text:
Founded in 1839, Sussex CCC was the first ever first-class county cricket club to be formed, and some of the game's finest players have worn the Sussex shirt over the years. Names such Greig, Fry, Prior, Snow, Ahmed, Goodwin, Khan, Yardy and Robinson are all associated with greatness and banners celebrating these cricket legends can be seen at the club's main venue - The County Cricket Ground in Hove.
Although it may be the players that take all the headlines, the pitches that Sussex CCC plays their home games on are all un-sung heroes, making it all possible for the club to produce such legendary sportsmen.
1/4 - The stunning County Cricket Ground in Hove2/4 - Marathon has helped to vastly improve the turf quality3/4 - County Cricket Ground in Hove4/4 - The team at the County Cricket Ground
Andy Mackay has been head groundsman since 2008 and his team of twelve look after the County Cricket Ground in Hove, as well as the grounds at the Academy Ground, Horsham CC, and Preston Nomads CC. In order to keep the pitches to a standard of a top tier County Cricket club, Andy chooses the finest products from leading supplier Sherriff Amenity - the UK's market leaders in providing turf care and amenity solutions.
Andy has been working with Sherriff Amenity since 2010 and hasn't looked back since.
"Historically I have always contacted several companies for prices on products and Sherriff Amenity has consistently been the most competitive – in fact this is the first year that I haven't even looked elsewhere at other prices.
"The company has been superb and the customer service is always excellent - particularly my Sherriff representative Adam Hartley who always works hard for me when I want him to and I trust him implicitly. I always receive my deliveries on time and there is never any hassle when it comes to ordering," he said.
Amongst Sherriff Amenity's extensive array of products is the ever popular Marathon range of fertilisers which provides a long-lasting, balanced growth. More and more cricket groundsmen across the UK are turning to Marathon and in particular Andy uses Marathon Allround and Marathon Sport Summer, which are perfect for cricket outfields.
Marathon Allround is a versatile long release fertiliser for use on all outfield areas that provides a reliable growth response with good colour for up to three months. The patented nitrogen complex ensures steady growth, using nutrient sources that avoid excess leaching and help prevent soft growth that can bring on unwanted disease attack
"We put Marathon Allround down in early March depending on the weather and then we apply Marathon Sport Summer mid-June, which is a finer granule and is why we use this during the playing season. That gives us a base feed so it's working in the background and then we use liquid feeds to supplement that," said Andy.
Marathon Sport Summer has an analysis with zero phosphate and additional magnesium to provide fresh summer colour. The methylene urea content provides the extended release characteristics required to keep turf well supplied with nutrients for 12 to 16 weeks after application.
"I would definitely recommend the Sherriff Amenity products; we've seen a big increase in the quality of the turfs since we've been using the Marathon fertilisers," he said.
Potassium is an essential component of plant nutrition. Potassium deficient plants are known to be less resistant to plant diseases.
Phosphorus is an important requirement of many plant compounds that are essential for growth.
Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients that grasses need to sustain healthy growth
Autumn is often referred to as the 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' and each year it can bring back the problems caused by fungi on turf.
This spring we learnt of the loss to the Amenity market of the insecticide chlorpyrifos, currently used to prevent damage to turf on sports and recreational turf.
A wind of change is on the way towards the end of this year, for those who apply professional plant protection products (PPP's) approved by the government.
Rosate Green is one of a new generation of glyphosate formulations exhibiting high levels of safety to humans and animals and to the environment.
This article explores the life cycle and potential control methods of Chafer grubs, the larvae of the chafer beetle, which are a fairly common pest of turf in Britain.
The role of plant nutrition is increasing in importance as we strive to improve the quality of playing surfaces. This booklet takes an in-depth look at the basics and more.
To plan accurate turf fertiliser input it is important to know how much actual nutrient is being applied in any given treatment.
Lichens grow on a variety of plants and hard surfaces and sometimes need to be controlled or removed by those managing amenity areas.
Liverworts will grow in containers and on the surface of flower borders and rockeries where they are usually associated with compacted soil or poor drainage.
A range of seed mixes with renovation & overseeding for golf courses, sports pitches and new surface establishment.
Focussing on three diseases of turf that we may see in the summer months.
Bracken is a rhizomatous species of fern belonging to the Dennstaedtiaceae family that are characterised by large, highly-divided fronds.
Harness the power of tank-mixing with T2 Green Pro, Depitox and Duplosan - to put real weed control muscle in your spray tank.
For those whose job requires them to use pesticides, the chemical store is an important feature of the working environment.
As we finally head into spring, Bayer recommends that Greenkeepers act now to safeguard against potential Chafer Grub infestations.
The Butterfly Bush, Buddleia davidii, was introduced to the UK from China in 1896. It is a non-native invasive species that can be difficult to control.
We are often asked to advise on the control of the weed, Mare's-tail, causing problems in cultivated land.
For the second year in a row, fairy rings and thatch fungi were the most queried subjects at the STRI Pest & Disease Clinic.
'The Day of the Triffids', the invasive species Giant Hogweed is not to be messed with. . .
An agreement
has been reached between Agrovista and the majority shareholders of
Maxwell Amenity, and the transaction is expected
A range of Sherriff Amenity products have improved the overall health of the turf on the fairways at Hampton Court Palace Golf Club, according to course manager Richard Hill.
Okehampton Golf Club in Devon has signed a deal which sees Sherriff Amenity as its preferred supplier of products for a period of three years.
A tank mixture from Sherriff Amenity is helping Richard Quelch, groundsman at Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club, to improve the health of the eleven fantastic law
Biochar is a high-carbon, purified form of charcoal that improves the structure, aeration and water-holding capacity of soil prove to be successful at Mullion Golf Club.
Visitors to the Sherriff Amenity stand (E060) at SALTEX 2018 will get the chance to find out how they could significantly improve their turf through a range of
Stephen Fyles, track manager at Hamilton Park racecourse, has noticed significant improvements since switching to a variety of Marathon Sport extended release f
Tait, Course Manager at Sweetwoods Park Golf Club in Cowden, Kent, has reported
excellent results from using two tank mixes containing a range of Sherriff
Amenity products.
Sherriff Amenity has announced the launch of E2 Pro Elicitor - a new unique soluble plant biostimulant which contains Harpin aβ.
to Head Greenkeeper Rob Hill the unique nine-hole course at Rustington Golf
Centre in West Sussex is looking the best it has ever been thanks to Sherr
Lee Bishop, Course Manager at Burnham Beeches Golf Club in South Buckinghamshire, has said that Limagrain UK's range of Colour Splash flower mixtures have
James Bledge, Course Manager at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club in Deal, Kent, says he has successfully treated Dry Patch with monthly applications of Qualibra wetting agent.
Sherriff Amenity is delighted to announce that it is now the exclusive UK distributor of Carbon Gold's Enriched Biochar Turf Improver.
Sherriff Amenity recently hosted the very first myTurfClub event at Syngenta UK's Jealott's Hill Research Centre in Bracknell
Aqua-Zorb Liquid eliminates Dry Patch at Cowdray Park Golf Club
Olmix Group is proud to be among the official technical partners of the prestigious golf course Le Golf National in Paris, home of the HNA French Open and host
Pete Smith, Course Manager at the highly exclusive Birch Grove Estate in Sussex has reported 'phenomenal' results from using Sherriff Amenity'
A recent EU meeting, held by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF), has voted for the non-inclusion of iprodione.
Sherriff Amenity has announced the launch of StimZyne – a new range of hydrocarbon encapsulators and plant growth promoters.
Stuart Vause, head groundsman at Castleford Tigers RLFC, believes that Sherriff Amenity's range of Marathon Sport fertilisers have signalled dramatic impr
Sherriff Amenity, the fine turf and landscaping division of Agrovista UK Limited, announces the acquisition of Terra Firma (Scotland) Ltd
The Sherriff Amenity Academy is now offering CPD points for BIGGA members, sign up FREE for 12 months in 2017.
Bespoke Grass Seed Mixtures for Beaufort Polo Club.
Andy Thompson, head groundsman at Sheffield Wednesday FC, has reported excellent results since using Sherriff Amenity's GoGreen Energy bio-stimulant.
Sherriff Amenity recently underlined its commitment to educating and supporting volunteers in the turf industry after proudly....
John Moverley reacts to the trigger of Article 50
Sherriff Amenity has announced the launch of GoGreen Energy, a concentrated bio-stimulant formulated to assist plant health and relieve stress symptoms.
Sherriff Amenity has announced the launch of Marathon Turf Core Renovator, which is the latest addition to the popular range of Marathon fertilisers.
Sherriff Amenity to feature new products and FREE education
Sherriff Amenity is pleased to announce the addition of two new fungicide tank mixes to its comprehensive portfolio.
Sherriff Amenity has announced the launch of a new range of Amino, Humic and Fulvic Acid bio-stimulant products designed to improve plant health and root growth.
Sherriff Amenity are please to announce the addition to our ever expanding product portfolio a range of high quality water soluble fertilisers.
