text:
Fez creator Phil Fish is skeptical about Xbox One's new self-publishing policy, saying that it's just a "reactionary" response that feels "disingenuous."
It's true and you only have Playstation and people like me to thank. You're welcome. Without us, MS would have still been arrogantly walking around w/ the mindstate of a Nazi.
"Reactionary" is correct. Xbox One - at least the gaming side of it - seems hobbled together to grab the early adopters, but what is the long-term plan? Is there even a long-term plan that has gamers' interests at its heart?
The troubling thing is this: what will Microsoft react to next? Apple or Google launching a new "iOS box" for the TV with full DVR, TV streaming, Hulu, Netflix, and apps, and then Microsoft shifts the Xbox One's focus to that? Kinect motion controls don't take off like they wanted, so they drop any plans for hardcore support (they've already delayed their showcase game, Sports Rivals)?
WHAT IS MICROSOFT'S PLAN? Gaming certainly doesn't seem to be on the top of the list. Even their "reactions" (like this self-publshing) is half-hearted. It's not available now and it won't be available until "some time after launch". What's the profit margin for these indies? Is it 10% cut for Microsoft (like it is for Steam and PSN) or is it the same 70/30 split like it was for indies on XBLA? Will indies be highlighted like they are on Steam on PSN, or will all the games be lumped together like Microsoft has been saying?
Oh wow. A feature that they are now putting forward as a major incentive is now being delayed for a while. Sounds familiar....*cough* Gaikai
Yeah. TOTALLY the same thing. Gaikai totally isn't a multi-million dollar collaboration of hardware and software.
It's totally the same thing as the policies - literally, nothing but policies - that are restricting indie devs from self-publishing on Xbox One.
Indies are self-publishing NOW on PS4. There are games in development NOW for PS4 that are self-published, so why can't Microsoft allow self-publishing NOW? Why do they have to wait until some undetermined time after launch (and then we wait several months more for the first games to trickle in)?
Hopefully with Apple, Google, and everyone else under the sun offering free access to streaming content will finally make them take down that rip off policy of hiding these services behind the greedy iron curtain known as xbone gold.
The sad part is that Microsoft literally doesn't have to lift a finger to allow the indies to self-publish, they just need to establish the policy clearly and allow the indies access to upload. Comparing it to PS4 with Gaikai is ridiculous. Gaikai is a MASSIVE infrastructure and digital rights-intensive endeavor, and I say Sony can take all the time they need to make sure it works as intended when it finally launches. Microsoft's self-publishing policy is all politics, no major changes in infrastructure. They just need to establish the profit margin between developers and Microsoft and allow the indies to publish their games without having to kiss the ass of a major publisher, that's it. Steam and PSN do it, why can't Microsoft? Again they show not only a disconnect from consumers, but their preference to be in bed with major publishers throwing money around than smaller independents who are currently the driving creative force in the industry.
Let's be real here guys, are you really THAT into indie games or has this interest just become the latest trend. Personally I will play 1 or 2 indie games a year, and to be honest, they were not worth it.
I understand that indie developers have their place but for me, if they are not at least on a level of journey, trials hd, limbo, etc......I will will not be downloading.
I hope that Sony and Microsoft figure out a way to separate the quality of these games. Microsoft separated them correctly on xbox live
yep that's Microsoft big problem they want to be everyone has soon has someone come up with something and get some success they drop what ever they're doing just to follow its the greed in them they're the only company like that stay in your lane and do what you do best but no they want to everything they see others do greed man i tell you
I would say 50%+ of my gaming is Indie titles. Although I imagine that's higher than the average and most of it is on PC.
But you're right about this being a bit of a trend. Indie self-publishing is just the latest skirmish ground for the never ending console wars.
@ DVAcme + 1 bubble well said
There is a huge difference between the PS4 and Gaikai compared to the XBone and self-publishing. One is technology the other are silly policies. Microsoft's self-publishing policy is all politics, called greed.
the only thing that will settle this argument is actually seeing more Indy games on the XBone, Sony was talking the talk but what proved their commitment was actually showing many Indy games at the reveal and E3 like the Witness, Outcast, OctoDad Transistor and others.
The thing about this whole thing is how much MS cares. As Mr. Fish said it's reactionary nearly everything they are doing these days is not planned it's reactionary. This is leading tons of people to continue to tread carefully when it comes to the Xbone.
I want to know is as mentioned above do they care? What I mean by that is Sony clearly cares about the Indies this gen and cares enough to showcase them just as much as their big AAA games in some cases. This shows more commitment then I think MS is even thinking about. I would love if they are going to put the effort in and really take care of the indies but the way they have been doing things makes it seem like it's just another bullet point on a check list of things they need that others have already. If they are going to bring their a game in regards to indies and self publishing they great but it doesn't seem that way. Time will tell I suppose.
XB1's long term plan is less gaming and more everything else.
You think they are abondoning all that tech they wanted to use? nope, it will just be used in different ways later on.
Remember the first xbox was gamer focused.
Xbox 360 started out that way but in the past 4 years has moved towards casual friendly and I see the same trend here.
The XB1 system itself might be the Trojan horse that allows this.
I feel like you don't really know the mind state of Nazi because i never saw Microsoft kidnapping and torturing people.Your not funny man quit trying.
Well, the Nazis did think they were the best, and that the rest of the world should be like them. Maybe that's what MHF meant by "mind state of a Nazi"?
Although I did see a Youtube video on Youtube where Hitler did some pretty good things, like being the genius behind the Volkswagen, and lowering smoking rates or something like that.
You're taking it literal to deflect his whole point. He is right, Sony started taking in Indies then Nintendo followed and now Microsoft followed and from what i heard from the most parts from the Nintendo and Microsoft community is "Indies suck anyway".
Now its cool to buy them cause everyone is going to get them, LOL!
Everyone is educated on what is a Nazi. You learn that in junior high, now you're patronizing.
Microsoft never said "Be like us" they were trying to get people to buy their product and I'm not deflecting anything I'm simply saying that you may want educate yourselves on what a nazi is and why it isn't all that clever to compare Microsoft to a group like that.Even before they made their changes they weren't at the nazi level and if you have such a problem with what microsft is then don't buy their products ,quit all your "Micosof ez Eval"
blabbering ,and Don't encourage this Maria troll.
Hey there good job editing so i wouldn't get a notification good thing i came back to look through some of the comments.What? afraid of using that last bubble or do you just like the last word?
Any way just so you know the school system in America is a joke which it has been for a while and considering what maria said i doubt she paid attention during the world war 2 class if he even lives in a country where the schools find that a mandatory subject
i love when fanboys such as yourself make up B.S as that's what was said. I've never heard from 360 fanboys or nintendo that they hate indie games or the dev's. stop lying or back it up.
I heard more from sonyfanboys calling dev's lazy because they found developing on the ps3 hard because of the cell. now because dev's find it easier it's "dev's love sony cause they listen" too bad they didn't with the ps3. something MS did with the 360.
thank you MS for the change in sony's attitude with the ps4.
"Well, the Nazis did think they were the best, and that the rest of the world should be like them. Maybe that's what MHF meant by "mind state of a Nazi"?"
Hmmm, That comment is more akin to the Japanese during the invasion of China, the British during the colonial wars and lets not forget the Americans right here right now.
Likening Microsoft's policies to that of war lords and mass genocide is disturbing. Unless of course you are a Scientologist.
NOTE: That crack about Scientology may be considered a slant against a religion but here in the UK Scientology is considered a cult / crackpot organisation.
Back to the point however, Microsoft made an announcement albeit via twitter. I'm sure that further details will be clear come gamescon. So it's best to save the masturbatory rhetoric till after their next conference.
Thank Playstation?!?!?! Thank Desura. Thank Mojang. Thank the developers passing around software on MS-DOS. Indies did NOT start with Playstation. Indies didn't even start on consoles with Playstation. Having gamers thank Sony for Indies is like thanking a president for the constitution... sure he continues it, but he did not start it.
Heck how could anyone forget William Higinbotham? He created the first video game ever, and it was most certainly what we'd call an indie.
The indie embrace did start on PlayStation though. Thats why MS is changing it's policy. No one is saying PlaySation created the "idie dev," thats conceptually impossible. What they're saying is that you better thank Sony for embracing the indie crowd because if they hadn't MS would have still kept many of those games off their system.
Why is it so hard for fanboys to stop acting like children. You all sit there and act like it's Xbox vs Playstation. What side am I on if I own both?
Indie embrace began with things like Desura and Steam... sorry to burst your bubble.
You're being silly. There are no parallel between the PC indie market and the console one. A PC is an open platform, a console isn't. Sony's incentive towards indies forced MS to change their policies. Simple as that. They didn't want Sony to have that competitive edge. So it's not PC vs Consoles, seeing how the two platforms differ so much from each other.
Apart from most of the indie games coming to PS4 are on or will be on PC in the near future.
