fruits and vegetables.
Government system: Confederate Constitutional Monarchy
Head of state: Earth monarch
Head of government: Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se
The Earth Kingdom is a large nation divided into provinces[19] and semi-autonomous major cities such as Omashu and Zaofu. The capital of the Earth Kingdom is Ba Sing Se. While there is a central ruler of the entire Earth Kingdom, known as the Earth King, who lives in Ba Sing Se, the city of Omashu is known to have its own king as well.[2] While the Earth Kingdom is definitely shown as being interwoven militarily, bureaucratically little or no influence seems to be exerted upon the constituent towns and regions by the imperial government, especially outside of the major cities. Isolated regions like the Si Wong Desert are havens for criminals, and many agricultural regions have little or no contact with officials from the central government.[24] In addition, the Earth Kingdom has no unified system of laws, with each town having its own legal code.[26] Complex organization within the government is not seen outside of Ba Sing Se and its surroundings, such as Full Moon Bay.
The decline of imperial power was coupled with the decline of the personal power of the Earth King, as successive kings delegated their authority to the bureaucracy in favor of pleasure-seeking and leisure.[27] During the conspiracy of Ba Sing Se during the reign of the 52nd Earth King, the Earth King had little true power, and while he was greatly revered, most of the governmental power in Ba Sing Se was entrusted to various advisers and counsel under the control of Long Feng, the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se and head of the Dai Li. Within Ba Sing Se, the government had near total control, with Long Feng using the Dai Li to suppress dissent and talk of the Hundred Year War, turning Ba Sing Se into a police state. In order to promote the idea of Ba Sing Se as a peaceful utopia, forcible elimination of opposition through methods such as brainwashing were used. The government of Ba Sing Se was incredibly bureaucratic, since it took at least six to eight weeks to process a request to meet with the king (though this may have merely been an effort to stall Team Avatar).[5]
After the end of the Hundred Year War, the system was reformed, with the Earth King having full power once again.[28][29][30] During her rule, Earth Queen Hou-Ting has taken to exercising tighter authority over all the kingdom's provinces and regions, being aware of noncompliance with her rules in regions outside of Ba Sing Se.[11] Hou-Ting's death, however, has now left a power vacuum in the Earth Kingdom's government.[12]
Royal Earthbender Guards
- Main article: Royal Earthbender Guards
The Royal Earthbender Guards of Ba Sing Se, also known as the King's Guards, are affiliated with neither the Dai Li nor the military and instead serve as personal protectors of the Earth King. There seem to be hundreds of them guarding the Royal Palace and they have also functioned as gatekeepers of the Outer and Inner Walls of Ba Sing Se. The guards use specialized surface-to-surface rocks against invaders approaching on foot, but the projectiles are displayed to be able to also serve as surface-to-air rocks against airborne intruders. They sport dark green armor with a green feather at the top of the helmet.[31]
Law enforcement
Not much is known about the law enforcement in the Earth Kingdom. However, during the Hundred Year War, crime seemed to be a daily problem. Thugs and thieves used the chaos of war to rob refugees and peasants in regions uncontrolled by the Earth Kingdom Army. Even in Ba Sing Se, the greatest city in the Earth Kingdom, many citizens and refugees of the Lower Ring felt they had to turn to crime for survival, due to the extreme nature of poverty there.[5] Law enforcement was often left to local authorities[32] and the military,[19] but neither of them succeeded in effectively curbing crime.
The Dai Li
- Main article: Dai Li
The Dai Li are the cultural enforcers of Ba Sing Se, created by Avatar Kyoshi after a peasant rebellion in Ba Sing Se. In addition to distinct uniforms, they are notable for sporting rock gloves and shoes, which can be used to great effect as weapons through earthbending. Though they allegedly serve the Earth King, their loyalty shifted over time toward the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se, especially when Long Feng was in power, and they functioned as a sort of secret police, arresting and re-educating anyone who broke regulations concerning mention of the Hundred Year War.[5] By the time of Earth Queen Hou-Ting's rule, they served as her personal guards and secret police.[11]
From the enforced culture of Ba Sing Se, to the initially isolationist inhabitants of Kyoshi Island,[33] the culture of the Earth Kingdom is far less defined than those of the other nations, a result of its immense size and diversity. Due to their manipulation of earth, which Iroh refers to as the "element of substance",[1] earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of the Earth Kingdom's citizens. Many hints indicate that the creators of the show based the Earth Kingdom off Chinese and Korean culture, with reference to the hairstyles, architecture, geography, and relations to other countries.
Earth Kingdom architecture varies by province. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, green. The majority of the buildings are made of stone, wood, and plaster; these may be used in conjunction with one another or separately, depending on the available resources. Most buildings have sloping roofs covered with dark gray or green tiles; yellow tiles denote wealth and are used by aristocrats in Ba Sing Se.[15] The Earth Kingdom insignia is often put on important buildings and fortresses as a symbol of the government. Roads vary considerably – in the country, they are usually made of well-worn dirt, while cities have well-made flagstone streets.
The population of the Earth Kingdom is among small villages, larger towns, and the capital city of Ba Sing Se, which contains a significant portion of its citizens. Tiny villages of ten or so inhabitants dot the landscape; larger towns, such as Chin Village and Gaoling, are found more infrequently. Because of Fire Nation assaults, many of the once great cities of the Earth Kingdom were either destroyed, as was Taku, or taken over, as was Omashu. Smaller towns are usually forced into slave labor by the Fire Nation, to mine coal and ores to build and fuel their warships.[25]
As a result of the various minerals the country's soil contains, Earth Kingdom farmers are able to grow a wide variety of foods to support their diets, including vegetables, fruit and nut orchards, and rice, the Earth Kingdom's staple crop. The wild game which thrives within its many dense forests and domesticated animals found on many farms add meat and poultry to the Earth Kingdom citizens' diet. Tea is the most common drink and is made from many plants, including ginseng, leechi, jasmine, and the rare white dragon bush.
Each of the four nations is influenced by their own distinct, dominant season. The Earth Kingdom's dominant season is spring, the time when several living things on Earth are reborn. To an effect, more earthbenders are born during the spring than any other season and their powers are at their strongest during the springtime.
- Main article: Military of the Earth Kingdom
Since the Earth Kingdom is geographically the largest of the four nations, it possesses a large variety of combat organizations and personnel.
Like the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom armies consist of benders and normal foot soldiers. Soldiers, both benders and nonbenders, carry a wide variety of weapons, from spears, swords, and other various polearms, to more unusual weapons such as hammers, axes, and sickles.
The cavalry consists of ostrich horses, which can vertically climb short distances and run at high speeds. These, along with eel hounds, are also used as transports.
Earthbenders use stones shaped like the Earth Kingdom emblem as artillery and catapult projectiles.[18] These person-sized round coins are invaluable weapons to the earthbenders. The coins can be lined up side by side to make a defensive (and mobile) wall, or stacked to make an impromptu lookout tower. Skilled earthbenders can use these coins as a vehicle and "ride" in the hole in the middle of the coins.