This effectively means there is a very limited time for storage and use of Asulox to control Bracken.
Exeter Golf and Country Club with the advice of Sherriff Amenity have created a 'mirror- like pond'
Sherriff Amenity is delighted to now be offering Calciprill a 2.6mm lime granule (calcium carbonate) made from finely ground, high purity limestone.
Sherriff Amenity is delighted to now be offering Garland a concentrated suspension fertiliser based on garlic extract produced by cell-burst technology.
Dennis and SISIS educational seminars combined practical tips and information from industry experts followed by the now infamous 'Turf Clinic' open forum session.
Sherriff Amenity is delighted to now be offering BunkerFilter a robust bunker filtration system offering drainage at a flow rate of up to14.5 litres per minute.
ICL has expanded its product portfolio after announcing the launch of four new formulations.
A new Leaf SAP Analysis service available through Sherriff Amenity.
Everris has announced an addition to its H2Pro range with the launch of a new product called DewSmart.
Hammer has received approval to be used on hard surfaces by The Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD).
Lamberhurst Golf Course has turned to Sherriff Amenity to help create a beautiful array of wildflowers.
Bayer Cropscience has received a formal notification from CRD that its granular insecticide Merit Turf (MAPP No 12415) is to be withdrawn from the market.
Sussex County Cricket Club has heaped praise on Marathon fertiliser products, noting a vast improvement in the turf of its famous cricket pitches.
Ferromex - a high performance liquid moss killer, has been given a new license approval.
TurfReports is an exciting new service that will help industry professionals monitor the health and performance of their turf.
One Leisure, a multi sports complex based in St Ives, deservedly picks up the 2014 IOG Grassroots Sports Grounds Team of the Year.
Following a tailored nutritional programme from Sherriff Amenity, two bowling clubs in Chesterfield can now boast of healthy greens of the highest quality.
Fossil is a phosphite & silicon based nutrient product that supports the plants natural defences against disease.
Matthew will be focusing on maintaining and growing business opportunities in Cambridgeshire and its surrounding areas.
Basic principles and sound biological knowledge are helping to turn around playing surface difficulties at Sweetwoods Park Golf Club.
Channel Islands golf club has become the latest course to sign an exclusive supply agreement with Sherriff Amenity.
GoGreen range enhanced with the addition a new dual action wetting agent which utilises new surfactant technology.
MGD, a rapidly expanding golf course maintenance contractor based in the South East of England, is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Copsey as Project Manager.
The Fortetub range of twin walled tree shelters are available exclusively through Sherriff Amenity to the UK market.
Sherriff Amenity has announced that it is launching some new additions to its popular fungicide packages.
Turf technology was the theme of the most recent seminar for groundsmen and greenkeepers in the Channel Islands.
With the help of Evolution5, our controlled release fertiliser, Head Groundsman Barry Boustead has produced the best outfield grass cover anyone can remember.
Mytime Active has made a decisive move to raise its environmental credentials with the introduction of a bee and wildflower package on its courses.
The Annual Conference Exhibition of the Amenity Forum is to be held on Thursday, October 16th 2014 at the King Power Stadium, Leicester.
LanGuard VM has taken delivery of the UK's first new Weedingtech MW Series unit.
Interface wins the NWST Innovation Award in the Turf Maintenance category.
David Bentley, Head Groundsman at Darlington Cricket Club is the winner of our Bowdry competition.
Turf Rewards is a brand new programme for sports and amenity turf managers in the UK and Ireland who use Everris and Syngenta products.
Create an impression that will be the talk of the clubhouse with the new Bunkerstamp from Sherriff Amenity.
Sherriff Amenity launching a new service to tackle the disposal of hazardous chemicals, and in particular revoked products.
A party of Sherriff Amenity customers and staff from the company and sponsors Everris recently attended the Golf Industry Show in Orlando.
Jockey Club Racecourses has signed a 3 year supplier agreement extension with Sherriff Amenity.
Sedgwick Cricket Club had a season to remember in 2013 both on the pitch and because the pitch, thanks to Kevan Grieve and Sherriff Amenity.
York City Football Club has signed a three year supply agreement with Sherriff Amenity for all line marking and paint requirements.
To commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the start of the First World War, Limagrain UK have created two poppy seed mixtures.
A free event in Edinburgh explains new legal requirements for the use of pesticides introduced under the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive.
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Duo, the only spreader available on the market to feature two dispersal plates for a highly accurate spread pattern.
Martin Guy Developments, a golf services supplier and maintenance contractor, has signed a rolling 12-month preferred supplier agreement with Sherriff Amenity.
Hainault Golf Club in Chigwell, Essex has signed a three year preferred supplier agreement with Sherriff Amenity.
A local authority in Nottinghamshire has seen a marked improvement in its fine turf sports facilities since it adopted a prescribed fertiliser programme from sp
Oldham Athletic Football Club has signed a three year supply agreement with Sherriff Amenity for all line marking and paint requirements.
Marked improvement in the sports facilities that the company looks after since exclusively using a range of Sherriff Amenity products.
Sherriff Amenity continue to give on-going support to the work of the Surrey Cricket Groundsman's Association.
Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
T:01638 721888 E:email@example.com F:01638 721815


text:
My Cart 0
You have no items in your shopping cart.
The Kistler TELL A FRIEND is a great way to let your friends and family know what you want whatever the occasion. Simply find the product that you want in the store and click the "TELL A FRIEND" button and you can send a message with a convenient link so they will know exactly what you have had your eye on! They can then follow that link back to the exact item that you want and make their shopping easy and as accurate as a Kistler Custom Fishing Rod!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fantasy football is a game of pride, of joy and most importantly of victory. There's no greater feeling than hosting up your leagues' fantasy football trophy after a championship win. In fact, you may be looking for a trophy to fill that need.
During my career as a fantasy football player and fantasy pro, I've seen trophies large and small, bizarre and cliche. I want you to have the opportunity I've had, which is to hoist your leagues' trophy high to show the world that you're better than the rest of your league.
That is why I've decided to share some of my recommendations on finding the perfect fantasy football trophy. In fact, some leagues believe in honoring the loser (or league bitch) of their league with a loser trophy or prop of their own. I'll address some of the best options for both the winners and losers.
Let's face it, a great and embarrassing losers trophy can keep everyone in your league involved until the end. No one wants to be forced to display a hideous trophy celebrating their shitty fantasy ability, for an entire year.
Don't take the task of choosing your fantasy football trophy lightly, it's a decision that can impact your league for years to come.
The Fantasy Football Trophy for the Simple and the Sane
Some leagues choose to invest in a new fantasy football trophy every single season. Personally, it's not my thing, but I understand the value that getting your own trophy can bring.
It's a cheaper alternative than dropping hundreds of dollars at once. You'll have two options to pay for the trophy, make the winner take the money out of the pot they won to pay for the fantasy trophy or make everyone in the league split the cost.
I won't tell you how to handle your business, just keep the payment structure in mind.
Choosing to purchase a single fantasy football trophy each season will usually run you between $10-$25 each. Obviously, you can go much higher than that, but $25 per season should be just fine.
Just remember, if you're so good that you keep winning (aren't we all this good?) that you'll have too many fantasy trophies on top of each other at your home. I don't think too many victories can ever be spun as a bad thing. So scratch that.
Some of the more popular trophies we've seen in this price range are the ones offered by Fantasy Jocks, Paradise Awards, Trophy Partner, and Crown Awards.
The Life-Long Fantasy Football Trophy
Okay, so life-long may be a slight exaggeration. At some point, you'll run out of places to engrave on the trophy. That means you can add tiers or additional levels to keep the dream alive.
For any long-term redraft leagues, keeper leagues and dynasty leagues a trophy like this is a must. It's a way to continually show the progression of champions, or losers.
It will allow you to stack the winners and pass the trophy around in all its glory year-after-year.
This kind of fantasy football trophy is going to require a bigger upfront investment than the single-use one, but we promise it's worth it. It will save you room after winning all those championships, it will allow you to show all of your fantasy victories in order, and your name will be immortalized with fantasy champions until the end of the world.
Your two main options here are between a tower or large trophy, or a plaque. Personally, I love the large or tower trophy idea, it just screams look at me. Regardless of which you choose you're going to be able to stare at it for a full 365 days. Now that's a thing of beauty.
Some of the best places we have found for trophies of this caliber are Fantasy Jocks. They carry fantasy football trophies that range from $50ish up to hundreds of dollars.
We'd recommend voting with your league on acquiring a trophy like this. If you distribute the cost of the trophy evenly across your fantasy league it will cost pennies on the dollar. And I promise the second you win the trophy, it'll be worth every dime you spent to get it.
Carry Your Fantasy Championships With You - Rings & Medals
There are some who feel they need to demonstrate their fantasy football dominance wherever they go.
It's personally not for me, but for those of you that are into that kind of thing, this is for you.
Medals and rings that display your fantasy dominance are available for exactly this need. Personally, I would recommend a ring over a medal, but once again it's whatever you're into.