I definitely know Don't Starve is on PC now as I have it on steam and it was a PC exclusive from Klei like their new game, Incognita.
Mercenary Kings is on steam Early Access atm as well.
So there is some parallels between PC indies and console indies. As they are one and the same.
Desura and steam embraced the indie revolution way before Xbox and Playstation did.
Most if not all the kickstarter games will be accepted onto steam when they are ready to be released.
If MS are so accommodating to indie devs why do we hear all these horror stories from indie devs about how MS treated them?
U forget the biggest platform for indie games are on pc
I find it funny that people who never had any intentions on buying the system. Feels like they had any part in the change of MS policies and X1. Screaming and posting "I hate you MS and I'm never buy your console" does change anything nor will you even when they do. So you gets no thanks for being a fanboy.
It's just so true that MS has been constantly playing catch up to Sony in most key features. As much as XBots would deny this, It's taken so many "Core gamers" pledging to switch to PS4 to get them to do anything at all.
And even one change they could do that they decided not to is going to hurt them the most in the long run. MS already said there's no price drop or removal of Kinect in 2014. That means they might as well give the PS4 a head start similar to the one 360 had.
All the hardcore M$ fans who have stuck with XBL for years can continue to hold on to their Halo, Forza, GoW, and CoD DLC for dear life, but for the rest of us, brand loyalty only goes so far.
Yeah, it's Playstation. Not the open platforms like PC or anything.
Maria made a reactionary response as well.
Being a fanboy is one thing, but being an ignorant fanboy is a whole other level. Congratulations on your level down!
I'd suggest you put more substance into your posts than just what the PS4/X1 fanboy goons want to hear. You're labeling Microsoft with a Nazi mindset, as they are some kind of evil entity, and you're completely contradicting yourself. If someone was a Nazi, they would stay headstrong with their beliefs and plans, taking no criticism from others into account. Microsoft has changed their route because they're listening. While it could be argued that they are doing so because of poor pre-order sales, we still get the same result as gamers--a better console.
@ Maria.
Very nice, thank you. Now would you kindly... Get back under your bridge.
Somehow you managed to make the ridiculously inaccurate and ignorant comparison of Microsoft to Nazi's, while also gaining over 150 agrees in the process. This alone is evidence of the grossly over-exaggerated hatred of MS and the extreme level of bias that plagues this website.
If you truly think MS is even remotely comparable to the Nazi regime, I suggest you brush up on your history.
History does repeat it self
These reactionary moves is exactly what led to the rise and fall of Sega Genesis against Super NES during the 16 bit era to 32 bit era.
This proves M$ is really caught with its pants down.
we the core gaming community/PS gamers are the reason MS had to take many things back and make changes, if it was up to xbox fanboys they would be ok with DRM and here is why
the word CLOUD gives them orgasm so as long as MS uses the word cloud they are ok with everything else
The majority of PS Gamers didnt even know half the stuff that was on the cloud.
I was fine with DRM because i actually took the time to really read up on it. I knew that people complaining about trading in games would be moaning when it came out. I knew how much the cloud improved games.
The only thing i didnt agree with was the fact they were doing it now. DRM isnt worth it when so many people wouldn't be able to use the console because of connection issues.
I liked DRM so im a Xbox fanboy?
Here a little fun fact for you. I preordered the PS4 and the X1 the second the became available. I still have both on preorder.
You've just invoked Godwin's Law.
You should be ashamed of yourself because you have ruined any chance of intellectual discourse within the first comment.
*slow clap*
I guess you're also to thank for the new fee on multiplayer then.
Arent you full of your self.
People crying on forums did nothing. Which as a result you did nothing.
Actual fans who didnt preorder it cause the change.
Also The mind state of Nazi?
That gets 195 agrees?
You're saying that MS wanting DRM is the equivalent of the Nazis murdering MILLIONS of Jews. Causing the worst war in history. Killing and butchering whole family's and bringing the whole world to its knees.
You're saying DRM is like that?
What a pathetically moronic and ignorant thing to say. Its takes someone truly deranged to think of that comparison.
This is the crap that's really making me upset with next gen indie devs.
this guy right here gives Indies a bad name, and I can't stand him.
He is NEVER happy.
I get it...Microsoft is simply reacting to Sony, which hey is probably half true, but instead of still talking crap about Microsoft, move on and make games.
These Indies are getting amazing treatment and honestly if I was a big name publisher I would be little upset that they aren't getting any new benefits, yet they have been following the rules for years now.
Indie developers are getting everything they want/wanted, and they still are complaining. Just be happy you now have yet another platform to publish your game on.
"this guy right here gives Indies a bad name, and I can't stand him. "
If you read the article, it states other indie devs (like the Retro City Rampage guys, Monaco guys, Skulls of the Shogun guys, Super Crate Box guys) all had their suspicions as well.
Add to that list all those former 360-indie devs like Jonathan Blow, the Limbo crew, and Team Meat who all have very stern words to say about Microsoft.
It's not just one guy "giving indies a bad name" or isolated, individual indies complaining for no reason. As Fish pointed out, all Microsoft has right now is words and track record.
This argument can go either way.
The fact that multiple devs are complaining can help either side.
ive read the articles, ive seen Indie the movie, I look at it from both sides.
Indie Devs were treated just like normal devs. I understand that makes it hard for certain developers and causes problems etc, but it still doesnt change the fact Microsoft reached out and published Super Meat Boy, which wouldnt of gotten nearly as much success if it wasnt for XBLA.
There was a time when I associated Indie with terms like innovative and passionate. Now those words are replaced with knock off and unappreciative.
Indie devs used to preach that they just want to make games because it is their passion and they want it to reach as many people as possible. What happened to those devs?? Because all I see is more and more whining.
Microsoft may of had bad policies because they were treating every developer the same, but Microsoft never shut the down on indies and said you dont belong here.
It is obvious Microsoft has changed their tune. Say its reactionary to Sony, bad PR, whatever you want, it still doesnt change the fact it is changed.
Indie devs are getting royal freaking treatment, and yet a lot of them still complain. I feel like some of them wont be happy unless someone makes their game for them, and they get 100% of the profits.
Next thing you know they will complain that companies even take a cut at all.
The funny thing is, I would bet that a majority of these indies will publish their games on Xbox One when it is all said and done because its freaking free. They would be insanely stupid not to.
I just wish we could get back to games, because at the end of they day thats what matters most. I dont care who makes the game, if it is fun I will play it. I dont care if its Indie, AAA, my neighbor or my mom. Whoever makes good content, will get my money.
well just like electronic arts they are also trying to improve there image. i think we know certain individuals on these forums get a kick bashing m$ on a daily basis.
ive never seen so much stealth trolling on one forum as i do here.
I think the phrase you are looking for is "Just deal w/ it"
It's like an abused woman who blames everything and everybody except her husband.
Edit: Women who get abused 90% of the time get mad at people who reference the abuse and concentrate their anger on them versus the abuser. Like you're doing, along w/ many other Xbox fans.
How you made that association baffles me.
Comparing a woman to an indie developer....try a little harder next time.
People act like Microsoft took all the indie devs into a room and beat them up. Talk to the guys that made Super Meat Boy...they have a very successful career now, and a lot of it is from the success on XBLA.
He saying your blaming indies for the fact that MS has treated them poorly and they don't like it.
And no one is acting like MS physically assaulted anyone, just that they're not being genuine. Thats not a bold claim to make when a company changes it's business model as quickly as MS has.
"Too good to be true" is often the case in these situations and I see no issue in pointing that out.
Comparing game companies to Nazism and gamers to abused and beaten women. What a paragon of class.
So Microsoft is the same as the Nazis Murdering, Gassing and butchering Women Children, Men Entire family's.
Now fans of the X1 are the same as women with Stockholm syndrome? A disorder that causes people to feel a sense of love for people that mentally and/or Physically abuse them.
You truly are a nut job. No i don't mean the in jest. You are literally the most out of touch lunatic i have ever seen on this website.
You know the saying that most of our parents should have taught us growing up. "There are repercussions to our actions" Everything we do, and say can be used against us. There are consequences for your policies. That's the nature of business. Sometimes bridges are burned. I really like what Adam Sessler said awhile back. He's really worried how so many people are so into these brands & game systems that they suffer from blind brand loyalty.
How can people accept what these big companies TELL us what's good for us. That's something you have to decide for yourself. We're not forced to just forgive and forget. Some people are just not going to be turned on buy your company anymore and that's okay. I definitely don't blame him. He was treated bad, and that's his right to carry that feeling. Microsoft has to pay the consequences for their previous policies. We;re just going to have to accept that some great games might not be coming to xbox one. That's just one of the negatives to business. You have to deal with PR & the company's image.
The problem is that these developers still had SUCCESS on the Xbox platform.
