text:
- I want my TO site ! When is it coming ?
The site is going through what is called a 'commit' stage. The StackExchange overlords (the people providing the service) have in their infinite wisdom decided that the success of such sites is predicated on people committing (with their names and email) to participating, and so we're slowly building up enough commit mojo to get into a trial stage
- But we have more commits than the average attendance at STOC !
Ok. firstly, that's rude ! Secondly, there's a complicated formula by which the system determines whether we have enough commits to move into a beta stage. it's also being throttled right now at 90% of its true value because the software for making the sites is still being tested on the few sites that are already in beta.
- At this rate (248 commits, 27% progress), we'd need 1000 commits to get to beta. That's larger than the attendance at STOC, FOCS and SODA put together !
Say after me three times: theory conferences are all fine, and we don't have to do anything to change anything about them. Feeling better now ? So the process by which commit progress is calculated is very complicated, involving your reputation on related sites, the number of "badges" you've earned, how friendly you are with Lady Gaga, and other such mysterious parameters. So while there's some correlation with the number of commits, high-reputation users on related sites can bump up the progress meter, under the rationale that people used to Q&A sites are more likely to help this site get off the ground.
- But my mathoverflow rep doesn't appear to count ?
No it doesn't. there appear to be technical complications involved in this, because MO used an older version of the software. I personally question this approach to the commit phase, but it's not my software.
- This is silly: why can't we all just go over to mathoverflow ?
This is a tricky point. The MO folks have been more than welcoming to theoryCS, and they've explicitly said that they'd be happy to have us over at their site. While I personally would not mind at all if we just started using MO more regularly, I feel that we might get drowned out in the much larger universe of MO, and if we can get our own site, it might be easier to navigate and find interesting questions/answers. But it's always an option.
- We're computer scientists, aren't we ? why can't we roll our own ?
Um, well, ... we're THEORETICAL computer scientists, so theoretically we could. Oh wait, you actually want us to do it now ? how annoyingly practical !
More seriously, there is actually an open source system called OSQA that's powering the new machine learning Q&A site called metaoptimize. I didn't hear about this till a few days ago, but it's definitely something that we can consider if the theoryoverflow site appears to stall.
- So what now ?
For now, we (that means YOU!) continue to drum up support and commits for theoryoverflow. In terms of average number of commits/day, we're still doing quite well, and the StackExchange folks have indicated that they're likely to change the formula for commit progress based on how the sites already in beta are doing. If a few more weeks go by and things look stalled, we can revisit the matter.
Ruminations on computational geometry, algorithms, theoretical computer science and life
Thursday, July 08, 2010
TheoryOverflow: An Update
Now that I'm done with SODA (any word on number of actual submissions?), I thought I'd do a brief update on the proposed theoryCS Q&A site (currently laboring under the inelegant name of TheoryOverflow). I've had various questions from people, and have wondered about others. So rather than force you all to trawl meta.stackoverflow.com for answers, I thought I'd dish them out here.
Posted by Suresh Venkatasubramanian at 7/08/2010 12:12:00 AM
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text:
Serena Williams has finally gotten that cast off her foot after seven months. The beaming tennis champ tells us she'll start training right away, and hopes to be back in her trademark high heels in two weeks. She had surgery after cutting her foot on broken glass following her win at Wimbledon last July. Williams, wearing flat shoes, told us at the WME pre-Oscar party in Brentwood Friday night, "I finally had the cast taken off a few days ago. I have been wearing it for so many months, so I am so happy. My foot feels good and I'm starting to train right away, and I intend to be back for the French Open [in May]. And I have so missed wearing heels, I can't wait to get them back on!" Asked if wearing the cast for so long had left her frustrated, Williams — who bedazzled it with Swarovski crystals and didn't let it hold her back from attending events — said, "I just try to stay positive."