Wearing a ring to show off your fantasy dominance is a bold move, but one that some people can pull off.
If you're truly as good as you believe you may want to consider some of the rings sold by Fantasy Jocks.
This is a cost that I believe should be all on the winner. If they want to do something like this, let them. They likely just won some money to go with their championship, which means they can afford a ring or medal if they really want one.
Choosing to purchase medals for a championship win seems foolish to me, but you have that option. You could, however, have an embarrassing medal made for the loser of the league. Being forced to wear the medal in public will easily be a great punishment. I won't make recommendations on providers here, simply because there are so many different avenues you can look to go in when punishing the fantasy loser.
They Say a Banner Never Dies
Personally, I'd love to see a banner with my name on it declaring my fantasy championship.
Again, this is a personal expense that the winner can enjoy, but it's something that you'll be able to look at and enjoy for years.
You can get banners made across a wide variety of vendors online. Just see if you can find some cool artwork to go along with your new banner.
The Classic Fantasy Football Trophy
Some people love to show off. They're all about the flash and being the center of attention. That's why I've broken down a few big-ticket items that can serve as your fantasy football trophy, or as an extra for the winner.
For those who are in long-term leagues, you may prefer to get a classic trophy choice.
Our league here at Lets Talk Fantasy Football has one of these which includes a solid cast, bronze finished guy on top of a solid wood base.
We have room for six winners on the front and then we can add new plates around the other three sides. That means for our one-time payment we get fantasy glory for at least next 20 years (we're going into our 5th year now).
Of course big-time fantasy football trophies and items like this can seem expensive, but in the long run, it really isn't that bad. Speaking from experience, the cost I paid, in the beginning, was completely worth it, especially having the trophy two times so far.
The Fantasy Football Championship Belt
I know what you're thinking...wait actually I don't. I'm no mind reader. What I do know is that you're probably a wrestling fan. Wait you're not? Well, you definitely know someone that is.
My point is, there are some killer fantasy football championship belts that can act as trophies. It can be a league-wide prize every year, in addition to money/a trophy/whatever else you do.
In fact, I know quite a few wrestling fans who I believe would love to compete and actually wrestle for a prize like this.
There are a bunch of vendors online, meaning you'll be able to find the belt that matches your league and its personality perfectly.
Fantasy Football Trophies for the Fantasy Loser
What could possibly be more fun than crushing your fellow league mates? Watching them lose would be the correct answer. When people lose, they should be reminded that they performed poorly. Which is why I wanted to share a few fantasy trophy ideas for the fantasy losers out there.
Toilet-Themed Fantasy Football Trophies
These are actually more common than you think. They've taken the trophy community by storm and are a constant reminder when you go to use the bathroom. Its kind of like hey, that poop you're about to take is an example of your season, shitty (ha ha ha... funny I know).
Trophies Determined By the League
Sometimes the best trophies aren't ones that are pre-made online or in a store. Sometimes you need to buy the different pieces and create one that fits your league just right.
A DIY fantasy trophy will be the talk of your league for years and it will likely be something so vile that the loser is going to be ashamed to be associated with it. If they enjoy the trophy, you did a terrible job designing it.
Keep in mind that the loser's trophy you created should be respectful of who you're playing with. You probably don't want a dirty trophy for your work league with the boss. But when playing with friends the dirtier the better. In fact, the bigger and more outstanding the trophy is, the harder it will be to hide from houseguests.
Choosing the Best Fantasy Football Trophy
Choosing a fantasy trophy is a big decision. Regardless of how much you spend or whether it is a winners or losers trophy, work with your league to pick one. You'll all be happier you settled on a choice together, and odds are the league will agree to chip in together to get a trophy. It's a great way to keep your league together and to create an extra prize to play for.
My recommendation is simple, do your research and trust your fantasy rankings and you'll have a shot at the championship. Actually...you might not have a shot to win, but you should be able to avoid winning that god-awful losers trophy you just imagined while reading this post.
Do you have any great or terrible fantasy trophy ideas that you want to share? We'd love to hear about them. We know there are some incredible fantasy football trophy stories out there.
Photo by K Tao
Nick Schreck
For the record, I never actually played football. I have no doubt that I would get crushed running across the middle for a pass, every single time.
Latest posts by Nick Schreck (see all)
- Week 8 Fantasy Football Preview Part 2 - Episode 279 - October 27, 2019
- Week 8 Fantasy Football Preview Part 1 - Episode 278 - October 25, 2019
- Week 4 Fantasy Football Preview Part 1 - Episode 267 - September 26, 2019


text:
Isaiah 66 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Tremble At His Word
66 Thus says Adonai:
"Heaven is My throne,
A Nation Born in a Day
7 Before she was in labor,
17 Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves, following after one in the midst, who eat swine's flesh, vermin and mice, will come to an end altogether.
It is a declaration of Adonai. 18 "For I know their works and their thoughts. It will come about that I will gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory. 19 Then I will set up a sign among them, and I will send survivors from them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul and Lud (who pull the bow), to Tubal and Javan, to distant islands that have not heard My fame or seen My glory. Then they will declare My glory among the nations.
20 "Then they will bring all your kinsmen from all the nations, as an offering to Adonai, on horses and in chariots, and on litters, mules and camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem," says Adonai, "just as Bnei-Yisrael bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the House of Adonai. 21 I will also take some of them as priests and for Levites," says Adonai.
22 "For just as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will endure before Me"—it is a declaration of Adonai—"so your descendants and your name will endure."
23 "And it will come to pass,
24 "As they leave, they will look on the corpses of the people who rebelled against Me. For their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be a horror to all flesh."
Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
You'll get this book and many others when you join Bible Gateway Plus. Learn more


text:
LEGOs produced more than 50 years ago are compatible with today's
bricks, and almost three generations of kids have fueled their
imaginations with the iconic interlocking plastic toys. But when LEGO
Star Wars first appeared in 2005, it was an instant classic and marked
perhaps the first time a toy IP found critical success (as
opposed to just financial success) in the video game marketplace. The
appeal of the Traveler's Tales games (LEGO Star Wars, Indiana Jones,
Batman, and now RockBand) for adult gamers has always been a winning
blend of nostalgia and simple amusement, combined with strikingly
gameplay depth. Even for kids, the LEGO games are so rigorously
polished that even the most playful moves are anticipated, lending the
game a dynamic feel seldom found at a comparatively low price point
that parents no doubt love.
All that paved the way for a comprehensive online treatment of the LEGO
ideal, and we've been excited to see more of LEGO Universe ever since
our friends at NetDevil revealed they were developing the
family-friendly game in June 2007. Last week, Ten Ton Hammer was on-hand the
first live in-game demo of LEGO Universe. LEGOs Mark Hansen
and NetDevil Creative Director Ryan Seabury
head-manned the demo, which covered the opening tutorial and first two
playable worlds: Avant Gardens and Gnarled Forest.
Starting Out in LEGO Universe
Everything from the login screen forward had more production value than
we were used to in a first reveal. Bouncey interface elements combined
with a LEGO mini-fig (the iconic lego character) gesturing throughout
the login process. For example, the minifig covered its eyes as the
password was entered, and the practical purpose of which, Ryan
explained, was to teach younger players that passwords should remain a
secret. Its a simple clue that kids have actually picked up on much
better than a textual warning in testing, Ryan intimated. Each account
has four character slots, complete with a fun exploding minifig
animation when you delete a character. The LEGO ID we used to sign in
is something you can sign up for today at href="https://account.lego.com/en-US/SignUp.aspx?ReturnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fmln.lego.com%2fen-us%2fnetwork%2fstatus.aspx%3fReturnUrl%3d%252fprivateview%252fDefault.aspx">lego.com.
Just to show that the backend technology is well underway, Ryan noted
that though the demo was held in San Francisco, the server was located
in Miami, and a group of QA testers from Montreal teamed up with
for the entire demo.
Character creation started out with a glowing creative spark which,
as Ryan explained, is the immortal soul of the mini-fig and "can never
be extinguished." Players can create a surprisingly unique minifig from
the outfit options and facial features available, though all mini-figs
are the same size. This one size fits all approach allows NetDevil
animators to create an astonishing variety of poses, emotes, and
animations, as I saw later. Character creation retained the playful
approach of the login screen: players will scroll through racks of
color-adjustable clothing and an astonishing, well-presented variety of
facial features and hair pieces, rather than force players to wheedle
through clumsy checkboxes and sliders. Ryan promised that what we saw
was just the tip of the iceberg. Theres so many items we can draw
from the past, from the present, and well even be introducing a few
new things for LEGO Universe.
Since a backstory cinematic that would greet new players upon their
first login wasnt quite ready yet, the curtain opened on an epicly
damaged spaceship that will serve as the games
tutorial area. Demoed on a 42 inch HDTV in full 1080p, I was
immediately impressed with both how crisp, clean, and nearly tangible
minifigs and game environment looked and how hiccup-free the demo
experience was. In other words, the game looks even better than the thumbnail screenshots in this article contend, though youd
forgiven for thinking that even these images are concept art.