Its not like these indie devs went bankrupt and lost all of their possessions. They are now living healthy because of the very platform (as well as others) that they hate.
he has a legitimate reason to be angry with microsoft. he released Fez on xbox, discovered a game-breaking bug but was asked to pay $10,000 (if i remember correctly) to patch it.
what kind of new benefits do big publishers need? they already screw over their employees for millions of dollars - Harmonix with the viacom/EA deal, infinity ward with activision - both being screwed out of their contracted bonuses.
You're doing too much of the "blah, blah, blah" and not enough of rational thinking.
The fee applies to everyone.. Or it did at the time..
Its his fault for releasing a game with a game breaking bug in the first place.. Or at least doing so knowing full well what it will cost to patch..
It needs to be tested by ms then sent out to every user.. That all costs money and doesn't help ms in the least.
But most of all.. Its there to discourage developers from releasing untested junk to its customers..
Althought I agree that some big publishers like EA and activision will and have screwed developers out of money. Doing this also insures that indie games are quality and not a indie game ghetto where a lot of trash games flood the store. Then these same devs start crying bevause their game didnt sell as they wanted.
Also a lot of people are overlooking the fact that this arrogant @ss has insulted gamers and japanese gaming like he's gods gift to gaming. Its only because he's trashing MS is the only reason why people are even siding with him.
He needs to take responsibilty for his game crashing buggy game and his unwillingness to fix it.
Interesting way of saying things isn't it?.. tsk tsk on him for releasing a game with a game breaking bug..
yet how do you feel about the big companies (Bethesda, Activision or EA) who have all released games either broken straight out of the box or riddled with game breaking bugs..
so using your logic it perfectly acceptable for them to do that since they have the resources to pay for any certification from MS - nevermind the fact that it's the consumer who's taking a hit cause they were too damn lazy to test their product before releasing it to the market.
How can the indie move on and make games when they can't yet on xbox? Its not ready. Microsoft reacting to sony isn't half true. Its completely true. Where do you get half? There saying the same thing as the people bitching in the comments. Nobody trust microsofts sneaky bs. If your gf cheats on you are you going to trust her anymore or go find someone else?
With all the self publishing, Dev kit for all and Mods. You might as well get a freaking PC. At this point, i don't really see the point of owning an Xbone if they offer similar to a PC. Close system is what differentiate the console to a PC.
They're just options. And it's the expansion of your audience for the games you make that's the point to take away from here.
I'm about to blow your brains out right now... some of us actually like to play on console rather than PC! I know crazy right.
But if you can build a PC that takes the same space and uses the exact same controller and it can do everything the console can plus more with cheaper games. Why do it?
so, what he's really saying is that he'll never be happy with ms again no matter what they do.
first he insults japanese devs and now he continues his streak of negativity and skepticism... Well, I can definitely see how his lead programmer left. yup, I'm never buying his games again.
Well if they never make games for your favorite console, this seems like a win-win.
But what about all the other devs that aren't really buying this about face? Your not going to play their games either because they don't trust a company that didn't treat them right?
Would you trust people who treated you like crap them suddenly kissed your ass?
What is it with these Indie Devs and their feelings being hurt? My goodness...now it matters if it was reactionary and disingenuous? Are they expecting some type of apology or for them to grovel to Indie Devs. I understand the scene is growing, but it is no way supporting any of these machines and a relative few Indie Games actually get recognized.
Even the future ability to use the system as a dev kit isn't enough for these whiners.
I have a meme with Fry too except mine goes something like- Not sure if life is getting better or the amount of F I give is decreasing. <there attitude is making me not to want to start supporting them. Jonathan Blowhard is at the top of this mountain of tears and broken feelings.
Indie devs aren't EA, Ubi, Taketwo so if they want to lose out on money cause they're precious feelings were hurt then let them.
"What is it with these Indie Devs and their feelings being hurt? My goodness...now it matters if it was reactionary and disingenuous? Are they expecting some type of apology or for them to grovel to Indie Devs."
First of all, it matters to them because most indie devs are putting their own livelihoods and finances on the line. They are indies. By nature, they don't have a pool of cash to support their company. And so when a dozen credible, acclaimed indie devs are all saying "it's best to watch out for Microsoft", why should that be ignored? Some of these people got royally screwed by Microsoft when they put their games on XBLA and they're simply warning other indies to not follow the same path.
AND EVEN WHEN MICROSOFT REVERSES THEIR STANCE THEY STILL SAY THEY WON'T SUPPORT THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE FEELINGS WERE HURT. So it isn't about money, it's about feelings for them. Cause if they're livelihood were on the line then they'd get their game out to as many people as they could. Since Micro is going to great "reactionary" lengths to do that and yet they still whine....then let them fail. The gamers didn't do this...and that isn't what they're thinking about.
If it were about gamers, they'd swallow their pride and release their game to as many gamers as they could. But they aren't...
So would they have rather MS NOT reverse their policies?
This is what also gets me upset and why I don't see a lot of folks commenting on this. Remember when this was first brought up and MS had the same draconian policy in place? All we heard was b*****, whining and moaning from some of these very devs telling MS to wise up and change their ways.
Even on this site (which by the way NEVER cared about indies until recently) was huffing and puffing and declaring Sony the winner because of their newly found love for self publishing.
Now after all the crying and pleading MS finally reverses their stance and now we STILL get the same cry baby attitude from these devs. And we also get a lot of folks on here suspicious, confused or not trusting.
So when can the nonsense stop?
MS changed their stance they are making it easier for all indies now. That is their apology to them. It should be about business not some BS about feelings being hurt.
@ theWB27 and maniacmayhem
Clearly you're not paying attention. Indies aren't crying and b****ing about it. Most are being cautiously optimistic, which is exactly what they should be. Right now, all Microsoft has offered is "goals" and "promises" of how self-publishing will be handled in the future. It's important to note that self-publishing is not available on Xbox One right now, and it won't be until some time after launch.
With Microsoft's track record, why wouldn't indies be cautious? Some of these guys got screwed over by Microsoft in the past and now they're saying "okay, it's good that MS allows self-publishing, but are there strings attached?" It's not a matter of crying. It's a matter of indies not wanting to spend another $50,000 or $200,000 of their own money to publish a game on XBLA when they've had a bad experience with Microsoft in the past.
Seems pretty straight forward.
It's really nothing to do with feelings in the least. It's about business, all about business. And when you, as a businessman, feel that the platform you have to have a relationship with in order to make money and continue doing what you do, is being disingenuous, then you have every right to review your standing with them and speak out about it.


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Hi there all, I just wanted to pass on our thanks again on behalf of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival . Yesterday's shoot was an epic effort not to mention all the hard work that went into the planning to deliver something that is sure to be a beautiful thing. We are on our way to again produce something very special for this years Festival and I for one can't wait to see the final result Please pass on our thanks to all the people involved behind the scenes and on the day to make this happen.
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This means the options market is implying that E-mini S&P 500 futures will close at either 1718.75 or 1681.25 on Aug. 9 expiration. Now you can use targets to set up an options strategy. These targets will be more accurate than targets calculated using wave patterns, Fibonacci levels or other technical analysis methods because they are calculated using actual market prices inherently representing market expectations.
Unlike trading the underlying into a catalyst event, the leverage of options allows you to establish a trade with an excellent risk vs. reward setup. Several strategies will work best when set up around the measured move targets.
In general, trading outright calls and puts during catalyst events is not the most effective strategy. Because of the uncertainty surrounding the event, implied volatility will be inflated and options premiums can be relatively expensive. Immediately after the event, implied volatility will fall drastically, decreasing the value of any long premium. The best way to counter the implied volatility effect is to use options spreads.


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Michael Vick still has not been cleared, so Andy Reid can continue to evade the question of whether Vick will be the starter when he returns from a concussion.
"We have to get him healthy here to see where he's at," Reid said. "He took another test today and he didn't pass it. I'm not going to put him at risk. I'm not going to do that. That's not where we're going with this thing."
The decision will not be simple. Reid does not look like he'll coach beyond the next five games, but Foles' development could be meaningful for the long-term future of the franchise. The balance between playing young players and veteran players will be an ongoing subplot to the final month of the season.
"You saw some young guys play today," Reid said. "If the young guys are available to play, we're going to put them in and play them. If that's the situation, I'm not going to hestitate to do that. But we'll see how things go here as we continue to roll on."
For his part, Foles said Vick is the quarterback and offered his support of the veteran quarterback. And he also insisted that he's not worried about trying to prove to Eagles brass -- a group that could include the future head coach -- whether he can become a starting quarterback in the NFL.
"I don't think specifically about that," Foles said. "My goal when I go to work is to be the best teammate, best player possible and to work at my craft, work every day to get better. If you do that, whatever happens, happens. That's how it goes. I don't really worry about things I can't control. All I can control is getting better."


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In order to continually increase the performance and efficiency of their gas turbine (GT) engines, companies are seeking to operate their GT rotating systems at ever higher pressures and temperatures.