During the Day of Black Sun, Earth Kingdom forces assisted in the invasion of the Fire Nation, bringing with them five tanks assembled by the mechanist. These tanks are operated by four earthbenders using their earthbending for mobility and they can carry multiple troops into battle. These tanks have incredibly strong armor and their segmented design allows them to cross any terrain as well as to crush elevated targets. Finally, they have side flaps that open up to allow earthbenders to fire their rock projectiles.[34]
After the Hundred Year War, the Earth Kingdom Army expanded. When Earth King Kuei marched to Yu Dao, his army consisted of several earthbending-powered tanks and modified versions of the hot air balloon.[29]
In 171 AG, after the Harmonic Convergence and the subsequent awakening of new airbenders in the Earth Kingdom, Earth Queen Hou-Ting ordered the Dai Li to kidnap every single airbender to forcefully conscript them into her army, which comprised of military units such as the 1st Airbending Regiment.[11]
Council of Five
- Main article: Council of Five
The Council of Five is a group of five high-ranking Earth Kingdom generals, including Generals How and Sung, who decide the best use of their armies fighting outside the walls of Ba Sing Se. It is the Council of Five who designs and implement any war plans, which includes the best means of protecting the capital city as well as the proposed invasion of the Fire Nation. In addition to this, the Council also controls the King's Guards, an elite force of guards who protect the king. The Council of Five has been together for as long as there has been a king of Ba Sing Se, and up until Long Feng came into power, it has always worked hand in hand with the Earth King to ensure the city's well-being.[31]
Terra Team
- Main article: Terra Team
The Terra Team is an elite platoon of earthbenders under the command of General Sung. They are considered by him to be a capable group. Their uniform differs slightly from regular Earth Kingdom soldiers. During their short appearance when they were called to stop the Fire Nation drill, they were shown to act in a cohesive way, coordinating their attacks. Despite this, they were quickly and easily disabled by Mai and Ty Lee.[35]
Not much is known about the Earth Kingdom Navy, except that it is likely inferior to that of the Fire Nation. The Earth Kingdom's General Fong explicitly stated that invading the Fire Nation with its ships would be suicidal.[18] Three junk ships used by the Dai Li patrolled Lake Laogai.[31] Additionally, given that earthbenders require a physical connection to the earth to bend, being on a wooden or metal boat would render the earthbenders almost totally powerless, unless the ships carried earthen projectiles. Without benders, the Earth Kingdom Navy would be at a severe disadvantage in terms of naval combat compared with the Fire Nation or the Water Tribes.
Air Force
The Earth Kingdom also acquired the specifications for the hot air balloons, which were once Fire Nation exclusives, and incorporated them into their own line of warfare, albeit modified to bear the Earth Kingdom emblem and colors. One such unit was used to carry Earth King Kuei as he led the Earth Kingdom Army to Yu Dao to enforce the Harmony Restoration Movement.[29]
By 171 AG, the Earth Kingdom had acquired airships from Cabbage Corp; although cheaper compared to the ones built by Future Industries, they were less sturdy and easily sustained damage during a fight.[12]
Kyoshi Warriors
- Main article: Kyoshi Warriors
The Kyoshi Warriors are an all-female group of fighters led by Suki on Kyoshi Island. Their fighting style and clothing mimic those of their founder, Avatar Kyoshi, although the most current fighters do not implement any of the bending arts in their physical movements. Clad in ornate, green armor and Kabuki-like makeup, designed to intimidate opponents, Kyoshi Island Warriors use metal fans as their main weapons. It was later revealed the warriors also utilize katanas and wrist shields. Holding the fans like extensions of their own arms, they aim to turn the strength of their opponents against them, a principle also hinged upon in waterbending. The female warriors do not take kindly to training outsiders, let alone men, in these unique methods. Traditionally, only women are trained as Kyoshi Warriors, however there have been exceptions over the years, such as Sokka.[33]
Notable locations
Notable figures
- The Earth Kingdom seems to resemble the Ming and Qing dynasties of China, with buildings in Ba Sing Se that look very much like those in the Forbidden City. Omashu however, is an exception with the city fairly prevalent with pyramid-like structures. However, during Bumi's liberation of Omashu, and Aang's wild ride, it is seen that the buildings within the structures also look like Chinese ones. The people of the Earth Kingdom also possess a Chinese appearance, the king himself wearing the clothing of a Chinese Emperor during the Qing Dynasty. The only notable exceptions are the citizens of Kyoshi Island and King Bumi, with Bumi's wardrobe being exceptionally strange and the people of Kyoshi Island having a more Japanese appearance, as discerned from the name. Also, some of the peasants in the Earth Kingdom, such as Song, have been seen wearing Korean-style clothing.
- The Earth Kingdom was the most focused upon in the series, allowing information regarding culture, military, and diversity to be explored and found.
- The Earth Kingdom seems to run like the Holy Roman Empire, with many smaller kingdoms such as Omashu and Kyoshi Island answering to an overarching ruler.
- The Earth Kingdom national emblem resembles one of the six coins of the Sanada clan emblem (insignia for bravery).
- Since the Earth Kingdom is so large and diverse, it actually holds locations claimed by each of the other three nations within its territory. The Northern Air Temple is in the northeastern Earth Kingdom, the Foggy Swamp Tribe is in a southwestern swamp, and numerous Fire Nation colonies dotted the western Earth Kingdom.
- It is known that there are sixty-seven different royal seals, used on different occasions, depending on the document in question.[27]
- The Earth Kingdom is roughly analogous to the real-world Eurasia.
- The various types of armor and uniform of the Earth Kingdom troops are reminiscent of those of the Manchurian soldiers of the Qing dynasty.
- Earth Kingdom fashion and architecture seems to be influenced by Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cultures. There are also visible influences from Manchu, Mongol, and nomadic cultures from Central Asia that border the deserts.
- The Earth Kingdom has the smallest percentage of benders among the four nations.[36]
- The Earth Kingdom is the only nation that refuses to recognize the United Republic of Nations.[11]


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Minden Police arrested a local man Tuesday in the parking lot of a Homer Road business, after he tried to swallow a marijuana blunt.
Michael Isaac, 18, of the 200 block of Cox Lane, is charged with possession of CDS Sch. I marijuana and obstruction of justice for trying to conceal evidence in reference to the crime for which he was being arrested.Subscribe to Read!


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Discover why Jesse Eisenberg may make an amazing Lex Luthor, what the creator of The X-Files is up to, why Star Trek needs to return to the airwaves and what Super Bowl SciFi film trailers may peak your interest.
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President Barack Obama has had to give some tough speeches in the past couple of weeks. From consoling Boston and West, Texas to scolding Congress for failing to pass gun control legislation, the president's messages have been heavy.
As he gears up to speak at the White House Correspondents' Dinner--a typically light-hearted Beltway event that brings Hollywood to Washington--will the president deliver the traditional comedic routine? Or will he play it straight, as presidents have done in the past during times of tragedy.
Since the 1980s, comedic performers in addition to the president have consistently performed at the dinner, held each year to raise scholarship money for journalism students. Talk show host Conan O'Brien will headline this year's event for the second time. He first performed in 1995 during President Bill Clinton's first term.
Saturday's event marks Obama's fifth dinner. Wanda Sykes, Jay Leno, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel spoke at the previous events.
The president has received high praise in the past for his delivery the one-liners typically given at such events. Last year he made light of the Secret Service scandal in Colombia, the lavish spending at a government conference and real-estate titan and reality star Donald Trump.