As for lore, Ryan explained: Theres a huge epic story going on in the
background, and its a struggle between creativity and chaos /
destruction. Part of what youre coming into LEGO Universe to do is to
help save imagination. All you need to know today is: youre coming in
on a spaceship to enter LEGO Universe. En route to your destination,
you pass by this black hole or this maelstrom out in space. It surges
out and strikes your ship, which then tears the ship apart, and youre
now careening towards the center of the black hole. Your immediate goal
is to get off the spaceship. The spaceship is designed as a fairly
linear teaching tool for the basic elements of the game, such as
movement, NPC interaction, combat (i.e. smashing crates which provides
you with loot, meaning the LEGO blocks and pieces needed to complete
challenges both functional and aesthetic, but more on that later), and
the platformer-style jump puzzles and obstacle courses which constitute
a large part of LEGO U gameplay. Players are clued into basic actions
primarily by large thought bubbles which clue you in on the correct
key to hit to begin an action, but also occasionally by
less-than-obtrusive popups.
Our first mission giver, Bob, activated our creative spark, which
practically speaking allows players to store imagination. Think of
imagination like mana - it allows you to do special abilities and build
things. When Bob asked use to do a bit of platform jumping to fetch
some creative orbs, our minifig fell to his death. In any case, you can
lose a few coins and lose progress toward your goal by dying, but
according to Ryan, the penalties wont be harsh.
We satisified Bobs mission requirements, did the turn in, and after a
refreshing bit of electrocution (to activate the creative spark, not
necessarily for psychotherapy), our minifig was full of imagination.
Sky Lane, our next mission giver, frantically gestured for us to get
off the ship, but to do that, well need a Thinking Hat to create a
one-minifig rocketship constructed according to a transparent 3D
blueprint overlay hovering nearby. Ryan explained that this is only a
rough guideline, a number of different style sets and slight variations
could construct perfectly satisfactory rocketships.
Ryan showed us his minifigs passport, where all of his characters
hundreds and hundreds of achievements and missions are tracked. All
of the achievements give you specific rewards and LEGO points, which is
an overall score denoting how much progress youve made in the game.
The NetDevil crew began to search for all the various components of the
rocket ship. The nosecone required a bit of jumping, and here we found
a fun carryover from the Star Wars LEGO games. The Jedi-inspired double
jump, Ryan explained, was such a fun feature that we had to have it.
The Spaceship tutorial area.
One very novel feature of Sky Lanes quest was that when we couldnt
find the engine parts, the NPC clued us in on their general location
high above. Its a quick shot of help that we saw throughout the demo,
but its especially nice that the game gives new players a hand without
excessive hand-holding via marks on the minimap and/or big green
arrows. You get a clue as needed, but the help the game offers is far
from smothering.
Since jumping wasnt going to cover the distance, we came across our
first quickbuild - a carryover from the franchise games that is
essentially a pile of blocks that can be quickly constructed into
something useful. The bouncing platform we constructed could be used by
all the folks in the group, and grabbing the last of the steampunk
style rocketship parts resulted in an achievement and a spot reward
of a t-shirt we could immediately equip. The ship has plenty of nooks
and crannies and possibly other sets and achievements to be won, but
now that we had all the rocket parts we followed Sky Lanes advice and
prepared to get off the ship. With the Thinking Hat in our backpack, we
returned to the 3D blueprint which we accessed to enter a build area.
In a build area, the minifig isnt concerned with everything going
on in the area, but is taken to a sort of creative Zen LEGO state where
the player can entirely focus on building. The character still appears
and is animated in the persistent world and can chat with other
players, but doesnt have to be concerned with hazards or
attackers. Blocks can be taken out, put on the floor,
assembled, rotated, colorized, and just played with, but once the build
is finished, the pieces used are removed from inventory, the completed
rocketship is optimized for performance, and the whole thing goes in
our backpack. Ryan noted that all the aspects that you can never see on
the complete build arent rendered to save graphical memory, but
special backend voodoo like ambient occlusion is added to give the
blocks a very lifelike took, We brought the ship to an escape
hatch and took off for the closest world.
Avant Gardens
Judging from the name, youd think that Avant Gardens is a pretty
peaceful place. Normally it is, except that it just got struck by the
energy from the black hole, so some bad things are happening there. The
world as seen from the research facility we touched down in was as
lush, green, and interesting as you might think, and after the splash
screen a status element informed us how many of each of the different
types of collectibles weve obtained from this world. Ryan affirmed
that you can return to each world after youve visited it to collect
anything you might have missed.
Collectibles arent just for show; Ryan pointed out a collectible flag
which, if we collect all 10 of these flags, will yield another heart.
The game uses a Zelda-style approach to hitpoints, so more hearts means
more hitpoint capacity. Its a good time to point out that there are no
levels or classes in LEGO Universe; your character improves by
expanding your capacity for hitpoints, armor, and imagination, or by
improving your gear (gear defines your combat role).
Peter, the first NPC mission-giver we come to, is upset that one of the
research insects has escaped due to the upheaval. Poking a similar
creature in a nearby cage produced a quick and slightly ominous
cutscreen showing what we might be up against. The scout we came to
next was shocked to find we didnt have a weapon, so he gave us a
choice of a sword, a club, or a spear. Ryan noted that theres a whole
series of missions here but in the interest of time, we took the sword
and ran. The first enemies we came to were defective robots. The cool
thing being that once these robots were defeated, we could quick build
a cannon from their parts to use against other enemies in the area.
Ryan showed us the entrance to a cave packed with nasties that was our
first look at group content. Since you can return to any world at any
time and there are no level caps or requirements per se, you can come
back and complete this content later on when your group is looking for
something fun to do.
For now, we continued on to the front lines, where some friendly NPCs
had torn apart a bus and created a makeshift wall around them. More
missions were available here, and Ryan showed us some pet Doberman
guard dogs we could come back and tame. In addition to being allies in
combat, pets play an important part in completing certain challenges
(you might need your pet to stand on a plunger to unlock a bounce pad,
for example, or to dig for buried treasure). The taming skill is
acquired in a different world, so we had to pass by for now. Content
that you have to skip by might be a bit frustrating for MMO players
used to serially completing everything in an area and then moving on,
but this underscores the fact that LEGO Universe is a collectors and
explorers paradise - youre not consuming content as much as playing
in it. As if on cue, Ryan explained that there are tons of LEGO bricks
to be found in each area and no limit (at least for now) to the number
of bricks and pieces you can collect. The more you have, the cooler the
stuff you can make in the showcase area we came to next.
|A battle near the Avant Gardens research
A showcase is a little creative area used all throughout the different
worlds. Theyre just fun little build challenges, in essence. In this
particular instance, the showcase directed us to build a bat. Were in
a cave, thats where bats live, build a bat. What a bat is, though, is
designed by you. As Randall, a NetDevil programmer, lined up two wings
and clipped them onto a wrench, and added in more pieces to make a more
lifelike creature, Ryan explained that there was a lot of stuff going
on in the background.
For one thing, LEGO bricks are extremely complex elements to render in
real time. Thats made even more complicated by the fact that LEGO has
exacting quality standards - if it doesnt look LEGO enough, they wont
accept it. Normally thats ok because as a game developer, you have an
army of 3D artists that can optimize your geometry, remove polygons,
make it run well on lower-end machines, etc. What does the user at home
have when theyre building the bat? They dont have a full development
staff, we have to have technology in place that comes close to what we
can do with a full development staff. Weve invested a lot of time and
money in that, and today its all online.
At first I thought Ryan was waxing poetic about the complexity of
stacking and rotating blocks and pieces in a 3D game world, no small
feat by any means, but then a curious thing happened. When Randall
saves that model in his inventory, it goes up to a server farm, it
analyzes that model in lots of different ways, and makes it good enough
to run on most peoples computers, and then he can submit it to a
showcase and (after extensive moderation) other people can see it. The
model bakes in ambient occlusions and high tech features to mirror
the lighting environment, and a simple two minute bat looked
surprisingly good. Ryan explained that while most games are using
texture-based approaches to graphics rendering, given LEGO Us geometry
and emphasis on absolute customizability, it made sense to stick to a
highly optimized high polygon approach.
A quickbuild took us across a bridge, and we found ourselves
at a monument construction site where a nearby road had been washed out
by a surge of energy. Peter had followed us from the research facility,
and we wended our way through an obstacle course of sorts, including
lazers, cooling fans, and other hazards. The majority of these kind of
puzzles had several solutions - you could switch off the lazers,
destroy the lazers, or just jump over them, for a fairly easy example.
We took a shortcut up the mountain and found a quickbuild for an
elevator. Some quickbuilds require more imagination, so if you dont
have enough, you cant do them, Ryan explained. With less imagination
we could have found a different way around, but this is one of the ways
LEGO U rewards veteran players for the progress theyve made.
After scarfing up a few collectable flags and a ton of bricks, we
returned to Peter to complete the mission, providing us with a cool
social item and the ability to build a race course over the monument. A
quickbuild created a start and finish line, thus unlocking the course
for ourselves and anyone thats completed the achievement.