This webcast explores using numerical simulation to enable more predictive engineering of gas turbine engine rotating systems (i.e., turbines or compressors), especially to:
The webcast features Dipl.-Ing. Rene Braun of B&B-AGEMA as a guest presenter. He discusses how B&B-AGEMA uses simulation in the design of gas turbine engines to produce more efficient and reliable machines.
About B&B-AGEMA:
B&B-AGEMA in Aachen, Germany, was established as a competence center for power plant and turbomachinery technology. As experts in the design, development and testing of gas turbine engines, engineers there are working at the leading edge in their application of numerical simulation.
Their goal is to work on innovative design strategies that will be included in GT engines ~5 years from now. In this presentation, they will share some of their turbomachinery R&D work, including examples of how they have validated CHT in STAR-CCM+® and used it to improve the cooling techniques of several gas turbines.


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It's ironic that after nearly two centuries of neglect, Anton Reicha's flute sonatas should enjoy their second recording only two months after their first. But while both performances include period instruments, their approaches to the music diverge in revealing ways. Approximately twenty years separate the composition of the two works, thus usefully illustrating the evolution of Reicha's skills as a composer. The G Major Sonata, published in 1805 under the title Sonata For Pianoforte With The Accompaniment Of Obligato Flute, Opus 54, was completed no later than 22 January 1803 – the date Carl van Beethoven, acting as his older brother's secretary, offered it to Breitkopf und Härtel, the eventual publisher. So the work was most likely written in 1802, during Reicha's first year in Vienna. His incipient mastery is evident in the ways he experiments with form. Pastoral in overall tone, the piece is dominated by the opening Allegro, which is large in scale – both performances clock in at just over eighteen minutes. A series of diverse episodes are framed by a recurring walking-rhythm motif, and Reicha manages to vary the order and inflection of his reprises in such a way that we hear each theme in close juxtaposition with every other. Though the flute contributes to the musical discourse in a variety of ways – leading playfully, recalling an earlier mood, undermining or reinforcing a rhythm – the piano predominates, introducing most of the themes and directing their development, sometimes taking long solos. The melodies are sprightly and often memorable.
By the time Reicha wrote the D Major Grand Duo Concertant For Flute And Piano, sometime between 1818 and its publication by Zetter in 1824 as Opus 103, much had changed. After settling permanently in Paris in 1808, he had written two well-received musical treatises that helped secure his appointment in 1818 as Professor of Counterpoint and Fugue at the Paris Conservatoire. More importantly, he had written a huge quantity of music, including most if not all of the 24 wind quintets for which he is best known today. As might be expected, his consequent growth as a composer is readily apparent in the Grand Duo. Harmonically, he ranges more widely than in the earlier work, but with greater economy of means; his themes, for all their variety, are deeply interrelated, and much more compelling. One stylistic signature found in many of Reicha's late works, and included in the Duo's opening movement (the minuet of the Oboe Quintet provides another example), is a type of melodic phrase that's not quite palindromic: where the first half is in the major, the second half, while otherwise correctly mirroring the first, is shifted into the minor; the effect is quite striking. Reicha also sharpens the contrast between movements, especially between the almost Beethovenian thematic compression of the opening movement and the darkly Romantic expansiveness of the Lento second movement. In the finale, the piano creates harmonic islands bridged by the flute's capricious melodies, which are constantly recast in the light of remote tonalities. The bizarre key scheme is typical of Reicha's fondness for experimentation, and yet he makes it work. Indeed, I count the Grand Duo as being amongst his finest works, and as such a genuine masterpiece, if a deceptively congenial one.
Of the two CDs under review, the Oshima and Tuma recording on ARTA is the world première. It is also the better performance and recording, though Kröper and Lancaster have much to offer. Yoshimi Oshima uses a modern flute (by Muramatsu & Sankyo) when accompanying Jaroslav Tuma's McNulty copy of an 1805 Walter Sohn fortepiano. By contrast, Andreas Kröper plays on a one-keyed flute made by Andreas Greve in c. 1800 Mannheim, with Geoffrey Lancaster on a restored Jakob Weiss fortepiano from early 1820s Vienna. Though I happily admit to being a fan of period instrument performance, what's more important to me is the extent of the performers' emotional engagement, technical facility, and musicality, regardless of the instrumentarium. Nevertheless, Kröper's playing aside, I question the wisdom of his choice of instrument. By the early nineteenth century, five-key flutes were widely available, and we know that the flute-playing Reicha, when writing his wind quintets, took very explicit advantage of the latest technical innovations in woodwind construction, with all that that implied in terms of purity and color of tone, added range, and rapidity of execution. Though Kröper is a fine flautist, the effectiveness of his performance is undermined by his instrument, which is largely incapable of smoothly and elegantly executing music written for its more dextrous descendants. Where the one-keyed flute is well suited to the sonatas of Emanuel Bach, under Reicha's greater technical demands its darkly inviting sound is sometimes labored and screechy, in faster passages its articulation blurry, its intonation difficult to maintain. Though Kröper puts up a good fight, listening to his breathy performance is finally more a chore than a pleasure.
None of these problems attend Yoshimi Oshima or his flute. His playing is superb: pure in intonation, fleet, nuanced, rhythmically adroit, interpretively alert – qualities that well describe his partner's playing as well. Jaroslav Tuma's McNulty/Sohn fortepiano has a much firmer tone than many of the Anton Walter fortepianos so often featured on recordings, and it blends well with Oshima's silvery tones. But what makes the performance is the unanimity of Oshima and Tuma's teamwork: while they lovingly evoke the details of each musical episode, they never lose sight of the long line of the musical argument, clearly and compellingly revealing the music's often complex architectonics. By contrast, Kröper and Lancaster's performance, though often compelling, is occasionally marred by loose ensemble and rhythmic drag; they are at their weakest when it comes to evoking Reicha's overarching structures. But their approach is more romantic, with a judicious use of rubato; they find greater mystery in Reicha's music, especially in slower passages, something hushed and reverent. The Weiss fortepiano has a dark-hued quality that's very attractive, along with some lovely damping effects that Lancaster puts to good use.
As for sound, the Supraphon recording is a tad over-resonant, a tad too distant; the ARTA is clear and well-defined, close in with just the right amount of air around the instruments. Both CDs are elegantly packaged. Andreas Kröper's program notes for the Supraphon disc are elegantly written and full of telling insights into Reicha and his milieu; the ARTA notes focus more on the changing fortunes of the flute in Romantic Era chamber music. Both lack a detailed analysis of the music.
My recommendations? The ARTA disc offers the best value – in addition to fine performances of the flute sonatas, you get Jaroslav Tuma's probing account of four of Reicha's genuinely weird piano fugues, which makes this disc a good introduction to Reicha's unique musical world for those new to his music. But if, like me, you want to know Reicha's music through multiple interpretive perspectives, the Supraphon, despite its shortcomings, is well worth having too.
Copyright © 2000, Ron Drummond


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CSESZNEKI email@example.com_county.london.london_free_press 2008-04-01 published
CSESZNEKI, Julia Elaine (née EECHAUTE)
Of Saint Thomas, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 31, 2008, at the Saint Thomas-Elgin General Hospital, in her 70th year. Beloved wife of the late James CSESZNEKI and dearly loved mother of Teresa CERNA of Aylmer, Karen CSESZNEKI of Saint Thomas and Steven and his wife Jen CSESZNEKI of London. Dear sister of Carl EECHAUTE of Langton, Julien and his wife Valerie of Langton, Angela and her husband John WENINGER of Aylmer, Gloria WYBO (late Albert) of Tillsonburg, Linda and her husband Ralph HARVEY of Saint Thomas, Ginny and her husband Roger WYBO of Saint Thomas and the late Richard EECHAUTE. Much loved grandmother of Kevin and Kathy CERNA, Cassie HANDLEY and Jamie, Jordan and Sadie CSESZNEKI. Sadly missed by a number of nieces and nephews. Julia was born in North Walsingham Township on September 2nd, 1938, the daughter of the late Maurice and Gladys (JONES) EECHAUTE. She was a member of Holy Angels' Church and of the Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter 57. Resting at Williams Funeral Home, 45 Elgin Street, Saint Thomas until Thursday morning and then to Holy Angels' Church where Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10: 00 a.m. Interment to follow in Holy Angels' Cemetery. Visitation at the funeral home on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Prayers will be recited at the funeral home on Wednesday at 7: 00 p.m. Remembrances may be made to the Dialysis Unit of Victoria Hospital or charity of choice.
C... Names CS... Names CSE... Names Welcome Home
CSESZNEKI - All Categories in OGSPI


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The looming presidential election is leaving me a little anxious. While Obama is clearly leading in the polls, the experience of the Bush/Gore disaster from 2000 has taught me not to take anything for granted.
And in California, where Obama's victory is a given, the spotlight has moved to Proposition 8, a ballot measure which would amend the state constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
I don't even care about getting married, but that isn't what is at stake here. This is a fight about civil rights.