But with the last two weeks marked by the terror attack in Boston, the plant explosion in Texas, an earthquake in China, a devastating building collapse in Bangladesh, and an ongoing investigation over who mailed a ricin letter to the president, the normally-festive dinner this weekend comes amid bleak headlines.
Presidents in the past have taken different tones during such dour periods. In 2003, President George W. Bush delivered a solemn address, paying tribute to two journalists who were killed in Iraq: Michael Kelly and David Bloom.
A year later, Bush gave a few zingers but mostly kept things low key. Five of the eight minutes he spoke were devoted to a serious message about the service of Americans - in the news media and the military - in what the president called "a period of testing and sacrifice."
Democrats had charged Bush "crossed the line" a month prior when he gave a stand-up performance at the annual Radio and Television Correspondents' dinner, including a comedic slide show about his search for WMDs.
In 1995, President Bill Clinton gave a mostly-serious speech, as the dinner came 10 days after the Oklahoma City Bombing, which left 168 dead--including 19 children under the age of six--and injured more than 600 others.
"You know, I practiced for this night. I had all this humor and everything but...the book of Proverbs says 'A happy heart doeth good medicine, and a broken spirit dries the bones.' And I believe that. But I think you will all understand that--and I hope my wonderful comedy writers will understand--if I take a few minutes tonight not to be too funny."
He went on to acknowledge the recovery efforts still underway at the time and expressed appreciation to the press for their coverage of the disaster.
"I think you have made an extraordinary effort to capture both the horror and the humanity in the situation," he said, urging the media to return to Oklahoma and share the stories of those overcoming the tragedy.
Regardless of Obama's approach this year, it's likely he'll be criticized for not being funny, being funny to begin with or not being funny enough.


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Funeral services for Holly Brooke Romano, 18, will be held Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 11 a.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home Chapel in Minden. Officiating will be the Rev. Shane Waites. Interment will follow at Pleasant Valley Cemetery on Hwy. 531 north of Dixie Inn. The family will receive friends from 5 until 9 p.m. Wednesday June 15, 2011 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home.
Holly was born Dec. 2, 1992 in Minden and entered into rest June 12, 2011 in Minden due to an automobile accident. Holly was a member of National Honor Society, 4-H and on the yearbook staff at Lakeside High School. Holly had a love for all people she came in contact with and they loved her back. She will be greatly missed by all.
She is survived by her mother, Melissa Sellnow of Haughton; father, Andy Sellnow of Haughton; sisters, Laura Cole, Rachael Cole; and brother, Cody Cole all of Cotton Valley; and numerous cousins, uncles, aunts, and a host of friends.


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eco elevated. Slim architectural structure makes a dramatic entry. Braced by sleek iron frame, wide plank of solid sustainable acacia wood shows beautiful light-to-dark tones, active grain and naturally occurring knots. Tuck behind the sofa, row a few in the entry or prop as a nightstand in the bedroom.
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Weekend Confirmed 158 - BioShock Infinite, StarCraft II, Dota 2By Ozzie Mejia, Mar 29, 2013 11:00am PDT
This week, it's a Very Special Weekend Confirmed Reunion! The show reunites hosts, past and present, as Garnett Lee and Jeff Cannata welcome in Joystiq's Xav de Matos and former co-host Brian Leahy. They kick off the show with some talk about Dota 2, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, and the professional gaming circuit. That's followed with a long talk about BioShock Infinite, covering everything without spoiling a thing. The show wraps up with some more speculation regarding the next generation of consoles, before everyone brings it home with fresh Finishing Moves.
Weekend Confirmed Ep. 158: 3/29/2013
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Weekend Confirmed comes in four segments to make it easy to listen to in segments or all at once. Here's the timing for this week's episode:
Show Breakdown:
Round 1 - 00:00:40 - 00:29:16
Whatcha' Been Playin Part 1 - 00:30:06 - 00:59:37
Whatcha Been Playin Part 2 01:01:05 - 01:29:14
Listener Feedback/Front Page News - 01:29:47 - 02:06:04
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Original music in the show by Del Rio. Get his latest Album, Club Tipsy on iTunes. Check out more, including the Super Mega Worm mix and other mash-ups on his ReverbNation page or Facebook page, and follow him on twitter @delriomusic.
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By: gretchenpal x Show Full PostThis is sure to be a nice game and I will surely play it! Bioshock Infinite FTW! I like the plot of the game especially that it is not connected to the previous bioschock games. This will make gamers anticipate the game more.
http://bioshockinfinitecdkeys.blogspot.com/Apr 10, 2013 9:46pm PDT
You say you want the industry to conduct itself in a more professional manner Garnett. Yet, you continually get drunk on air. Throwing stones from a glass house on a soapbox does nothing Garnett. If you want the industry to be respectful, you have to act respectful.Mar 30, 2013 6:56am PDTYou say you want the industry to conduct itself in a more professional manner Garnett. Yet, you continual... : Mysssss
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 31 replies.
Honest question. Why do you listen? Your comments always come from a seemingly hostile space. Needless... : Garnett Lee
Honestly I enjoy the show, but conversation and debate don't come from agreements. If I say I like red, a... : Mysssss
i agree, and i always ask myself this when i happen to visit the shows pages on shacknews. it would be... : silentdante
I watched the guitarist from Saliva poor an entire beer over himself and his guitar during their performa... : Shadow13th
I may not be the biggest Garnett fan but wtf does drinking on a show have anything to do with it ? the ot... : JohnathanDoe
Its not a question of my morals, heck go have drunken orgies I don't care. Its about professionalism, con... : Mysssss
I see your point but i agree with the others your misguided and come off kinda of rude in your first post... : Phantomzxro
Drinking on "air"? Its a PODCAST dude, its Garnett's personal show at this point, its not 60 minutes. Ga... : Atanatari165
By: Gee Arr x Show Full PostIn the section on BioShock infinite, Garnet said something like "we are going to be considerate and steer clear of anything that might be considered a spoiler." I really appreciate that and in general, the show is good when it comes to spoilers.
But then, one of you pretty much said "screw it, I'm going to talk about spoilers anyway." Sorry, I can't remember if it was Brian or Xav. Whoever it was, thanks Garnett for not allowing that. The game was only out for four days at that point. And in my opinion, even if it had been out for a month, it still wouldn't have been cool. I was at least halfway through the game I listened to the podcast. It would have been a shame if I had to abandon the rest of the show because of that.
By the way, it's not an excuse to give a spoiler just because it's something that happens early in the game. Also it's not an excuse just because someone else had revealed it earlier.
Finally, I seen a few other comments talking about doing a "spoilercast." That is an excellent idea. it wouldn't necessarily even need to be a separate podcast. It could tailgate the main show.Apr 01, 2013 9:47pm PDTIn the section on BioShock infinite, Garnet said something like "we are going to be considerate and steer... : Gee Arr
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 11 replies.
It does suck to have things spoiled. I have had some great movies spoiled for me by friends on accident.... : bonebreak2000
yeah, have to override that eagerness to talk about a game's internal points and Infinite really made th... : Garnett Lee
I've said it before and I've said it again. It's not that hard to skip ahead or simply not listen if you ... : Runnermatt
By: CaptFantastique x Show Full PostGuys, I really like you show and I've been a semi-steady listener ever since you first started, but... and I say this with love... your spoiler-free skills pretty much suck. I gave your Bioshock section about 2 minutes before I had to turn it off for fear of having stuff spoiled (because I've unfortunately been disappointed by spoilers in your show too many times in the past).