Even though the racecourse was nearly completely developed,
it wasnt part of the demo. Ryan explained that theres a series of
achievements, medals, and a scoreboard listing times associated with
the race. You can even work with friends to optimize the racecourse by
removing hazards, thus improving everyones time, or just hang out in
the social area near the racecourse, do some shopping for cool weapons
and accessories, or work on a few nearby showcases. And while
most of the games story is told in large public areas, one can only
imagine the fun possibilities that replayable content like racing will
Ryan also pointed out mounted binoculars (like the kind you see around
tourist attractions) nearby that help clue players in on content they
might have missed. One binocular showed us a nearby buffalo that, with
the proper taming skill, we could add to our pet collection, and
another hinted at where we were going next by showing us a rocketpad. A
third hidden binocular showed us a pirate on a little boat surrounded
by sharks, just for fun.
Noting that kids are usually more comfortable with a keyboard than a
mouse, Ryan explained that the game is designed to be played with
either. Clicking on a binocular or wing up to it and pressing the
shift key will produce the same result. The game will interpret which
approach youre using and give you feedback based on that. Its a
intuitive interface design approach thats good not just for kids but
anyone hoping to play LEGO U on a laptop as well. It's a good time to
note that though the game features full chat, layers of filters will be
available to keep kids safe, and (again) no player-created models will
be publicly viewable without passing through multiple tiers of
Gnarled Forest
We were off again to a Temple of Doom-styled jungle forest world that
played host to not only some indigenous baddies, but a host of pirates
that somehow managed to crash there. We donned some better gear - any
player can equip any piece of equipment, generally speaking - and gear
also provides new abilities. With each new weapon, I was surprised to
note that not only the combat animation changed, but the players
default stance changed as well. It sounds like a small thing until you
see the myriad weapons choices available to you.
|The Gnarled Forest quickbuild bridge and
skull torches.
The storyline mission is all about helping the pirates out of their
mess, but since time was at a premium, we steamed on through the world.
Our first stop was a quickbuild that drew a red X on the ground,
denoting pirate treasure. If we had a pet, we could dig up that
treasure, but we had to pass by for now. Coming to a ravine, we had
another jump puzzle before us, and true to the games form, tips
appeared when we got into trouble. Ryan took time to note that the
flaming LEGO skulls on stakes at the foot of the bridge would rotate
and waggle their jaws if clicked on. Unfortunately we didnt have a
squirt gun, which we were told snuffs out the torch until the skull
spits back water in your face.
We continued on to a spooky cave filled with undead pirates, which
proved to be a tougher fight than any wed seen yet. A new quickbuild
was before us after the fight; it consisted of three movable jump
platforms that had to be arranged in the correct order before we could
hop out of the cave. Ryan pointed out the golden Imagination Brick
hovering overhead. Theres only one of these per level, and it would
take some clever placement of the platforms to grab this special brick.
And after the cave, to lighten the mood, we saw a bunch of very alive
pirates scrambling in fear from a monkey in a tree that had somehow
found a pistol. We mollified the monkey with one of the life-restoring
bananas taken from a nearby tree. After moving through an area with
those classic LEGO prisons built into the walls, we came upon another
social area with a pirate ship somehow stuck in the trees. Completing
an achievement here unlocks a shooting gallery in the ship, which like
the racecourse in Avant Gardens, is some pure unlockable
leaderboard-driven fun.
|The Gnarled Forest social area.
Speaking of pure fun, Ryan demoed an achievement ability that makes all
your nearby friends dance a pirate jig, and that will no doubt be great
fun for at least the first hundred times it happens. But the real
kicker was the element of the game most popular with kids: burning your
butt at the nearby campfire. Its classic slapstick, and the ensuing
animations make full use of the comic moment. Burning butt minifigs
jumping around like popcorn in Gnarled Forest might just be the new
Night Elves dancing on the mailbox, but well have to wait and see.
Living in LEGO Universe
We wrapped up the demo in a private build area that each and every
character will have to call home, and to me this conjures up so many
memories of playing with LEGOs as a kid. It alone, for a LEGO nerd like
me looking around an office cluttered with "serious" LEGO models, would
be worth the price of admission. Heres where you can invite friends to
play with your blocks and build absolutely whatever you like: a castle,
a dragon, Yankee Stadium, a scale replica of Serenity. The only limit
is the blocks youve collected; you can color and arrange them however
you like. Its LEGO nirvana without the trip to the upscale mall and
the hefty price tag, but perhaps the coolest thing is that you'll be
able to order a kit with all the actual physical pieces for any of your
creations. To wit, the rocket ship we constructed early in the demo, in
all its various forms, sat on the table in front of me during the demo.
Thats as close as the game will get to microtransactions, however.
Mark Hansen explained that LEGO Universe will be a subscription game.
Parents and gaming purists everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief -
virtual bricks, pieces, and accessories wont be available for purchase
with real money, and glorious LEGO constructs will be as much a sign of
LEGO U saavy as creative ability (since you'll have to collect all your
bricks in game first). Ryan and Mark hinted at some form of PvP in the
game, whether its smash em up racing, minigame hijinx, or perhaps
something a little more close and personal, and also noted that while
items make the minifig in the early going, you might have to make some
permanent choices later in the game.
Overall, we couldn't be more impressed with what we saw of LEGO
Universe. The graphics and art direction are absolutely top-notch, the
gameplay looks to be as solid as anything we've seen in the LEGO niche,
and what we saw - especially the showcases and private build area -
absolutely captures the creative spirit of LEGO. Our only
concern is that subscription MMOs have traditionally depended on
compelling yet cyclical gameplay (large-scale PvP, dungeons, raids),
but NetDevil's plans for the "elder game" are still a secret.
Nevertheless, given NetDevil's philosophy of "vertical slice"
development, many of the pieces seem to be falling in place, so to
speak, for the game's targetted release in 2010, and we'll look forward
to more information on LEGO Universe in the coming months.
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our LEGO Universe Game Page.


text:
Another Des Moines restaurant closes
Jacob Demars is relatively new to Des Moines, and brings his culinary creativity to the kitchen as the new chef at Marlene's at Sevastopol Station. Brian Houlgrave/The Register
Marlene's at Sevastopol Station on Southeast Sixth Street has closed.
Open a little less than two years, restaurant owners announced on Facebook and on its website Wednesday that Marlene's had closed Saturday.
"We have decided this for personal reasons and wish for you all to remember the fun times in our establishment," the post read.
Owner Kim Carstens, an accountant by trade, opened the 46-seat restaurant in a mixed-use and residential development called Sevastopol Station south of downtown Des Moines in 2016. The restaurant, 938 S.E. Sixth St., featured a contemporary American menu.
More: Des Moines restaurant casualties for 2017 included some old favorites


text:
Two awards valued at more than $38 million
KBR Inc. and L-3 Communications have nailed down Defense Department logistics contracts with a combined worth of $38.6 million.
KBR was awarded a two-year $28 million task order from the Army Contracting Command under its current Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) IV contract to support Army and Navy missions at five sites in Bahrain.
Under the task order KBR will support nearly 1400 personnel and provide camp construction, including the build-out of a Life Support Area, facilities management, hazmat management, water production, firefighting services, airfield operations and power generation.
Services will also include self-service laundry operations, food service, shuttle bus services and fuel retail operations.
L-3 Communications Corp. was awarded a $10.68 million firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract to provide additional logistics support services for the Navy's C-40A aircraft fleet.
Services include site activation; site support at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas; NAS Jacksonville, Fla.; and NAS North Island, Calif.
The award also covers inventory management and support, including tracking and control of government- and contractor-owned inventory; depot-level support, component repair, overhaul and replacement of government- and contractor-owned inventory and engine condition monitoring.
The work, which is expected to be completed in November, will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas; NAS Jacksonville, Fla.; NAS North Island, Calif.; Oklahoma City; Arlington, Texas; and Tulsa, Okla.
KBR, of Houston, ranks No. 7 on Washington Technology's 2010 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors. L-3 Communications, of New York City, ranks No. 8 on the list.
About the Author
David Hubler is the former print managing editor for GCN and senior editor for Washington Technology. He is freelance writer living in Annandale, Va.
Printable Format
E-Mail this page
Advanced Search
Don't miss our Aug. 2 Washington Technology Power Training session on Mastering Stakeholder Engagement, where you'll learned the critical skills you need to more fully connect with your customers and win more business.
Read More
In our latest Project 38 Podcast, editor Nick Wakeman interviews Tom Romeo, the leader of Maximus Federal about how it has zoomed up the 2019 Top 100.
Read More
Sign up for our newsletter.
I agree to this site's Privacy Policy.