I'll leave it to the likes of the Los Angeles Times and writer Prince Golmovilas to make a case for why you, Californians, should vote to defeat Proposition 8 (and when you're done, we can gab about how cute the girls are looking in Doha!).
Something tells me readers of this blog would vote No on 8 anyway. So really, just make sure to go out and vote tomorrow — if you haven't done so already.


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Following a disappointing defeat at Georgia, South Carolina is going back to the drawing board as it prepares for its upcoming SEC home opener against Vanderbilt.
Following a disappointing defeat Saturday at Georgia, South Carolina is going back to the drawing board as it prepares for its upcoming SEC home opener against Vanderbilt.
USC head coach Steve Spurrier vowed changes were on the way during his post-game press conference Saturday night, and he reiterated those remarks during his teleconference on Sunday.
"We're going to have to do some things differently," Spurrier said. "I can't spill all the beans and tell Vandy what we're trying to do, but I will say we're going to try to be fundamentally sound. If we do that we've got a chance. If we don't we have no chance."
After watching the tape from Saturday's game, Spurrier concluded that the entire team, including the coaching staff, has work to do.
"I think it's evident that Georgia not only outplayed us, they outcoached us in this ballgame," he said. "We're going to try and regroup and see if we can't get better. We've got to get back to basic fundamentals."
Despite its loss to the Bulldogs, South Carolina still has a shot at winning the SEC East.
Georgia went on to win the division each of the past two seasons after losing to South Carolina, but Spurrier said the Gamecocks are not thinking about that right now.
"We're not into that," Spurrier said. "We don't have to worry about any kind of division or SEC Championship. We're worried about going to a bowl game right now, that's what we need to worry about, winning seven games or eight games if we can."
Spurrier expects USC to have its hands full with Vanderbilt. The Commodores won nine games a year ago and gave USC all it could handle in Nashville last season.
Ole Miss defeated Vandy 39-35 to open the season, but the Commodores responded with a 38-3 win over Austin Peay. Spurrier said the Commodores have plenty of talent.
"When you watch them on defense they look like maybe the best defense we've faced this year," Spurrier said. "Those guys are fast. They're quick; they're always in position. They're really a well-coached defense. We've got to be really ready to play."
As far as injuries, Spurrier said USC is relatively healthy, but Cody Waldrop, who missed the Georgia game with a foot sprain, is doubtful for Saturday.
Kadetrix Marcus, who missed the Georgia game with a shoulder injury, could play.


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No such elective offered
I picked my family up at the church they attend. They go to a modern mega-church based on the Willow Creek concept, with huge attendance. It is all the current rage. And as I was walking in, I see literally 1000's of people that believe with firm conviction in a God appearing in Human form, born by virgin birth, dying by crucifixion, and raised again from the dead.
I can't help but be impressed by the idea of how there can be so many that feel so strongly in this truth. What makes them any different than me?
It struck me immediately—the distinguishing characteristic is knowledge and willingness to change.
As I watched various groups break off to pray together, or enter a Bible study, or discuss the most recent sermon, I realize how little most persons attending a Church actually know about the manufacture and creation of the book in which they rest their belief.
In case anyone questions my credentials, I can confirm I have never done a survey in this area. I have not engaged in a 2 year project, attending a different church everyday, creating charts, and quantifying analysis with clever Powerpoint presentations. All I can rely upon is my experience in church.
I started attending Church when I was six weeks old, graduating from nursery, to pre-school to children's church to Sunday School to Junior High to High School to College Age to Young Married to Not-so-young Married. We were that family that went to Sunday School, Morning Worship, afternoon Bible study, Band/Choir practice, Evening service, Awana, Wednesday Prayer, and weekend activities. I have attended a variety of churches, some with attendances as small as 30, some with over 10,000. I have friends that attend other churches, also with large and small numbers.
I have never heard of a single class, in a church, on the Synoptic Problem. I never even knew of such a thing until I began debating non-believers.
Christians engage in Bible study, not the study of the Bible. Why is that? Because we assumed it to be true, so there was never any reason to review beyond that. But shouldn't we be willing, and even exuberant in our study of how the book came together? Or the various questions in Christianity?
This is supposed to be an absolute. A religion manufactured by the very creator of truth, logic and the American Way! (Whoops. Sorry. Got carried away with that last one. Strike that.) Christians, I would think, would clamor to obtain knowledge about how Christianity sprang into being. It should only validate the belief. Yet we were surprisingly uninformed.
Oh, sure we all knew about the Epistle of Hebrews. *Snicker* That old chestnut. Silly folks used to believe it was written by Paul, but [b]we[/b] know so much more now. We knew the debate, and how it certainly wasn't written by Paul.
But no one ever talked about the Pastorals. No one discussed the problem of their authorship, or the varying reasons why Paul would not be the author. No one discussed the complete differences between 1 Peter and 2 Peter, and how they simply could not be written by the same person. Nor that 1 Peter copied Jude. Certainly nothing was discussed about Jude quoting the Book of Enoch!
A year ago, I was talking to a deacon in his late 60's who had attended church since childhood. I asked him, "Have you ever thought about reading the New Testament in the order in which the books were written?" He paused for a moment and confessed, "You know, I have never even [i]thought[/i] about the order in which they were written."
There are no classes on textual criticism. On dating of manuscripts. Defining uncials and minuscule writings. We were not taught that the closest documents we have are scraps of papyrus that barely have complete words (let alone a complete verse) dated before 200 C.E. That the earliest documents we have with sections of the New Testament are dated to the Early third Century. More than 150 years after Jesus was supposed to die. More than enough time for legends to develop, for doctrines to be inserted, for copies to be manipulated.
No, we were taught that the KJV only crowd was out-of-date. That's it.
Oh, we occasionally, for fun, reviewed the "other" books. The ones that didn't make it in. How silly to believe that Jesus killed a child for running into him. Obvious fakes. No, our books, the ones where Jesus has to take two cracks at curing blindness with spit are clearly far superior!
We certainly did not discuss the archeological findings of the past 30 years. The complete lack of evidence for Joshua's invasion, the Exodus, the Ten Plagues, and the slavery in Egypt. No classes on the dating of the Flood, and how the other civilizations of the world somehow failed to record it. A pastor or teacher may refer to antiquated research about how the walls of Jericho were found to have fallen outward, or give the urban legend that all societies of the world have a flood myth story, and claim that this confirms every fact from Genesis to Revelation as recorded in the Bible.
But no one was taught to question it. To look it up on their own. To do their own research. Part of every person's schooling process was teaching how to learn it on your own. It was called "Homework." No pastor or teacher said, "Here is some homework. Go learn all about archeology and whether it supports or does not support the events recorded in the Tanakh." Why not? If this is absolute truth, if this is the very basis of the reason we exist, any such testing should be welcomed! Any such research as to the very foundation of one's belief should be enjoyed and sought out. Not avoided at all costs.
It is not as if Christians are afraid of reason and knowledge. Books by Craig and Strobel and Plantinga and the Intelligent Design crowd fly off the shelves of Christian bookstores. But what is missing? The only knowledge that is sought is confirmation. Not open-ended debate. Christians do not read books written by scientists as to what evolution states, they read books written by creationists that say what evolution states.
Question: If I told Christians that the only way to learn about Christianity is to read what non-believers state, would they hold to this method? Would they only read atheist books, or Muslim tales, or agnostic opinions on Christianity? Most certainly not! Yet when engaged on a course of study as to what non-believers determine, Christians contain themselves to books only written by Christians. If you really want to know about evolution, perhaps reading a book by a scientist on the subject? If you really want to know about the Tanakh, perhaps read a Jewish perspective? They are the ones that wrote it, you know!
I am sure many reading this are saying, "Not me! I know many of these subjects and more!" I am sure you do. The fact that you are on-line and even daring to read a site such as this displays at least an openness to learn. O.K. Are you teaching a class in your church? Are you explaining the various ways to resolve the Synoptic problem? Are you explaining that in some way Matthew, Mark and Luke borrowed from each other, or another source, and that we do not have three independent witnesses, but one or two basic sources? Are you explaining the problems with aligning the birth narratives, the issue of the virgin prophecy, and the inability to coordinate the resurrection appearances without an almost Keystone Cops comedy of errors?
Almost universally, deconverts will state that it was the gaining of more and more knowledge that made Christianity less and less viable. Why is that? Why is a church more than happy to invite an evangelist to speak for a week, but is concerned about my speaking for an hour? If Christians hold truth, they should invite the atheists to come and speak. Let the facts be displayed. They have God, and truth on their side. We should be laughed out of the building. Our facts demonstrated as utter nonsense. Yet this is not the case.
Somehow I doubt my invitation is in the mail.
It is not just lack of knowledge. Even when the knowledge is provided, it is rejected, due to a refusal to modify one's beliefs.
An axiom of scientific methodology is that a hypothesis must answer the data as we know it. Upon learning new information the conflicts with the old hypothesis, a new one is proposed. The new hypothesis must answer the new data as well as answer the same data the old hypothesis did.