That said, I went back and listened to the Bioshock discussion today after I'd finished the game myself. Good discussion, but in retrospect, I'm glad I turned it off when I did.
For reference, your friends over at Gamers With Jobs managed to do a good 35 minute spoiler-free segment on the game this week (and then do a long spoiler section on top of that after the regular show). Don't want to sound too whiny, but if you can't keep it spoiler free like those guys and gals, then please consider keeping your story-driven game discussions to spoiler sections only. Or don't discuss them at all. It's a fine line, I know, but as far as I'm concerned, you keep on crossing it.
Other than that, keep up the good work. :-) (and cool to see Brian back for an episode!)Apr 05, 2013 7:00am PDT
By: VersusDMC x Show Full PostIt's weird to hear talk of a need for innovative games then talk about how metal gear rising is a 39 dollar game. A game that actually brings something different to the action game genre.
DmC and god of war should be 39 as well. Why bother making anything besides RPG's or FPS's if you're considered a b level game if the first play though is under 50 hours. I played fallout 3 and didn't like it. Played about five hours. I don't go out there saying it's a 39 dollar game. Just wasn't for me.
You can't make an absolute rulling on what a game is worth. I didn't hesitate buying MGSRising full price but i decided to pass on Gears Judgement. There's definitely somebody reading this that thinks it's the other way around. I paid 29$ for the second dissidia game, loved it and i put 130 hours into it already. I guess any other game that doesn't match that play time, regardless of the genre, should be 29$.
This price talk needs to stop. It's not like it's set at that price forever. If you don't like the price, wait 2 months, buy it used, rent it. People who love the game come off thinking they didn't pay enough.Apr 04, 2013 6:09pm PDT
Man GameStop is awesome!!!! My ps3 broke down this morning... So I picked up darksiders 2, blops2, all stars, and skyward sword. All not going to play again (all stars is still on my vita via cross buy). Purchased a 320 gig slim for $120 down from the $240 they where asking. All for a few paper weights in my house:)Apr 04, 2013 12:35pm PDT
By: CampKusoge x Show Full PostI have no evidence or reason to assume this, but I'm gonna jump to the conclusion that you guys aren't gonna talk about Toki Tori 2 and complain preemptively about that.
For anyone who's wondering, the game is a delight. Though be aware that they throw you in with no guidance whatsoever. Still not sure why game devs these days think that "not explaining gameplay mechanics" is the same thing as "puzzle design," but it's a relatively small hurtle.
Happy tweeting!Apr 04, 2013 12:19pm PDT
By: GreatScoot x Show Full PostI wanted to touch on the point of all the attention and praise that Elizabeth is getting. Though I found her overall implementation to be great, and the narrative surrounding her to be really engaging, every time she threw me a coin, or pointed out a lock pick or recording, I realized she was essentially Fable 2's dog (not a knock against her, just an observation. Also, Fable 2's dog is pretty awesome, to me at least). And while her tear powers were really cool when it was part of the story, in combat or exploring it might as well been none existent. Crates and cover spawning really didn't impress me, and the limited tears you find while exploring only made it disappointing that there weren't more. 2009's Prince of Persia actually Incorporated their AI princess into the actual gameplay a hell of a lot more than Elizabeth in the end, which is a shame because like you guys pointed out, she seemed to originally have a lot more presence and influence outside the scripted story moments.
In the end these things might not matter, as her main purpose was narrative related; her persistent presence serves to build a bond with the player, and to that end I believe Irrational succeed with impressive results.
Really enjoyed the show. I'd been lagging behind in listening and realized how much I missed listening to you guys!Apr 04, 2013 11:25am PDT
By: Atanatari165 x Show Full PostBattlefield 4 trailer nothing but "shit blowing up"? Might want to watch it again, I just watched it and I beg to differ. They showed a lot of story context, dialog, NPC interaction, etc. It was probably less than 50% action. I don't know what they were expecting to see but an Uncharted 2 style narrative would not fit in a Battlefield game, I thought their approach was great, exactly what I want from a Battlefield game. I though the Bad Company games were good but a bit silly, I like the more realistic style.Apr 04, 2013 11:03am PDT
By: dasgouche x Show Full PostThis comment spans several episodes....so I apologize if I bring up discussed topics again.
My frist comment stems over the SimCity debacle. As a consumer, I am sympathetic to their plight and the frustration that ensues when you spend money for a game/service and it does not deliver on its promise. I, however, feel that some of the backlash directed to the technology side of the issues is in a state of hyperbole. This is not a comment on the customer service issues that EA has brought upon themselves, but this pervasive idea that since it is now 2013 that all companies should know how to handle internet congestion, server stability, etc... Let's not forget that the area of computer science is a very young field of industry. For all intents and purposes, it has not been around more than 30 years and to think that it is easy to learn from previous mistakes is dismissive. Programming is constantly evolving at dramatic rates and ideas and techniques even two years ago are becoming obsolete.
Second comment is referring to the industry as a whole. It is becoming more apparent with each new story/scandal that this industry is still stuck in the 80s with its attitudes and practices. There is the IGDA incident with scantily clad women at a rave show, there is the missteps of companies and their customer service policies, and lastly the type of games that are being produced. The average of the a video gamer is rising and without looking up exact statistics is in their late 20's early 30's. It is annoying that this industry is still treating its customer base as the 9-13 year olds that we used to be. The audience is growing up and this industry needs to mature and close the gap between what we used to want and what we want now.
I am sorry for this wall of text....
Programming is a relatively very new field...have a little patience when tech doesn't work the first time
The game industry needs to match the average age of its audience....sex and violence isn't as shiny as it used to be.Apr 02, 2013 11:39am PDTThis comment spans several episodes....so I apologize if I bring up discussed topics again. My frist c... : dasgouche
By: DevSword x Show Full PostSort of spoilage below:
I agree with Jeff in that Infinite falls into the worst and most mocked science fiction cliches. It is basically the Matrix 2 and Mass Effect 3 endings. You are "the one" and there were many "ones" before you as part of an 'infinite' cycle. GiantBomb has mocked this in the past. I'll be interested to see what they have to say in this case.
I also think the way Infinite makes you question its relationship to the first game was essentially already done in MGS2. But to Jeff's point, MGS2 tied its themes. The Patriots turn out to be powerful AIs, and the Colonel and Rose are essentially their proxies. Where as MGS2 had the dangers of digitization in mind, Infinite's racism and religious zeal are just didactic show pieces that reflect Ken Levine's ego.
On Elizabeth, while an impressive piece of tech, she's a pretty weak character. She is basically Belle from Beauty and the Beast, except she would rather folllow Gaton around and do whatever he says than go off on her own adventure. Also she apparently just loves wearing corsets. You know, like all women do. I would say its lame that they fashioned her after a Disney princess, except in this case the Disney princess might be a better roll model for feminism.
That said, I really wished the game had explored the concept of "tears" more. Like that vision of Paris that Elizabeth finds is really the only instance like connecting to the outside of Columbia. It would have been really fun to go racing through flashes of different eras. Or like go to modern day New York but all the people are hairy monkeys, or aliens have enslaved humanity, or something fun like that.