text:
Hotel System PREMIUM in Wroclaw is a modern, fully air-conditioned hotel, conveniently situated close to city center and main roads. We equipped our rooms in PC, Interner, TV-SAT - what is our PREMIUM standard.The Hotel System PREMIUM is situated close to the city centre but at the same time not far from major roads, (E67 8 Wroclaw - Warsaw, and E261 5 Wroclaw - Poznan). This excellent location means the Old Town, Wroclaw Central or the Hala Ludowa (People´s Hall) are just minutes from the hotel. An underground garage and parking space are available for guest cars.The hotel offers a choice of 100 comfortable rooms (including for disabled guests) and 8 suites comprising a bedroom and a living room. The Hotel System is the only polish hotel chain with in-room PCs and LCD televisions! Also, free 1 Mb/s Internet connection, satellite TV (Canal+ included), telephone, bathroom with a shower and a tea/coffee maker with a free treat are standard in each room.Leisure amenities|With the intention of creating an opportunity to unwind and detach from the stress and strain of daily life while you are our guest, we encourage you to use our free leisure amenities, which include an indoor pool, sauna, weights room and Jacuzzi. Open from early morning to late evening, the spa treatment centre guarantees relaxation and rest after lengthy business meetings or sightseeing in Wroclaw.Restaurant and bar|Discover the hotel restaurant (which can serve up to 120 guests at a time) and bar. Every gourmet will enjoy our excellent selection of traditional Polish food and international culinary specialties, and the ample breakfast buffet will give your day a good start. We also offer catering services for conferences, training sessions, etc. on and off site.
- Datos no disponibles.


text:
Log Horizon (EP1-5)
I never played World of Warcraft. I did play Runescape though, for exactly 3,438 hours on my main account, and no doubt a few more thousand combining the others. This and a decent time played in Guild Wars 2, gives me a good idea of MMORPG's – how they play, what they are like, the level at which they can consume you. To be honest, a part of myself I consider negative stopped me playing Runescape – how damn restless and easily bored I began to feel with everything. Now anything over 30 hours in a game is rare. I want single player games I can definitively finish, before moving on. But I do have very good memories from my time playing Runescape. Though, in hindsight, I now affectionately refer to Guild Wars 2 as Depression Wars. And, for obvious reasons, it's not something I could ever play again. Nor any MMORPG, for the matter.
Log Horizon, on the other hand, exhibits my love for anime in the genre – Isekai shows based in MMORPG's. I think many people who themselves have played in the past – or still do – will feel this kind of affection for them. It's nostalgic, making us feel warm with the remembering of those long-forgotten memories. Questing, grinding, being awful at PKing, getting rare loot drops, making your first million, capping out your first level… it's all there. Log Horizon taps into this nostalgia, as many other similar shows do. Though, Log Horizon does a better job at it, pushing things further than simply the 'MMORPG' setting first alludes to.
The main character, Shiroe, understands the game in all its nuance. Yet, he is humble with this knowledge. He demonstrates the complexity of what he knows without having to brag about it (fuck, Kirito). It makes him more reasonable, easier to sympathise with, if for the only reason, Shiroe isn't a prick. Tactics are the first thing that come to mind. Shiroe isn't all powerful – he has limits, because his character – and therefore himself – exists within a set of predetermined rules and restriction(code). Therefore, the most efficient method of Shiroe winning is to be smarter than his opponents, to outplay them with strategy only he is possible of devising. Inherently this makes for interesting and entertaining watching, because every situation has possibility and complexity. It is not one protagonist wielding a weapon with the overwhelming ability to slay any foe. For this reason, Shiroe has to rely on his friends, and they have to rely on his plans. This brings me right into the world of Log Horizon. I care about the characters, deeply. Alone, that's worth a shit-ton.
How it Ends (Netflix)
How it Ends is possibly one of the worst films I've ever seen, it's impossible to enjoy it even ironically. I have no idea why it exists. I have no idea why Netflix signed off on putting their name to it. I honestly believe anyone who thought it would be good, and anyone that thinks it is good must be living on a parallel timeline in which 'good' and 'bad' have reversed meanings.
It's a shit-show in every single regard…
Let's start with the premise. Naturally, it's pretty standard, as are most apocalypse scenarios; after all, it's hard to innovate where there is little room to do so, considering the genre comprises of only one possible scenario. That's not to say it's impossible, considering the other variables: characters, aesthetics, resolution, style, and the more nuanced sides of narrative.
How it Ends never even sniffs of being unique…
It's main character, Will, played by Theo James, is a copy paste protagonist from about every other film just as bad. He has a goal, he does anything to get to that goal. Except that this time, there really aren't any pressing obstacles in the way. There is of course, the odd man with a gun, and the odd swathe of smoke – never anything more, never anything that poses any real danger to lawyer come survivalist. Apocalypse/survival films have to emanate an impending sense of doom throughout their entire length. An uncertainty of what is to come is vital. Just look at films such as: The Road, I Am Legend, 28 Days Later, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Z for Zachariah, and even shows like The Walking Dead (the earlier seasons). What they all have in common is suspense, imparting us with a constant feeling of anxiety because their characters are in a constant state of anxiety. Instead, How it Ends just lingers on being the first 20 minutes of a thriller movie spread over the length of an hour and three-quarters…
If you happen across it, for the sake of your sanity, don't watch it!
Nichijou (EP1-2)
I've never watched Nichijou before… I know… I know, am I even human at this point… Still, I'm getting around to it, like a lot of other shows that have been on my list forever. Especially now considering how shit the current (Summer 2018) season is. Nichijou, on the other hand, certainly isn't shit. It's fucking hilarious in ways that I've never seen before in anime. After watching more episodes, I'll have a more comprehensive look on next week's Sunday Segment – until then, I welcome the laughs. I need them.
Mortal Engines (The Books)
The Mortal Engines books (Mortal Engines, Predator's Gold, Infernal Devices, and A Darkling Plain) written by Phillip Reeve are my favourite piece of media; by a vast order of magnitude. I always find this a somewhat strange phenomenon; four books being so far ahead of anything I've read before, and anything I will read. It's entertaining though. Knowing I'm able to continuously return and feel almost the same joy I did when first reading them.
With the film adaptation directed by Christian Rivers and produced by Peter Jackson, soon to be released (14th December in the UK), I decided it would be a good time to read through them again, something I usually do every couple of years anyway. This being said, the film adaption makes me feel very weary, because we all know how shit they can be – look at the recent Ready Player One, despite it being directed by cinema god, Steven Spielberg, it never managed to capture the essence of what the novel actually was. That's the trouble… how will Rivers/Jackson impart the film with the heart of the book? How can they replicate sentiments that are spread over 400 pages, in only 2 hours of film?
It's not possible to do so… not completely
That's fine. That's understandable, as long as what makes Mortal Engines, Mortal Engines isn't bastardised in the process. I'll be honest, if I see overwhelming shit reviews (which I don't expect) then I won't even go see the film – I don't want it to taint what I think the books are, nor the images I see when I read the books. So, if you haven't read Mortal Engines, then please do, it's one of the best things to happen to me! (I want to write more about the books, and in some depth. I don't know when this will happen – hopefully some time before the film premieres).
How was your week?
Thanks for reading, as always!
-Chris (Follow me on Twitter and consider supporting Peach's Almanac on Patreon!)


text:
Welcome to the Purdue OWL
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.
Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.
When to Use Two Pages or More
You have probably heard the saying, "Keep your résumé to a page." Although this is true for most cases, many employers are accepting longer résumés...in certain instances. Use this resource to gain more understanding about what constitutes the page length of a résumé.
The following online resources were consulted for information:
- Hansen, Katharine, "The Scoop on Résumé Length: How Many Pages Should Your Résumé Be?" Quintessential Careers, 25 Oct. 2005.
- Isaacs, Kim "How to Decide on Résumé Length," Résumé Center. 2006.
- Monster.com. 25 Oct. 2005.
Deciding résumé length
As the job market becomes ever more competitive, you may need to use multiple pages to persuade a potential employer to grant you an interview. For résumés, limiting your document to one page is a good approach for new college graduates and high school students. Some employers may specifically ask for a one-page résumé. However, do not shy away from adding that extra page of accomplishments—as long as it is relevant and persuasive.
The following sections will give you more advice about when to use résumés of different lengths and will suggest some ways to create a memorable second or third page. Remember, though, that the length of your résumé depends on the rhetorical situation and your audiences' needs.
When to use one-page résumés
1. New college graduates and other entry-level job seekers tend to need a one-page résumé for the following reasons.
- The applicant does not have enough relevant experience to fill more than one page
- The situation requires the résumé to focus on coursework and/or other leadership activities that connect you to the job you are seeking
- The résumé must meet a job fairs' expectations
- The résumé must meet a potential employer's expectations.
2. If you have less than ten years of experience, you may need to focus on one/two jobs, which may shorten your résumé to one page.