A simple example of one's automobile not starting. Our first hypothesis is that the key is not in the ignition. We see the key is in the ignition. Now we need a new hypothesis. We propose the car is not in "Park." The new hypothesis answers the same data the old one did (the car not starting) as well as the new data (a key can be in the ignition, but if the car is not in "park" it will not start.) We see the car is in park. A new hypothesis is there is no gasoline in the tank. This new hypothesis answers the old data (car not start, key in ignition, car in park) as well as answering new data. We then go through the process of learning new information as to gasoline, gas pump, battery, starter and as each new item of data is provided, our hypothesis is modified to incorporate this new information.
Can Christians modify their belief; modify their hypothesis, upon learning new information? Upon learning that the earth, according to geologists, is 4-5 Billion years old, can a Christian modify their determination of a 6000 year old earth? Indicate that Genesis is an allegory, not a literal dating system? Upon learning there was no global deluge, can a Christian modify that? That archeology contradicts Exodus, Joshua and Judges, can a Christian modify their belief?
What I see is dogged determination. Almost a fear that if any one point is ever conceded, the whole system will collapse. As if they have an old owner's manual that says the car will not start, because the battery is disconnected. We can point out the key is not in the ignition, the car is not in park, there is no gasoline, and even the entire engine is missing, and it will not matter. The Christian is unyielding that the reason and the only reason that car will not start is the reason stated in the old owner's manual—the battery is not connected.
As I looked at the people milling about me, I thought of two scenarios:
1) I start talking to someone about new information I have learned about the stock market, in which, by using this information, we can invest wisely, and generate income. It doesn't matter to whom I begin this speech; soon there would be a crowd about, discussing, learning, investigating as to this new system of making money.
And out of that crowd, at least one, if not more would go home and googelwhack the things I said, do some research on their own to test the validity. Some would walk away with a new understanding, and may even modify their lives, to incorporate what I just said.
2) I begin to talk about how Paul did not seem to know the Jesus of the Gospels. How Paul's writing never records a miracle performed by Jesus, nor does he quote Jesus when it would be supportive of his position. (Yes, I know about the Eucharist. If Paul is willing to quote Jesus on that, why not quote him on something like…..I don't know……say "Love your neighbor"?)
I begin to discuss the problems with a historical Jesus, in light of this information. Does a crowd develop? Maybe with pitchforks and torches! Does anyone got out and do some research on their own? Absolutely not! About the best I could hope for was a comment later about a raving lunatic that appeared, saying the most insane things like Paul not knowing Jesus' history. Does anyone modify their beliefs? Of course not.
While this is a bit extreme, it does demonstrate the difference between me and the crowd I found about me. Would I have researched those claims? Would I have done my homework? I guess the only point that would support that I did, is where I am today.
We see people respond to the blogs here. (Thank you, by the way, to all who do, believer or non-believer. Dialogue is mature discussion.) One of the common claims is "You guys make all the same responses." Yes, Christianity, while a fairly broad belief, is limited. There is only so much information available. Yet these "same responses" are not discussed in churches. They are not being addressed, talked about, discussed, and openly shared.
There are no Sunday School classes for atheists to present their views to inquiring minds. There is no encouragement to view the other side, read a countering position, research on one's own. There is no investigation into the First Century Greek world, Hellenization, Palestine, or early Jewish beliefs. We see the party line given over and over.
While to many, these may be the "same responses" they have seen elsewhere. But they haven't seen them in church.
I find it demonstrative that the very first Christian book preserved says, "Test everything. Hold on to what is good." (1 Thess. 5:21) I wonder if immediately after that, Paul found out that was a bad idea, and dropped it like a hot potato.


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Rams subs rally to beat Ravens subs 24-21
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The preseason finale showed the Baltimore Ravens' opponents nothing.
Coach John Harbaugh used none of his starters, and even let Joe Flacco and Ray Rice skip the trip for a 24-21 loss to the St. Louis Rams on Thursday night.
The Super Bowl champions were already in regular-season mode, leaving plenty of playing time for hopefuls fighting for roster spots. Rams coach Jeff Fisher used a handful of his first-stringers, including both first-round picks, but none of them for too long. He told everybody else two hours before game-time that they'd be getting the night off.
Typically, Fisher has given everyone playing time in Week 4, but he noted it's a "new world."
They were looking ahead, too.
"It feels pretty good for it to be over with. They (preseason games) don't really count," said cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who saw limited action. "It all counts now, so you got to be ready to roll."
The Ravens (2-2) open the NFL season on Thursday night at Denver, while the Rams (1-3) will be at home next Sunday against Arizona.
Here are five things we know about the Rams from the preseason:
FISHER'S GUYS: Entering Fisher's second season, the Rams' roster overhaul has been drastic. There's about a dozen holdovers from failed regimes, and it'll again be one of the NFL's youngest teams. A few players have been simply too good to show the door: middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive end Chris Long and quarterback Sam Bradford.
WIN NOW: Expectations are increased after the additions of free agents Jared Cook and Jake Long and what appears to be a strong draft class. The NFC West is stacked but the Rams were 4-1-1 in the division, and Bradford could be ready to make a leap in his second season with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. "I think obviously we are much improved at the skill position group just in the sense that we've got a lot more speed," Bradford said.
BRADFORD'S BACKUP: Both players seeking the Rams' second-string quarterback job played well in the finale. Veteran Kellen Clemens played his strongest game despite breaking his nose, and second-year player Austin Davis threw two touchdown passes, one for the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter. Fisher wasn't tipping his hand, but joked that Clemens "was a little worried about his modeling career after football."
KID STUFF: The Robert Griffin III trade keeps paying off. Surplus picks from the deal with Washington emboldened general manager to trade up for wide receiver Tavon Austin this year. Austin and fellow first-rounder Alec Ogletree will start, two rookies started on defense last year and they've still got the Redskins' 2014 first-rounder in their pocket.
VANDY DANDY: Rams fifth-rounder Zac Stacy bid to nail down the backup running back job, showing grit on a 1-yard scoring run. St. Louis traded its last two draft picks to get Stacy, the Vanderbilt career leading rusher. Isaiah Pead is suspended for Week 1 and didn't help himself when he fumbled the opening kickoff, his second giveaway of the preseason.
And five things we know about the Ravens:
CHAMPS RE-MADE: The Ravens had more than their share of comings and goings in the offseason, saying goodbye to starters Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard, Paul Kruger and Cary Williams, and hello to Elvis Dumervil, Chris Canty, Marcus Spears, Daryl Smith and Michael Huff.
FLACCO'S CHALLENGE: Joe Flacco has a new six-year, $120.6 million contract but must adjust to losing two of his favorite targets. Wide receiver Anquan Boldin was traded after refusing to take a pay cut and tight end Dennis Pitta could be out for the year with a dislocated and fractured hip.
NICE SHOW: Ravens first-round pick Matt Elam, second on the depth chart behind James Ihedigbo, has had a strong preseason and was among the early standouts in the finale with a fumble recovery and four tackles in the first quarter. It's expected he'll quickly become part of the rotation in a new-look secondary.
REPLACING RAY: For the first time in their 18-year existence, Lewis isn't manning middle linebacker. Daryl Smith, who signed a free agent deal in June, is the veteran replacement. He's a sure tackler entering his 10th season and could help provide some of the veteran presence the Ravens lost.
LAST LINE: The second-largest challenge for the Ravens is moving on without Reed on the back end. Free agent pickup Michael Huff, who played every game for Oakland last year, will take on that unenviable task.
Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org


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March 13, 2014
LAWT News Service
Ernest L. Thomas, star of 70s classic comedy sitcom "What's Happening" was the honored guest at an intimate viewing of TV One Network's "Unsung" series which featured Thomas. The event was held Wednesday, March 12- 6:30pm-9:30pm at Stir LA Restaurant & Lounge in Sherman Oaks. Known best for his big smile that lights up a room, his infectious laugh and his iconic roles as Raj from "What's Happening" and "What's Happening Now," Mr. Omar in "Everybody Hates Chris" and his role in "Malcolm X", but Ernest is so much more than just a comedic actor.
Ernest writes screenplays, has sold a script to Sony Pictures and has written a book in collaboration with his mother entitled "Conversations with My Mother: Food for the Mind, Body and Soul". He also manages new talent and is producing several shows currently in development with his production company, Bravokid Entertainment.


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Okay, here's the place to recount all the cool or horrifying stories of your turkey day. Family fights? Awkward moments? Tears of joy? Major injuries? Give us the scoop.
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Okay, here's the place to recount all the cool or horrifying stories of your turkey day. Family fights? Awkward moments? Tears of joy? Major injuries? Give us the scoop.
I would like to thank the American people for celebrating the eve of my birthday. Seriously I only visited your country once for under 24 hours and yet you do this.
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant (exceptin' Alice.)