One of the inconsistencies with the ending, is that it almost makes you question whether Booker is in something like the Matrix, or if he's under some kind of hypnosis. Like why does the game grey out in scenes pertaining to Booker's past? Is he remembering something, or has he time traveled back to that era? By leaving that window into Paris as the sole example of anything that's not Columbia, it makes it seem like the whole game is only in Booker's head.
On story telling in games in general, I think there are people in the industry who have big egos, and get propped up for commercial reasons. There's Cliff Bleszinski, Peter Molyneux, and David Cage. They talk a big game, but do they deliver anything dramatically innovative, interesting, or just good? Nope. I'm inclined to think Ken Levine falls more into this category than not.
The thing about Hideo Kojima, is that he put his name on his work and people flocked to him, because it was good. He didn't just do a bunch of interviews for game websites, or talk about being a "power creative" *gags.* Video game fans are hungry for creative visionaries---story tellers who don't compromise on characterization and so forth. But there are very few examples of that kind of thing in action.Mar 29, 2013 3:44pm PDTSort of spoilage below: I agree with Jeff in that Infinite falls into the worst and most mocked science : DevSword
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 20 replies.
You really need to get off Kojima's jock. He hasn't told a coherent, let alone riveting story, since MGS1... : MHSilver
Well I think Kojima deserves more credit and more criticism than he gets. I mean, I agree. The story in : DevSword
Without those eccentricities I don't believe it would still be a Hideo Kojima game. After a point I decid... : Rvancetal
I think his games have gotten more self referential and jokey because he doesn't think audiences will app... : DevSword
The Bond nature of MGS3 is actually the key to revealing the motivations of the villain of the series. So... : Rvancetal
Come on I feel like that is a bit of a jump labeling the women of metal gear that way. I would like to th... : Phantomzxro
@devsword I think your critique in the first paragraph is actually one the key messages of the game. We'r... : Pfunk2k2
I couldn't disagree more with your interpretation that this is another "the one" story. I think if anyth... : bonebreak2000
By: spitz6860 x Show Full PostNot sure about you guys, but the last time I was kinda emotionally invested in a fps was those Brother in Arms games made by Gearbox. I think they were going in the right direction, but nobody ever brings those up lolApr 02, 2013 7:11pm PDTNot sure about you guys, but the last time I was kinda emotionally invested in a fps was those Brother in... : spitz6860
By: CruelLEGACEY x Show Full PostJust a quick comment re: Bioshock Infinite.
I'm enjoying the game so far (only a few hours in) but I have a serious bone to pick with one of the design choices:
I feel the need to constantly search through every trash can and container that I come across is very disruptive to the flow of the game. Traversal takes three times longer than it should because I need to stop and mash the "pick up" button over every single piece of the environment. I can't stand this sort of inventory/loot system in a game of this nature.
Like the first Bioshock, I feel there are pieces of FPS design that are sorely out of place in Infinite.
* I should NEVER need to manually pick up ammo. I should pick it up automatically as I run over it.
* I shouldn't have to worry about accidentally picking up a piece of fruit that will DRAIN my health. The designer's made finding health a tedious chore, so don't punish me for trying to do it quickly.
* For a game that puts so much emphasis on building an engaging and believable world, it is very immersion-breaking for me to walk up to a woman on a park bench, steal everything out of her purse, and receive nothing more than a smile from her.
I LOVE what Infinite is trying to do, I just wish it wasn't bogged down by such clunky, silly, and dated mechanics.Apr 03, 2013 3:30pm PDT
By: zoban_cz x Show Full PostLet me preface this by saying I do enjoy the podcast and love the chemistry that Garnett, Jeff and other (co)hosts have together.
I loved this episode, Bleahy coming back actually brought some great callbacks to older episodes and all was fine until Garnett´s rant about the IDGA party (lucky it was finishing move). It totally spoiled this EP for me.
I don´t mind having a discussion about sexism and gender issues in today´s industry, although to me it feels more of a hipster-kinda thing - I mean, the same exact party happened last year and as far as I know, nobody raised an eyebrow.
So what changed? Oh, I know... 1 reason why. Fair enough, but...
I have a question: Garnett, how different is a party (organised by gaming industry) from a party that goes on in any club around the world? You said you were OK with all the dancers in cages and stuff in a "regular" club, but THIS time you felt offended?
I don´t understand it.
Anyway, I think it is important to talk about these things, make arguments, but don´t go to the extremes, don´t polarise (as much as some people like Ms. Sarkeesian tries) and above all - be reasonable.
Speaking of which, this article on Gamasutra cought my eye and actually reacts to the uproar (and extreme, out of this world hispter/fundamentalist feminism that goes around in the industry at the moment). Everybody should check it out, I guess...
Apr 01, 2013 10:49am PDTLet me preface this by saying I do enjoy the podcast and love the chemistry that Garnett, Jeff and other ... : zoban_cz
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The difference is that IGDA represents female professionals. A rave is just a public event that people p : DevSword
You can't just make something sound worse than it is by arbitrarily appending the word "hipster" onto it.... : CampKusoge
Ummm... So you have a problem with my grammar/style, because I´m not a native speaker... XENOPHOBIA! ... : zoban_cz
No, I have a problem with your misappropriation of a word for the only purpose of making a particular po... : CampKusoge
I wasn´t actually calling Garnett a hipster, I was talking about a general trend in today´s gaming medi... : zoban_cz
If it's not your intention to call feminists hipsters, then don't use the word hipster. If you're not goi... : CampKusoge
No comment on the first half of your post - it seems like you are hell bent on giving people hell (uh) ju... : zoban_cz
Your idea of what's extreme and mine are probably totally different, zoban. That's why just saying stuff ... : HockeyJohnston
By: Shadow13th x Show Full PostWhen it comes to pro gaming, I just want to chime in my two cents. Can we all just agree that pro gaming commentators should STOP wearing sports coats!!!Apr 01, 2013 10:41pm PDTWhen it comes to pro gaming, I just want to chime in my two cents. Can we all just agree that pro gaming ... : Shadow13th
By: Ex-Morpheus x Show Full PostI think the game industry is going for a crash.
I agree with Garnett.
Tomb Raider should have sold between 5 and 10 million to be profitable, it won't happen. The game "ONLY" shiffed 3.4 million copies and the sales have been MUCH lower.
Bioshock Infitnite cost 200 millions. That's RIDICULOUS !!! There is NO WAY that game can be profitable.
Does ANYBODY here thinks that the Killzone 4, Infamous 3, Thief 4, Dead Island Riptide, Metro Last Light, Crysis 3 and so so will sell 5 to 10 million copies ? It won't happen...
There only few games that can sell that much, Fifa, Call of Duty, Battlefied, Mario, Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, GTA and no much amny other franchises.
Jade Raymonf is right, there only place for 10 AAA games a year, and even that number is too high.
Let's just look what's coming this year : Mario 3D, Mario Kart, GTA V, Assassin Creed 4, Killzone 4, Battlefield 4, Pokemon X & Y, Wind Waker HD, Saints Row 4, Metro Last Light, Metal Gear ground Zeros, WatchDogs, Rayman Legends, and so many other games. It's not sustainable to have ALL those big games. Some games will fail and we will have disaster a la THQ...Mar 30, 2013 10:39am PDTI think the game industry is going for a crash. I agree with Garnett. Tomb Raider should have sold... : Ex-Morpheus
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By: Rvancetal x Show Full PostI had a feeling in the back of my head when I saw that MH3U was coming to a home console I would eventually own that thing, and I now do.