- Focus on skills you have obtained
- Do not record every single action of that job to take up space; emphasize the relevant duties
3. If you are pursuing a radical career change, much of your experience may not be relevant to the new job.
- Focus on the relevant skills you have obtained
- Do not stretch your information to cover more than one page if you cannot relate it to your current goal in some way
When to use two-page résumés
1. Some new college graduates and other entry-level job seekers do have the experience to qualify for a two-page résumé.
- Some employers require a second, separate page for references
- The length of the document depends on relevant jobs, internships, extracurricular involvement, and leadership
- Do not make your font smaller than 10 or your margins less than 1 inch. If you must do this to fit a one-page résumé, consider the two-page format
- Remember that some recruiters at job fairs will accept a two-page résumé, but you should bring a one-page version to be safe
- Always ask a company if they accept two-page résumés before sending one
2. Consider a two-page résumé if you are above entry-level positions, but below the executive level.
- You should include the various jobs/duties you have held
3. If you are seeking a job that requires technical/engineering/scientific skills, you may need a second page.
- You should list/prove your technical/scientific knowledge and/or experience
When to use three- or more page résumés
1. If you are a senior-level manager/executive, your résumé may require three or more pages.
- You should include a long record of leadership accomplishments
- You may be required to give very specific details of your past duties because you will be given more responsibility at the job you are seeking
- You should possibly include examples of your vision, flexibility, ethics, integrity, etc.
2. If you are seeking a job in the academic or scientific field, you will likely be required to provide a curricula vita (a long résumé with different information). In addition to listing your education, you should include the following:
- Publications, presentations, licenses, etc.
- Teaching and/or research experience
Tips on making a second or third page
Before you make your résumé longer, you should first ask employers if they even accept two-page résumés. If they do, then you should plan the extra pages. For instance, you may want to focus an extra page on key leaderships skills or projects. You could even title that page to reflect its focus. Then, you could list and describe projects you led in classes, organizations, sororities/fraternities, etc.
You may find that the extra pages work best as supplemental sheets. Such sheets could list presentations, awards, technical skills, etc. If you use this option, you could pick and choose which sheets to send to what employer. For example, you may send a detailed list of your technical skills to a computer company, but you would send a list of your research awards and presentations to a research firm.
When you include extra pages, you must consider the effect a longer résumé will have on your reader. For instance, you will always need to have the attention-getting information on the first page. Some employers may skip over other pages.
Coherence is also important for someone to understand your skills. In this regard, avoid splitting the details of a specific job onto another page. However, you could have one job detailed at the bottom of page one, and another at the top of page two. Another way to increase coherency is to number the résumé pages and include header/footers, such as "Jodi Forrester's Accomplishments Continued…" In addition, consider adding a summary of your skills/high points to the beginning of the résumé. Such a summary would allow readers to see your main qualifications at a glance…and then read the rest of your résumé to find specific details.
Extra pages can:
- Focus on leadership skills/projects
- Work as supplemental sheets to list certain points that specific audiences would want to know.
Extra pages must:
- Be coherent
- Be organized
- Not make your reader lose interest
For more information about how to develop a résumé, visit these OWL resources:
- Navigation
- Purdue OWL
General Writing
- General Writing Introduction
The Writing Process
- The Writing Process Introduction
- Writing Task Resource List: What Do You Need To Write?
- Invention: Starting the Writing Process
- Prewriting (Invention)
- Writer's Block
- Stasis Theory
- Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips
- Developing an Outline
- Reverse Outlining
- Proofreading
Academic Writing
- Academic Writing Introduction
- The Rhetorical Situation
- Establishing Arguments
- Logic in Argumentative Writing
- Historical Perspectives on Argumentation
- Paragraphs and Paragraphing
- Essay Writing
- Conciseness
- Paramedic Method
- Reverse Paramedic Method
- Adding Emphasis
- Sentence Variety
- Using Appropriate Language
- Active and Passive Voice
- Email Etiquette
- Email Etiquette for Students
- Using Foreign Languages in Academic Writing in English
Common Writing Assignments
- Common Writing Assignments Introduction
- Understanding Writing Assignments
- Argument Papers
- Research Papers
- Exploratory Papers
- Annotated Bibliographies
- Book Reports
- Definitions
- Essays for Exams
- Book Reviews
- Academic Proposals
- Mechanics Introduction
- Higher, Lower Order Concerns
- Sentence Clarity
- Parts of Speech Overview
- Sentence Clarity Presentation
- Sentence Fragments
- Transitions and Transitional Devices
- Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them
- Parallel Structure
- Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (Idioms)
- Capitals: Help with Capitals
- Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives
- Grammar Introduction
- Spelling: Common Words that Sound Alike
- Numbers: Writing Numbers
- Adjective or Adverb
- How to Use Adjectives and Adverbs
- Appositives
- Articles: A versus An
- How to Use Articles (a/an/the)
- Prepositions
- Pronouns
- Relative Pronouns
- Count and Noncount Nouns
- Subject/Verb Agreement
- Verb Tenses
- Active Verb Tenses
- Irregular Verbs
- That vs. Which
- Punctuation Introduction
- Punctuation
- Sentence Punctuation Patterns
- Independent and Dependent Clauses
- Conquering the Comma Presentation
- Commas
- Apostrophe Introduction
- Hyphen Use
- Quotation Marks
Visual Rhetoric
- Visual Rhetoric Introduction
- Visual Rhetoric
- Analyzing Visual Documents
- Using Fonts with Purpose
- Color Theory Presentation
- Designing Effective PowerPoint Presentations
- Data Visualization
Undergraduate Applications
- Undergraduate Applications Introduction
- Advice from Undergraduate Admissions Officers
- Undergraduate Application Timeline and Additional Resources
Graduate School Applications
- Graduate School Applications Introduction
- Overview
- Researching Programs
- Statements of Purpose
- Requesting Recommendation Letters
- Writing a Research Statement
- Personal Correspondence
- Community Engaged Writing
- Media File Index
- General Writing FAQs
- Writing Center Directory
OWL Conversations
- Interviews
- Essays
- All Conversations
Research and Citation
- Research and Citation Resources
Conducting Research
- Conducting Research Introduction
- Research Overview
- Conducting Primary Research
- Evaluating Sources of Information
- Searching Online
- Internet References
- Archival Research
Using Research
- Using Research Introduction
- Writing with Statistics
- Strategies for Fair Use
- Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
- Paraphrase Exercises
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Writing Scientific Abstracts Presentation
- ASA Style
- Resources for Documenting Sources in the Disciplines
- Citation Style Chart
APA Style
- APA Style Introduction
- APA Overview and Workshop
APA Formatting and Style Guide
- General Format
- In-Text Citations: The Basics
- In-Text Citations: Author/Authors
- Footnotes and Endnotes
- Reference List: Basic Rules
- Reference List: Author/Authors
- Reference List: Articles in Periodicals
- Reference List: Books
- Reference List: Other Print Sources
- Reference List: Electronic Sources
- Reference List: Other Non-Print Sources
- Additional Resources
- Types of APA Papers
- APA Stylistics: Avoiding Bias
- APA Stylistics: Basics
- APA Headings and Seriation
- APA PowerPoint Slide Presentation
- APA Sample Paper
- APA Tables and Figures 1
- APA Tables and Figures 2
- APA Abbreviations
- Statistics in APA
- APA Classroom Poster
- APA Changes 6th Edition
- General APA FAQs
MLA Style
- MLA Style Introduction
- MLA Overview and Workshop
MLA Formatting and Style Guide
- General Format
- MLA Formatting and Style Guide
- MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics
- MLA Formatting Quotations
- MLA Endnotes and Footnotes
- MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format
- MLA Works Cited Page: Books
- MLA Works Cited Page: Periodicals
- MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources
- MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources
- MLA Additional Resources
- MLA Abbreviations
- MLA Sample Works Cited Page
- MLA Sample Paper
- MLA Tables, Figures, and Examples
- MLA PowerPoint Presentation
- MLA FAQs
- MLA Classroom Poster
- MLA 8th Edition Changes
Chicago Style
- CMOS Introduction
- CMOS Overview and Workshop
CMOS Formatting and Style Guide
- Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition
- General Format
- Books
- Periodicals
- Web Sources
- Audiovisual Recordings and Other Multimedia
- Interviews, Personal Communication
- Legal, Public and Unpublished Materials
- Bluebook Citation for Legal Materials
- Miscellaneous Sources
- CMOS Author Date Sample Paper
- CMOS NB Sample Paper
- CMOS NB PowerPoint Presentation
- CMOS Author Date PowerPoint Presentation
- CMOS Author Date Classroom Poster
- CMOS NB Classroom Poster
- IEEE Style
- AMA Style
- ASA Style
- Using Citation Generators Responsibly
- Using Paper Checkers Responsibly
- Style Manual Glossary
Teacher and Tutor Resources
Writing Instructors
- Writing Instructors Introduction
- Parents
- Grades 7-12 Instructors and Students
- Non-Purdue Users
- Purdue Instructors and Students
- Adult Basic Education
- Writing Across the Curriculum: An Introduction
- Creative Nonfiction in Writing Courses
- Poetry in Writing Courses
- Teaching Detailed Writing and Procedural Transitions
- Teaching OSDDP: A Guide for Professional Writing Instructors
- Email Etiquette for Professors
- Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students
Writing Tutors
- Writing Tutors Introduction
- Purdue Writing Lab Quick Tour
- Meeting One-on-One with Students
- Tutoring a Résumé
- Tutoring Cover Letters
- Tutoring Creative Writing Students
- Tutoring Lab Reports
- Tutoring Grammar
- Tutoring Deaf Clients
Teaching Resources
- Teaching Resources
- Conducting an Interview Presentation
- Writing Workshops for Graduate Students
- Writing Process Presentation
- Organizing Your Argument Presentation
- Peer Review Presentation
- Visual Rhetoric Slide Presentation
- Writing a Literary Analysis Presentation
- Effective Persuasion Presentation
- Teaching and Assessing Grammar
- Analytical Research Project Presentation
- Conducting an Interview Presentation
- Job Acceptance Letter Presentation
- Invention Presentation
Preventing Plagiarism
- Preventing Plagiarism Introduction
Contextualizing Plagiarism
- Contextualizing Plagiarism
- Truth or Consequences
- Handout: Truth or Consequences
- The Big Picture
- Authorship and Popular Plagiarism
- Copyright and Plagiarism
- Handout: Copyright and Plagiarism
- Collaborative Authorship
- Handout: Collaborative Authorship
- Defining Our Terms
- Class Plagiarism Policy
- Comparing Policies
- Handout: Comparing Policies
Avoiding Plagiarism
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting
- Peer Summarizing
- Anonymous Paraphrasing
- Paraphrasing from Media
- Handout: Paraphrasing from Media
- Using In-text Citations
- Handout: Using In-text Citations
- Quoting Others
- Handout: Quoting Others
- Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation in Context
- Handout: Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation in Context
- Translingual Writing
Writing in the Engineering Classroom
- Why Include Writing in Engineering Courses?