Better late then never eh? ;p
So I'm cooking my first turkey breast right now. I'll be back with disaster details in about 2 hours.
Any cooks in the house? The recipe I'm following said to wrap it in foil for ~30 minutes, then cook uncovered @ 325 ~1.5 hours. I'll be adding broth to the pan as it cooks and there are some veggies in the bottom of the pan to help retain moisture, but that foiling for only 30 mins just seems wrong. Does that sound wrong?
(I brined it as well, so hopefully that will help keep it from drying out…)
All quiet on the western front.
For us, it's gonna be Campbell's Red Label soup, tuna sandwiches, and ice cream with butterscotch sauce. That's 'cause I've awarded myself four votes.
Then the kids will watch football while me and hub … uh … retire to … uh … give thanks.
We started a new tradition last year. In rural Iowa, a burn pile is a necessity. However, we don't often get calm days in which to turn our trash into ash. Last turkey day was perfrect; not a breeze in sight. So with one match I began a small burn. After about the third trip into the house to gather up burnables my wife wanted to know why the swamp maple next to our house was smoking. Apparently the hollow in the trunk of the tree was full of dry dry leaves and other burnable detritous. We decided to call the fire department who proceeded to empty their largest tanker truck onto the blaze (we don't live near a fire hydrant). During the dousing a nesting raccoon ran up the tree from his once safe hidey-hole. The firemen sprayed the critter and encouraged him to take to the neighboring corn field. So if you see a singed-tailess bandit running around, be thankful that our house didn't burn to the ground.
We're having Thanksgiving here on Sunday, so today my husband and I are going to a damn expensive but incredibly good buffet at a fine local restaurant.
I love Thanksgiving, and claim it as humanist. Theists, on the other hand, often accuse atheists of having no reason to celebrate Thanksgiving: it is a religious holiday based on giving thanks to God. Who do we thank?
Well, in addition to thanking a lot of human beings (don't they count?), feelings of appreciation and gratitude don't need to be framed in terms of a relationship. You can appreciate a fine warm November day (63 degrees in Wisconsin!) without having to believe someone literally GAVE it to you on purpose, so you need to say an actual "thank you."
I say metaphorical and whimsical "thank yous" to nature, and real ones to people. Thank you, Ed and other commenters, for another fine year.
We have A href="http://uzzas.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-unprayer.html">LOTS to give thanks to.
*html code is not one of them >;-(
Leni @4: I believe that the wrapping in foil comes after the cooking in order to facilitate the removal of the cotton netting (if you're using one of those prepackaged breast roasts.) Just putting a tight lid on the roasting pan for the same amount of time works just as well.
I roasted mine yesterday after marinating it in some olive oil, white wine, white balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper for three hours. It's delish! Can't do that with a 22 pound bird, eh?
But I really just wanted to bitch about having to work the black Friday sales tomorrow 🙁
Having to get up at oh-dark-thirty to work in the chaos I'd never willingly participate in otherwise kind of puts a downer on my Thanksgiving (or Big Chicken Day as a friend calls it.)
But I'm thankful to have the job, anyhow. Sigh.
Oh, you know. Obnoxious nephew being obnoxious, and everyone yelling at obnoxious nephew for being obnoxious. Again. Throw in some yelling at dog who is untrained because they don't know how, and so thus let's just yell at the dog again for the 30th time in a row because eventually he'll just start understanding, right?
I told my parents that I was going to my brother's house for Thanksgiving. Instead, I flew home, let myself in while they were asleep and surprised my dad at the kitchen table as he was eating breakfast.
For some reason the video turned out blurry.
Turkey is in the oven, family is here – as is a Norwegian Army friend I served with in Afghanistan, when I was liaison between my US Army unit and his.
Already a great day, and haven't started in on the bird yet.
Oh, Americans having their Turkey Day today?
Don't eat & drink too much. Or do eat & drink too much, if you usually don't. Whatever. Have fun 😉
You are too modest. Your visit to our country remains an inspiration to me and all other Americans.
My wife is busily preparing our Matty Day Turkey as I type.
With irregular shaped roasts like a turkey breast, you run into the problem of uneven cooking. The point of the foil is to keep too much water from evaporating, thus drying it out, before the meat has reached a reasonably consistent temperature in the thick and thin parts. After about half an hour, you can remove the foil and let it roast normally.
@ Gregory- that's what I thought, but 30 mins just seemed too short. Anyway, I followed the recipe, turkey is cooling now, golden brown delightfully juicy!
I can't believe I didn't ruin it!
When I made the brine I accidentally added too much rosemary (cap fell off and like half the bottle dumped in), but damn if it isn't a fine, fine rosemary infused turkey now.
Here's to delicious food… and brandy infused iced coffee!
@twincats, you should read Mano's Thanksgiving post, there is a very gratifying rant about Black Friday I think you'll enjoy 😉
Some years back when my wife and I used to host our families, we had the usual suspects at the table of 9, my 2 retarded brothers and mentally ill sister, my folks, and her folks. House cleaning was at least 1.5 days, food prep 3 days in advance, clean up another day or two (we have a dishwasher and his name is John). My wife and I made everything from scratch; she'd make a brussels sprouts casserole and onion dish (lots of cream, butter and garlic), I'd make a stuffing with dried apricots, fresh apples, thyme, sage, spiced sausage, olive oil, etc., mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, homemade gravy with mushrooms… The families would basically sit around while we served them. My back was cashed after all that work.
One year, my annoying mother in-law was sputtering on and on about something, moving the physical pain into the mental realm for me. She'd get so worked up she would spit out phrases like "let me tell you" and "well I uh uh uh" and "I just wanna say", and it took her forever to get to the point. At some point in her pointlessness, my older brother looked up from his food and said, like Porky Pig, "Uhbadee uhbadee uhbadee that's all folks."
I was still laughing days later.
My teenaged Son was tasked to give the Thanksgiving day prayer. Him and I are non believers but we were still in the closet. Luckily he had a few days warning and had time to prepare one. Come the big day he launched into this long eloquent speech, thanking the farmers, the grocers, the scientists, etc. Not once did he mention God. When he was done the family spoke as one "Amen!" and we went on to eat with no one the wiser. Me, I could hardly restrain the laughter that the family said Amen to a godless prayer.
No drama, fights, insults, pouting or drunken outbursts (so far), sorry.
We ditched the family and came to Sanibel Island. Bought two delicious (no, really) $10 turkey dinners (three sides and a dinner roll included) at Bailey's ("Where Sanibel Shops…Since 1899"), ate one and spent up to now shelling on the beach.
Cocktail time now, then the other dinner later on after catching the sunset over The Gulf and watching for dolphins.
Tomorrow: rinse and repeat (with a trip to Ding Darling to take pictures of birds…I'm looking at YOU, roseate spoonbills).
To me, the best way to say thanks is to take advantage of the wonders available to us. I hope everybody else has as wonderful a day.
Decided to forgo celebrating the slaughter of Native Americans with devoutly Catholic parents and "brothers" who keep shrieking "ATHEISM IS A RELIGION, TOO!!!
Much quieter here at Starbucks.
A turkey dinner is definitely on the schedule, however, with my diplegic friend (former Mormon, almost-atheist… I'll keep working on him) in Berkeley later tonight.
Cheers, Ed!
my son just underwent surgery and i thanked the p.a. and mentioned that i was thankful for the technology that allowed this to happen and also i'm thankful that i live in this country.
moron had to ruin it by saying that god blessed my family. sheesh.
Gregory in Seattle,
Ian McMillan found Alice in this rather neat radio programme –
Well, our Thanksgiving is several different levels of awkward. In addition to it being the first Thanksgiving since my father passed away, my siblings and I now have to keep our mom's spirits up while simultaneously keeping her blissfully unaware that we've all become atheists/agnostics. Which won't be easy, since she's inviting 4 other people from her church to dinner with us. Her very conservative church that we've all privately sworn never to enter again for our own sanity.
Cthulhu help us all. Preferably by waking up early and devouring the world.
Had Thanksgiving dinner at the nursing home where my mother-in-law lives.
I am very thankful for the good people who work hard all year to care for our loved ones when they can no longer care for themselves, and who worked today when most of us were spending time with our families.
I am also grateful for Medicaid, which is now covering her, since her life savings are long gone.
@Maureen Brian #25 – That is excellent. The clip I linked above is from the Reprise album, which came out 25(?) years after the original. This version is a bit longer, and explains just how a single song — coincidentally 18 minutes and 20 seconds long — can change the course of national events.
Lot's of food and hilarious jokes (many at the expense of one or more family members). Sadly, no alcohol (mostly Mormon family and all).
Now we're just killing time with a game of dominoes before a bunch of people head out to the Loony Sales (which I will not attend).
Seen on Facebook: "This year, I am thankful that I will never have to say President Romney."
Gregory – one of our local radio stations plays the full version every Thanksgiving.