So give me your NNiDs and lets hunt some monsters.
Apr 02, 2013 4:36am PDTI had a feeling in the back of my head when I saw that MH3U was coming to a home console I would eventual... : Rvancetal
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Oh right mine is Rvance : Rvancetal
no more guild wars 2 then? : silentdante
Never have played Guild Wars 2.... : Rvancetal
Melody-Jave : CampKusoge
By: aboynamedearth x Show Full PostOne complaint that I've heard an awful lot of is the lack of a 'save anywhere' feature. I personally didn't mind the checkpoint system, since dying didn't mean I had to go back to those checkpoints. I only had to deal with them when I decided to quit playing.
Did anyone else have any real issue with the current save system? I've got a friend who's literally saying that he won't play the game anymore until there's a patch for it, and there's a petition for it on Irrationals forum.Apr 01, 2013 7:09pm PDTOne complaint that I've heard an awful lot of is the lack of a 'save anywhere' feature. I personally didn... : aboynamedearth
By: bonebreak2000 x Show Full PostPLEASE DONT READ THIS IF YOU HAVENT FINISHED BIOSHOCK INFINITE
Emotion in games.
BioShock Infinite has for me at least has proven games can have as large an impact as modern story telling in movies. I know we always say this medium is in infancy, and it is. But at least for me I had several moments. Some thrilling. Some sad or even heavily conflicted. They have done an amazing job at crafting this experience to give us a little bit of everything. Below I want to share just one of them. A final one.
I felt that by the middle of this game they really managed to create a non sexual non damsel in distress relationship between the 2 main characters. Something rare in video games for sure. She is a bit of a Disney princess no one can argue that. But this is a different type of prince coming to rescue her. Adventure games such as uncharted thrive on these relationships and are also something often compared as the best "narrative" games we have available. Games like Ico can be pointed at as games that have a unique relationship in them. But something in bio shock really made me feel stronger. They is some magic they pull off that made me what to protect and help Elizabeth no matter what.
After I finished the game I realized how and why they did that. Well actually I'm not sure exactly how that team did that. But they pulled it off masterfully. They made me feel what I needed to without giving me the twist to tell me why I should feel that way. When I did realize why the connection was so strong the emotion hit me like a ton of bricks. When it is discovered what my character had done and why he was chasing Elizabeth I had a moment that I've never had in a game before. I moment I've only experienced in film when considering media.
I recently had my first child last year. A daughter. When the portal is closing and it's framed so carefully around her face, eyes and hand that is reaching out to me. Booker yells "Give me back my daughter!" In that moment in time I can tell you what Annabelle's/Elizabeth's face looked like. I saw it on the screen. But I wasn't seeing just that. I was seeing my own daughter's face being pulled away from me. I cried as the sequence came to a close. I thought how could I?
Now I understand that this moment is probably not as impactful to someone without a daughter or someone who no longer has a baby girl in the household. But it is what it is. It was my moment and I have never felt this way from a game before. I know I would not have felt this way if the game started this way. It was because of the journey that I had with this character. It was important.
This game had many amazing moments. But I will never forget how it made me feel. So differently throughout the vastly different parts of its story. Many familiar but some of them hidden, and building towards an impact later. I have never played one that made me feel the way this one did in the final moments.
I thank everyone at the Irrational team that brought this to us. It was worth the wait.Apr 01, 2013 6:32pm PDT
By: LordxMugen x Show Full PostI gotta say i found the whole "tomb raider sold a few million, but is still a failure" a frightening thing to say the least. how is this industry supposed to fair when youve got these idiots in suits thinking that every game is gonna be the next call of duty?! maybe the AAA game industry should fail if thats the case, i mean weve got indie developers more than willing to make games that satisfies their specific audiences, maybe those $60 games that arent worth $60 should die. its like everyone wants to be The Big Thing, the problem being that the big thing already happened when those games (the BIG THINGS) were made.Mar 29, 2013 5:19pm PDTI gotta say i found the whole "tomb raider sold a few million, but is still a failure" a frightening thin... : LordxMugen
By: Gipson x Show Full PostPLEASE do a Bioshock Infinite spoiler FULL topic on a future show! i want to hear your guys' opinions on the plot points and the ENDING!Mar 30, 2013 3:55pm PDTPLEASE do a Bioshock Infinite spoiler FULL topic on a future show! i want to hear your guys' opinions on ... : Gipson
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This, would love to hear it : JohnathanDoe
By: Mr.RGP x Show Full PostJust a side thing, but Leahy was talking about how he couldn't get into Far Cry 3, but I was playing FC3 while listening to the show lol.
I usually try to listen to WC while playing a game or going out somewhere, but I thought that was funny.
FC3 is an amazing game.Apr 01, 2013 10:25am PDT
By: JohnathanDoe x Show Full PostBest episode in a long while.
If you had Christian Spicer and made it the regular cast it'd rival the Bombcast.
Also for the first time in a while I couldn't disagree more with Canatta, the gunplay was the worst part of Bioshock Infinite, if the story didn't keep me so invested I may have given up.
The gunplay, mouse feel and UI/control options were awful and kept the game from being near the top of my best games of all time list.
Not to mention stupid design decisions like having Elizabeth teleport around and whenever you get an audiolog and walk anywhere have Booker and Elizabeth talk over it so you end up having to read what was said was annoying to say the least
Lastly the fact you guys play on the PC but use a controller is a total WTF, I've tried the entire generation and just can't play a FPS with a controller, even watching twitch streams is painful, are you guys away from a desk or what? why do you do it?
I've watched Ozzie play the game on stream and it's just hard to watch someone so handicapped
Mar 31, 2013 2:13am PDTBest episode in a long while. If you had Christian Spicer and made it the regular cast it'd rival the Bo... : JohnathanDoe
By: _ToeNail x Show Full PostEOTY
Episode Of The Year
The "A" team always comes though. I hope you can manage to get all four of you in the room at the same time again soon Garnett...I loved it. You four balance out each other so well.Apr 01, 2013 3:00am PDT
By: HockeyJohnston x Show Full PostGreat show, hope next week's has some alcohol involved.Mar 30, 2013 1:00pm PDTGreat show, hope next week's has some alcohol involved. : HockeyJohnston
By: chinaldo91 x Show Full Postso during the bioshock discussion garnett brought up that while playing, we "were booker". part of why i much prefer the way half life does the relationship with alyx vs elizabeth is in half life, alyx is speaking to me and not gordon. while in infinite elizabeth is talking to booker. and i never felt like i was booker because he had is own thoughts and opinions that i didnt always agree with. he was a character and in half life you are the character. just like in halo i never felt that i was chief, just that i was playing as chief.Mar 31, 2013 4:19am PDTso during the bioshock discussion garnett brought up that while playing, we "were booker". part of why i ... : chinaldo91
By: Bonedawgz x Show Full PostHaving beaten Bioshock Infinite recently, I can sort of understand what Jeff was talking about, but I think he made the shift in tone sound too dramatic, like it's just thrown at you out of nowhere. From the very beginning of the game, it felt to me like there was more to the story than the politics of the city of Columbia. There are tons and tons of hints to this, even in the very beginning of the game before you even make it to Columbia. So to me, when the story progressed in the way that Jeff ultimately found unsatisfactory, I felt like it was merely delivering on some of the stuff it set up quite a ways earlier into the game, and not making a total left turn out of nowhere.Mar 31, 2013 6:34am PDTHaving beaten Bioshock Infinite recently, I can sort of understand what Jeff was talking about, but I thi... : Bonedawgz
By: Ex-Morpheus x Show Full PostI'm playing Luigi's Mansion 2 and Tomb Raider at the moment. That's so great to have such amazing games to play. And I have Bioshock Infinite and Crysis 3 waiting on my shevles...Mar 31, 2013 9:09am PDT
By: dracontalon x Show Full PostWhile I can understand Jeff's take on the story "shift" in Infinite, I actually don't think it's really a shift, just a more focused perspective. While I couldn't go in detail without spoiling, what I really think is at the heart of the second half is understanding and uncovering the motivation and desire of the creation of Columbia in the first place, which in turn becomes a far more interesting question and answer.