- Using Bloom's Taxonomy
- Types of Writing Assignments for Engineering Courses
- Conceptual Writing Prompts
- Explain-a-Problem Writing Prompts
- How Stuff Works Writing Prompts
- Real-World Example Writing Prompts
- Design-a-Problem Writing Prompts
- Open-Ended Design Writing Prompts
- Writing Tips for Students
- Assessment and Feedback of Engineering Writing
- Research Team
- Writing Instructors
Subject-Specific Writing
Professional, Technical Writing
- Professional, Technical Writing Introduction
- Workplace Writers
- Effective Workplace Writing
- Audience Analysis
- Prioritizing Your Concerns for Effective Business Writing
- Parallel Structure
- Activity and Postmortem Reports
- Tone in Business Writing
- HATS: A Design Procedure for Routine Business Documents
- Basic Business Letters
- Accentuating the Positives
- Memos
- Four Point Action Closing
- Grant Writing
- Donation Request Letters
- Professional, Technical Writing


text:
Filed under: 1
I just received confirmation that not only did I pass my written test, but my images passed a thorough review of my peers! To give you an idea of what an accomplishment this is: Professional Photographers of America estimates that less than 3% of imaging professionals ever achieve this certification! WOW, what an honor it is to be the ONLY FEMALE certifed professional photographer in Dothan! SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED ME DURING MY JOURNEY including all those amazing photographers who walked this path before me and helped me through image critiques and giving me the professional support that I so desperately needed!
BY THE WAY, that makes me one of only TWO fully certified professionals in our area! What a GREAT DAY this has been!
Filed under: 1
I'm so excited!!! We just finished ordering our new PRINTING SYSTEM! Wanna 24″x36″ poster sized print with the very best print technology and print longevity? WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED! Stay tuned for some awesome SPECIALS on BIGGER & BETTER wall prints 🙂
Filed under: 1
I had the pleasure of volunteering to photograph this year's "Relay for Life" for the American Cancer Society and as I processed the images I realized just how amazing this event really was! Not many people know that I am a survivor myself. I haven't exactly worn my trials as a badge of courage, but after seeing how many others have been through some of what I've been through, I have to say that for the first time in long time I truly did not feel alone. As I was deemed the "chick with the big camera", everyone SMILED and LAUGHED straight into my lens. The survivors genuinely had a great time celebrating the fact that they were NOT GOING TO GIVE UP the fight! My husband held my hand tighter than he had in years, not since 2001 when we walked the halls of the Mayo Clinic in complete silence had either of us been so emotional. Thank goodness when we got to the end of that hall we got good news! After multiple surgeries and two rounds of chemo, it was time to move FORWARD with our lives!
The whole experience has empowered me like never before. It made me realize WHY I've been so determined to accomplish so many things in my life. I've never aspired to be rich, famous or revered for anything. I've only wanted to be remembered for being a passionate artist. More importantly, I just need to say that if I'm only remembered by those who love me and call me "Honey", "Mama" or "Nana", that will be perfectly OK!
With all of the soul cleansing I've done since the relay, I do now feel strong enough to address an issue that have weighed heavily on my heart. To the person who sent me an UGLY message when I blogged about my working with Southern Bride Magazine: I HAVE OFFERED ON NUMEROUS OCASSIONS TO WORK FOR LOCAL PUBLICATIONS AND HAVE HAD A STANDING OFFER WITH THE DOTHAN MAGAZINE FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. The fact is, they are simply NOT READY to do anything DIFFERENT. They have a right to contract with whoever they see fit, just as I have a right to be published elsewhere… I don't mind saying again say how SWEET it is to be published on such a GRAND SCALE with Southern Bride. I will NEVER be able to thank them enough for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to showcase my work!
Thanks for listening… Images from the Relay and from the magazine coming VERY SOON! I promise… -Cindi K
Filed under: 1
Bring them in fresh out of the oven (so to speak) and let's make something wonderful happen:-) The sooner you bring your newborn in the better… Just a couple weeks can make a huge difference in how easily they photograph! Just give us a call for advice on how to get great images of your child at ANY age! -Miss Cindi
Filed under: 1
OK, so I'm sitting at my desk today trying to get caught up when the phone rings… I answer with my usual "Thank you for calling… yadda yadda yadda… when all of the sudden a familiar voice is broadcast over the phone line. It was Ann Varnum herself calling to invite me to appear on her talk show! WHOA… I'm thinking I must be in BIZZARO LAND because surely she's isn't calling ME!
So to make my story short, I'll just say that I'll be taking some of my wall portraits and a few albums over to her studio on May 28th for a little "show and tell"… How COOL is that!!! I may even bring some pics of the new studio because she says they can show them as slides during the show 🙂 Who knows, maybe I'll end up a local celebrity, wink wink…
Thanks ahead of time Ann for having me on your show. I am truly honored!
-Cindi K
Filed under: 1
What fun we had in creating this one! Thanks Gabriella for allowing us to create some wonderful memories of your time as Junior Miss Dothan and best of luck in the Internationals this summer 🙂 I can hardly wait for you to see all the others we created next week!
Filed under: 1
Just wanted to take a quick moment to welcome KATEE to our SPOKESMODEL program! She's been such a joy to work with as so many other young people that we've had the opportunity work with lately! I've NEVER EVER been so BLESSED and I look forward to helping Katee build an amazing portfolio! -Miss Cindi


text:
Six years ago today I was sitting in my Chaucer class at Indiana University when I learned Kurt Vonnegut had just died. I burst into tears and the professor asked if I needed to leave, so I did, and smoked a pack of Pall Malls and cried some more. But then I remembered that joke he told at a fellow humanists' funeral, "He's up in heaven now."
I've been laughing ever since.
Thank you, Kurt. You've done this weirdo a whole lot of good.
"Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt."


text:
I am a little behind with this book (my to-read pile is possibly wildly out of control, but thankfully, mostly virtual). For you, this means that I am probably not the first person telling you about Serafina, but for me, it means that the second book is going to be out soon (July) and I won't have to wait long to get my hands on it.
There were several reasons I chose this book from NetGalley. First, I am a huge fan of scrappy girls, magic, and mysteries. Even better, a story with a scrappy girl who solves mysteries with magic. Second, I once, many years ago, took the behind-the-scenes tour at the Biltmore mansion and I never forgot what an astonishing, groundbreaking place it was. When I saw this book, I agreed it was the perfect setting for a mystery.
I read that the author wrote this story for his three daughters, so that would explain the heroic Dad and the Disney-esque treatment of the Mom (oops, wait, this is a Disney imprint? Almost forgot for a minute!) But seriously, I will forgive all of that because Beatty has delivered a true gem, and I'm not just saying that because the book has spent all of the time since it was published on the NY Times bestseller list. But, if that kind of thing is important to you, at least you don't have to take my word for it. I will join the masses, though, in praise of this book. It is a perfect read for middle-schoolers or a snuggle-together read-aloud. I read it before either of my daughters, so now I will just have to watch them read it (which they love, trust me). There are some scary parts, but these are gentle and balanced by characters drawn with skill and affection. Something about it reminded me of Kate DiCamillo's The Magician's Elephant, it seemed to share the thrilling sense of wonder and triumph at the end. Don't wait as long as I did, get to it now so that you're ready in time for Serafina and the Twisted Staff.