I had a surprisingly mellow Thanksgiving. Made more mellow by the gift of home made caramel flavored Kahlua. I am right now drinking some with cream and a splash of cafe de olla. Cheers!
I was at a very good friend's house with his wife, his sister and her pal–who seems like a vast improvement over her former husband–and his sister's daughter.
Six people v a 22 pound turkey with all the extras–no contest, the food won. I brought home a weeks worth of leftovers and about half of the chocolate walnut torte with raspberry glaze and chocolate ganache. Oh, yeah, it also had orange flavored whipped cream with a dash of Asbach Uralt brandy.
The recipe for my new, traditional, Thanksgiving dish, RacPosUnk–a competitor with TurDucKen which takes advantage of "under utilized species"–may be found at my place (http://polrant.blogspot.com/).
Well my husband had to resign from his job yesterday due to health issues and we couldn't go to the thanksgiving dinner at his parent's house because he worried the drive would be too stressful and he might have an attack away from home. BUT I am super grateful because he's on my health insurance so the fact that he's seeing so many doctors won't drive us into the poor house. And my parents are planning a make-up thanksgiving meal for me. (His issues are gastrointestinal so he wasn't worried about missing dinner.) And the doctors are 99.9% sure its not cancer. Oh and I also have a broken foot. We've started referring to our place as the "house of broken". But otherwise everything is good!
This year was a bit of a downer: I had run out of Prilosec late last week and I didn't have the money to buy a new package. My GURD decided to act up so I spent most of the day trying to keep down the burning effluvia that washed around my stomach and would occasionally shoot up my esophagus. Antacids and milk were of little use. I took a Prilosec in the morning hopes that it would kick in time for dinner. No luck.
Dinner was good, especially since it gave my stomach acid something to eat other than my innards, at least for a while. My father, his brother, their best friend and his lady friend, retired to living room to complain about Obama, "the takers," legalized pot, and the evil homosexual/transgender menace. I went upstairs so I wouldn't have to hear their uninformed stupidity, get angry and say something, and be thrown out of the house by my father for daring to challenge his politics.
Oh well. I'm going to sit up and watch MST3K reruns on Netflix.
My family has several offshoots and splinters. The various crazy parents and (ex)step-parents get to use their emotional blackmail and dirty tricks to try and force my siblings to their drama filled and booze fueled 'celebrations' today. Tomorrow the sane ones get together and laugh and/or commiserate about the events of today over the huge piles of food that I really enjoy making. This is my favorite holiday.
My boyfriend had to work today, and will be back at work for Black Friday tomorrow. I stayed home to make a nice little turkey (breast) dinner, with stuffed seitan for him as he's vegan (yeah, the turkey breast is a bit excessive for one, but I like having leftovers). When the bf got off work, he called to see if we had enough food for a third person (of course we did!), as the friends of one of his coworkers had changed plans at the last minute, leaving her on her own. She apparantly had said she would just go home and have ramen for dinner. Instead, I got to meet a new friend over turkey dinner, and watch the Redskins beat the Cowboys. Quite a nice day on the whole.
My boyfriend and I are both horribly sick and have been since Monday night. With no health insurance, we've been relying on each other for as much comfort as we can find, hoping to beat the illness without the help of a doctor. During a particularly bad fever scare last night, I held his hand while he endured the most uncomfortable lukewarm bath he's ever had.
Today, I don't have my health and I didn't have a fancy dinner, but I have him, and that's all I need.
sheesh – I was gonna complain about the special treat I got on my birthday* yesterday, but it was really nothing after all.
Goodnight and good-luck all.
* I got to bury a large and very deceased possum. O let joy be unbounded! RIP P.O.P. (poor ol' poss). 🙂
John Hinkle – thanks, improved my mood no end.
I, personally, would have gone all John Cleese: 'You Americans! You talk, and you talk, AND YOU TALK. You say "I just wanna say…" and "Let me you this…". Well you're dead now, SO SHUT UP!'
(Anyone order the salmon mousse?)
Family member sent around one of those FaceBook poster-photo sets–
Picture 1: the family around the table, heads bowed: "Thank you, Jesus, for this food…"
Picture 2: Mexican farm worker with arm full of produce: "De nada."
Most of the big items on our table came from either local -or our own – efforts. A South Dakota wild turkey my spouse shot. Sweet potatoes, celery, greens, squash, and apples all from local farm stands.
Most of the rest came from our local "seconds" grocery–a store that sells overstock items. I am not exactly sure how to classify such stores and purchases–it sure saves us $$$, and prevents waste, but it's still industrial food-oriented.
Were it not for the ruinous freight costs I would say send that marsupial my way, post haste. As is, you have one of the three (and one of the harder to obtain) prime ingredients of RacPosUnk. Considering your locale you might consider using a wallaby for the outermost layer and, I'm just spitballin' here, a juicy little duckbilled platypus for the "centerpiece". You would have to change the name to WalPosPus but the preparation would be pretty much the same*.
I'm assuming that your area is well stocked with a local species of "Crazy Uncle Lem".
Demo – You'd have to go to Hobbiton* for that one. Possums are a feral pest there, so they happily shoot them and make them into fine socks and hats (very warm they are too. I'd recommend them).
Have a nice post-turkey snooze in front of the TV for me.
🙂 Dingo
* New Zealand, Dan, New Zealand.
Held captive at the Thanksgiving dinner table we were each asked to share what we where thankful for I heard the following prior to it being my turn (I was last).
I learned that the U.S. is exceptional because it's the sole country that provides shelter and food to the least fortunate. [By someone who always votes for candidates who oppose such programs.]
I was asked by another person to empathize with the Israelis threatened by air strikes from the Gaza strip, without any consideration that the Palestinians have long-suffered far worse from this conflict. That includes this last conflict where about 60 to 100 Palestinian civilians died to the Israeli 4. [1]
I learned that our savior loves us, as if that same savior doesn't intend to inflict unimaginable pain for all on eternity if we don't slavishly and childishly submit to him; and in spite of never revealing either his existence or nature.
Prominently featured propaganda was David Horowitz's Barack Obama's Rules for Revolution. Previous visits in the past few months featured David Barton's Original Intent and Ben Stein's Exposed: No Intelligence Allowed.
The only liberal Christian at the table thanked another person for helping them in a time of great need. One politically conservative Christian (though not theologically conservative), did the same.
Based on prior experience I well understood that to offer a contrary view to that shared by politically and theologically conservative Christians, I would have been to blame for ruining Thanksgiving. So as I've almost always done at such events, I kept my mouth shut. So I'm grateful Ed provides a forum to vent.
I actually had an extremely pleasant surprise yesterday.
My father is as staunch a bible-believin' Jesus-lovin' conservative as you might find, of the Glenn Beck variety. For years my mother (who generally stays quiet on these issues) has at least supported him on them. I discovered yesterday that despite her occasional spoken support for his views, she has actually been secretly voting a straight democratic ticket for years, and that she finds most republican politicians downright repulsive in their views on women.
Will wonders never cease?
My father took the wheel of a large SUV containing my mother, myself, my brother and sister-and-law, and their two daughters, and drove for a few hours to a small church on the Kansas/Nebraska state line in whose basement we celebrated Thanksgiving with a significant-but-dwindling chunk of the family produced amongst my father and his five siblings (two siblings absent– alive and well, but absent). Then after a walk through the church graveyard which contains the graves of my grandparents on that side as well as those of many other more distant relatives, we climbed back in the car and drove another few hours back to my parents' house, where Thanksgiving continues over the weekend.
We've been playing a lot of games. We're a very game-playing family. Countless games of Guess Who? were played in the car, with the handicap of having to pretend to be a person recognizable by someone in their 60's and someone not yet in double digits. Being a real person was not a requirement, so many rounds were fictional. One of the questions asked to determine character was "Would Mom invite you to dinner?" Examples of people Mom would invite to dinner: Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mitt Romney (according to my brother), Yoda, Indiana Jones, Mary (mother of Jesus), Hermione. People Mom would not invite to dinner: the Grinch, the Wicked Witch of the East, Darth Vader, Mitt Romney (according to my mom).
Spent it with my girlfriend and her extended family. Fantastic food and really nice people. It was really great except for the car ride back to her parents' place when the weather was crappy. Also, John Lennon's Christmas song (which I like) came on the radio and her dad, who never married past 13, changed the channel saying it's too "hypocritical" for him to hear an atheist wish "merry Christmas". He doesn't seem to realize that it is, in fact, a secular holiday (sort of) that was essentially snagged by christianity.
My girlfriend and I have started ring shopping, so my atheism it's something he'll have to find out about and deal with. It does, however, mean more of her family's fantastic cooking.
Examples of people Mom would invite to dinner: …Mitt Romney (according to my brother)…
People Mom would not invite to dinner: …Romney (according to my mom).
It sounds like your family really gets Mitt Romney.
Michael Heath #43, you have my sympathies. That sounds horrible. Myself, I would have rather stayed at home with a good book and even better bottle of wine & Cuban cigar.
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