In the first Bioshock, the ideal of creating Rapture was simply a ideology on the behalf of Ryan, with little else seeming to drive his motivation. With Comstock, the second half of the game gives us a much more detailed, and with the ending, a more complex, personal, and terrifying look at the motivation of the creation of Columbia.
Don't get me wrong, I certainly want to have more time in the political and social firestorm that is Columbia (which I hope the DLC provides) but without the last half of the game being focused on what it is, I don't think the world that Infinite creates would be as strong, as personally investing, and most importantly, as tragic as it ultimately becomes. Rapture was and ideal, but Columbia is a reflection, and there-in, I believe, lies the magic.Mar 29, 2013 12:02pm PDTWhile I can understand Jeff's take on the story "shift" in Infinite, I actually don't think it's really a... : dracontalon
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By: PrimeFiveByFive x Show Full PostI have to say I disagree with Jeff about the Story of Infinite.
What I realized while playing Infinite was, while the original Bioschock is about the city of Rapture, Bioshock Infinite is about Elizabeth. Columbia is merely a backdrop, as apposed to Rapture which was a character in it's self. Yes, Columbia is a very detailed backdrop, but in the end that's all it is. Elizabeth is the main character in Infinite, she is what everything in story revolves around. I'd go into more detail about why this is my take, but that would require spoilers, and I'm not willing to dish those out yet. Maybe next week when more people have finished it. But I would ask Jeff and anyone else willing, to replay the game with having that theory in mind, just to see if that changes anything about your perceptions of the story in the game. Even if it doesn't, I'm just glad that there is a game we can even have these types of discussions about ;)Mar 29, 2013 4:05pm PDTI have to say I disagree with Jeff about the Story of Infinite. What I realized while playing Infinite... : PrimeFiveByFive
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I don't think Dota to diablo is a fair comparison. A vs game compared to a single or co-op ehhh. Your talking about comparing basketball to 3's company which has longer legs. Well the competitive sport that's always evolving on its own clearly.Mar 30, 2013 4:22am PDT
You guys make a great point about time and players at tournaments wanting to rushing back. What the NFL does and tournament directors should do is step in. Say no we are going to do replays you wait, don't like it to bad. It's the job of management to control the players for the viewers best interest if they want the leagues to grow. The NFL stops games for sponsors all the time. Football isn't a great TV sport it was MADE a great TV sports by great management.Mar 29, 2013 11:49am PDTYou guys make a great point about time and players at tournaments wanting to rushing back. What the NFL d... : Mysssss
By: Shadow13th x Show Full PostAm I the only one who finds Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite really off putting? The way she looks is inconsistent with everyone in the world. To me she's looks like a creepy mannequin/child/Disney princess with breasts. Her features seem so strangely exaggerated that most times when I look at her my immersion in the world is broken. It was bothering me so much I snapped some pics to share.
Here is what women in Columbia look like:
Here's a standard lass, note the believable body shape and the slight exaggerations of the face.
Here's a child:
Now, compare them to Elizabeth:
She doesn't even look like she's from the same video game.
I personally think the reason behind this is a bit of over enthusiastic design. If you wanna make a girl appear more vulnerable and innocent and in need of protection you make her look younger and more petite/fragile. The massive eyes and tiny nose and large head are all indicators of childhood and naivety. The ridiculously thin waists line, smaller than her head, contributes to her vulnerability inspires a protective instinct. But I think overall her design is a little too exploitative. Not in a sexist or mysoginist way. It's more like they take the subtle design elements designed to make you feel a certain way when you look at a character and instead of applying them in a way that's consistent with the other humans in the game, they cranked the dial to 11.
The result it that Elizabeth looks like a cartoon, she looks utterly comical. I know everyone else in Columbia has a exaggerated style to them but Elizabeth isn't consistent with that, her eyes are bigger than even the children but she's an adult. She has this massive baby face sitting above a pair of breasts. It's confusing and cheap.
Over all I think the story telling and character development in Bioshock is strong enough and Elizabeth's voice actor is right on the mark to the point where they didn't need to make her look like a weird baby faced, child-like blow-up doll to make you feel empathy and love towards her. If she's looked like an actual adult human, like this:
then it would have worked fine, probably even better. Through first class animation, voice acting and AI, the characters in this game are rich, so they don't need cheap design to enhance their personalities.
Am I the only one who is put off by this?
Mar 29, 2013 2:10pm PDTAm I the only one who finds Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite really off putting? The way she looks is inc... : Shadow13th
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How much of the game have you played? I ask because I think it in step with the increasingly surreal goin... : Garnett Lee
I think she looks like some girl on MySpace from 2005 who altered photos of herself. Or like one of thos : DevSword
derp, Columbia. : DevSword
I agree, I loved her design but it just didn't fit in with the rest rest of the other models. And I t... : Bloopblorp
By: Bloopblorp x Show Full PostJeff
ugh I wanna thank you for being you man, seriously. I feel more sane that someone out there voiced the same feelings I have about bioshock. FUCK I need to smoke a cigaretteMar 29, 2013 11:53pm PDT
By: ImprobableJ x Show Full PostWhen Jeff started asking for a game where YOU were the smartest guy around, did any of you start thinking "Idiocracy: the game"?Mar 29, 2013 8:48pm PDT
By: RedSwirl x Show Full PostDICE's assertion that the Frostbite 3 engine will allow Battlefield 4 to create new ranges of emotion and storytelling in games might be bullcrap coming from there, but you also have to think about who else is using that engine: BioWare.
Watching the BF4 demo, I kept thinking about what Mass Effect and Dragon Age are going to look like running on that technology. What would holding conversations in those games look like with more realistic facial expressions and animations? BioWare is a much heavier hitter than anyone else at EA when it comes to storytelling, and if anyone can use that engine to make more "human" characters or whatever, it's them.Mar 29, 2013 6:43pm PDT
By: RedSwirl x Show Full PostI think the guys nailed the issue barrier to entry in games like DOTA and StarCraft and how the latter tries to create leagues to rectify it. It's really a problem for almost all online multiplayer games.
Right now most matchmaking is like taking every football player, from people in back yards to the NFL, and putting them on the same field. StarCraft's leagues is a good start, but games still don't really have the equivalent of just regular guys playing in their backyards. There needs to be a sphere where noobs can just have fun.
Most people probably don't want to invest the time needed to become a pro player but still enjoy playing the game and would like some people in the same range of dedication with which to be competitive. The best way right now is to really just play with your friends, but that isn't always easy in an online game.
Arguably a good way might be to have dedicated servers and a server browser where people can form their own little communities (like, for instance, a Shacknews DOTA server). It's a problem that still needs to be solved on way or another though.Mar 29, 2013 6:39pm PDT
By: BaileyAU x Show Full PostSo good to have him back. I was just listening to to the very first episodes of WC this past week and was wishing he'd return one day. Prayers answered!!!Mar 29, 2013 2:22pm PDT
By: Dontshoot86 x Show Full PostLeahyyyyy whatcha sayheeeee on the front paheeeeeeeeeegeMar 29, 2013 1:16pm PDT
By: Rvancetal x Show Full PostI feel like I just stepped through a portal to 2010, in the very best way possible.Mar 29, 2013 11:18am PDT
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Gluten-Free Cosmetics Brattleboro VT
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Gluten-Free Glamour
By Allison Young
Kristen Campbell was sensitive to most eye makeup. Nevertheless, she persisted valiantly in her quest for smoky eyes, but even 100 percent hypoallergenic mascaras and liners would leave her eyes puffy. Each time she had a bad reaction, the 29-year-old switched brands, but nonirritating makeup eluded her. And that wasn't all: Her back and chest sported breakouts and certain shampoos gave her scalp an instant rash.
Campbell was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, something experts say can affect up to 30 percent of the population. Believing "what goes on, goes in," Campbell not only purged her diet of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, she overhauled her makeup bag, handing off anything that contained "hydrolyzed wheat protein," a form of wheat found in everything from conditioners to face creams. Her skin responded almost immediately—her eyes stopped itching, her rash receded, and her breakouts cleared up.
Get off the gluten
Not all dermatologists agree that gluten can be absorbed through the skin and no scientific study exists that proves or disproves the theory, which leaves both patients and doctors in gluten limbo. But Kathleen Davis, MD, an integrative dermatologist in New York City, tells people to avoid using gluten on their skin if they think they're allergic to it. "Why take a chance?" she says. Rodney Ford, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist in New Zealand and author of The Gluten Syndrome (RRS Global Ltd., 2007) doesn't need published proof; he sees firsthand how gluten can affect the skin, from itching to rashes. "I meet literally thousands of children and adults with gluten problems. Many of the children even have issues when they touch Play-Doh, which is usually made from wheat flour," says Ford.
Instead of waiting for proof, due diligence would dictate that anyone with a gluten intolerance should avoid gluten-containing beauty products. That's especially true for those that could potentially be ingested or inhaled, like lipsticks, face wash, hand soap and cream, toothpaste, mouthwash, and hair spray.
But fear not: If you must avoid gluten in your skincare products, plenty of alternatives offer similar moisturizing and antioxidant qualities to vitamin E–packed wheat germ oil. Carrots, pumpkins, papayas, and other fruits all provide deluxe reparative treatment for skin and hair. Carrots, for example, earn a place on the beauty all-star team because they boast nourishing and antiseptic properties, making carrot oil or extract a champion blemish defense. Pumpkin's natural UV protectors and its anti-inflammatory compounds makes it a perfect option for sensitive skin, while papaya contains papayin, a natural enzyme that nimbly exfoliates, tightens, and regenerates skin.
Where wheat lurks
Not long ago, getting your hands on gluten-free cosmetics was the equivalent of finding a bobby pin in a beauty haystack. If you suspect gluten is giving your skin and scalp a hard ...
Author: Allison Young
Copyright 1999-2009 Natural Solutions: Vibrant Health, Balanced Living/Alternative Medicine/InnoVisi...


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Published By mattk Thu. April 14, 2011 2:47 pm EDT
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Seidenberg/By S. Bradley PROVIDENCE -- One of the perks of being a defenseman on the Bruins is that you rarely have to go up against ... Read More
WILMINGTON – The names and faces rarely change around the Bruins with general manager Peter Chiarelli subscribing to the same philosophy as most successful GMs ... Read More
Pastrnak WILMINGTON -- Bruins first-round pick David Pastrnak was injured in a collision early in the first practice session Saturday at Ristuccia Arena. The forward left ... Read More
Chris Kelly/By S. Bradley WILMINGTON – Bruins center Chris Kelly tried Friday to downplay the accomplishment of getting through his first official practice with the ... Read More
WILMINGTON -- Separated from usual center David Krejci and still working his way back from offseason wrist surgery, Bruins forward Milan Lucic didn't look any ... Read More


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(Reuters) - Travelers Cos Inc
It estimates a gross loss of $1.135 billion excluding expected recoveries from reinsurance, the company said in a statement.
The company also said it intends to resume share buybacks that it had temporarily suspended to assess its exposure to the storm.
Sandy is likely to be the second-costliest disaster in U.S. history, behind only Hurricane Katrina. Industry experts estimate insured losses of as much as $25 billion, excluding claims paid by the federal flood insurance program.
Allstate Corp
(Reporting by Aman Shah in Bangalore; Editing by Roshni Menon)


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Morning DiscussionI blame the baseball cap. The baseball cap is responsible for the decline of civilisation as we know it. Can you imagine a young hooligan wearing a bowler hat tipping over your bins, yelling at your nan and throwing a brick through your window? Of course not!
No, this young bowler-hatted ruffian would attempt to pick your pocket in an inept manner, then throw his hands up and say "It's a fair cop!" when caught. Carted off to an orphanage, he would of course flee following an incident sparked by complaints over the size of meal portions, but ultimately would end up living with a middle-class family, enjoying big dinners every night. And would never so much as consider torching your granddad's shed housing his collection of antique taxidermied badgers.
Thank you very much, baseball caps.
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The old weather saying goes, "If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb." And vice versa. So, do current corn prices have more bite or baa?
As of Friday, corn prices made a significant turn up. After weeks of losses, March 2013 corn closed at $7.24 and May 2013 at $7.08.
See the March 2013 chart:
"The good news is we quit going down," says Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group. "Eventually there is some type of a bottom."
Will this trend continue? Gulke says as of now, we still don't know, for sure, what's going on out there in terms of demand.
But, some new information is on the horizon. On Friday, March 8, USDA will release its monthly Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports.
In terms of next week's report, Gulke says farmers should pay close attention to the new production information in Europe, South American and other places.
Also, keep an eye on demand. "What you don't want to see is feed usage and exports drop. We don't want demand to still be going down, after we've lowered prices."
Also this month, on March 28, USDA will release its Prospective Plantings report and quarterly Grain Stocks report. Gulke says these reports will be equally as important as the information USDA release on Jan. 11.
Until these reports are issued, Gulke says the market has kind of taken a breather. "We are trending sideways, so there is just as much upside risk right now, as there is downside. This is a good way to start out March, with an unchanged to neutral attitude."
With the calendar turning to March, farmers now know USDA's Rick Management Agency's crop insurance prices for 2013.
Here's an overview:
In 2012, base prices were $5.68 per bu. for corn, $12.55 per bu. for soybeans and $7.84 per bu. for spring wheat.
Gulke says at these insurance levels, farmers will face a lot of risk. His advice is to explore the multitude of crop insurance options available and be open to revising your business plan this year. "If there was ever a need for flexibility in choosing crop insurance and marketing our crops, this is one of those critical years."
Hear Gulke's full audio analysis:
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