Serena's foot free at last
By PageSix.com Staff
February 27, 2011 | 5:00am

subset: commoncrawl


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|2012-04-26, 09:22
|Link #201
Join Date: May 2007
Location: gs series
Age: 29
ep.3 yea quite the slugs & tent we have in this ep.
give we meet lunaluna & her two sides one white clear & darker that want to "tent" Annelotte.
oh yea quite ok then give what slugs slime ok on woman & lol eldar give got a golden "lil jmmmy" tights.
now all set with lunaluna want Annelott next ep RIDE OF THE CHAINSAW VALKYRIE!!!
|2012-04-27, 03:26
|Link #202
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Spain
Seems like the last normal chapter of the Illustrated Stories was posted, I think it's the first one where Airi reappears.
The Rebellion series will end in the extra chapter(s?) included in the upcoming third volume.
Edit: Oops, the final, unreleased chapter(s) is going to include the fight against Branwen & the witch, sneaky move...
So now, I guess they have to hurry up and release the remaining char's books before starting the 3rd series.
Last edited by leecherboy; 2012-04-27 at 03:45.
|2012-05-01, 14:59
|Link #208
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Once again, I agree with you...
The animation has improved in the last episodes the same time as rythm and action... But this just doesn't look like Queen's Blade
The plot is even more disjoint than in first season !
"O alas, my dear boobs, nipples and suggestive scenes where art thou ?"
|2012-05-01, 18:14
|Link #211
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
The anime was way more enjoyable in 2nd season and OVAs, for the moment...
|2012-05-01, 18:17
|Link #212
Last Engage
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Florida
Note that the second season was partly more enjoyable because it had spent its time setting things up in the first season. Same for the OVAs. A lot of stories have a slow build in the first part; this may be where we are now.
|2012-05-01, 18:21
|Link #213
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
I didn't watch it yet just jumped trough 3 eps scenes.
I also didn't watch any QB anime (that is I did watch 1-2 eps of it with the Jelly Squirting Pink Haired Demon girl o_O? from one of the previous seasons)
However I may watch it for that Inquisitor lady. Heck this anime probably have as much story as a bucket of water, and its depth is comparable to a spoon. But but that milf lady is damn sexy, I may live trough this anime just to watch her.
Also that midnight lady demon girl packs some nice design to.
Still wondering wondering if it will be worth my time or not to watch it.
|2012-05-01, 19:29
|Link #214
I also quite disappointed with rebellion. Despite some reworked character designs looking better, the new ones are average. But the worse part is the complete absence of a coherent tale, even compared to the beginning of the first season. Also animation and art are pretty bad.
|2012-05-01, 19:41
|Link #215
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
The only thing that can make me watch QB Rebelion is the Inquisitor chick as I said before. Her design is just *tasty*, and I mean graphical design as her character design is mediocre at best.
As for story and fanservice, I don't search that atm. I'm in no need of some boobz showing around shows atm. I remember I wanted to watch Seikon no Qwaser II, even have the whole season on my hdd but just don't have the will to watch it. Same for manyou hikencho or what was that show called where girl absorbed other girl boobs. <- that one I watched 1-2 eps and gave up.
That service really is kinda hmmmm borderline and I'm not searching for it atm. If I want to look at some tasty anime chicks naked I can pop one of my PoRo collection anime.
|2012-05-01, 20:47
|Link #216
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Monterrey, México
Age: 38
Seriously, in the third episode, it became hard for me to take the episode with LunaLuna showing her treasures at the borderline perverted limit.
It doesn't compare with the likes of Echidna's borderline ecchi wardrobe, but the latter made herself to look cool, sexy, and hot without falling to the explicitly perverted.
Aside from that, the episode is just self-conclusive with Annelotte freeing the rainforests of Calibara from the mother slug, so as to dissipate the fog that was preventing villagers from the neighbouring towns to pass safely through that route; doesn't do anything to progress the plot, unless someone deliberately sent those slugs after the ruins.
|2012-05-01, 20:51
|Link #217
One-Eyed Dragon
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NJ, USA
They can't cal this Queen's Blade if it doesn't have any fanservice in it. Tanyan and Sanyan made a nice appearance. Still don't get why Branwen voluntarily re-shackles herself. Lilliana back next ep!
|2012-05-02, 00:21
|Link #218
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
I'm actually quite enjoying Rebellion. The animation is nowhere near the quality of the first two seasons or the OVAs, but the quick pacing and large cast help even it out for me. The story may not have much of a foundation, as they never explain exactly what Annelotte is doing, but there's consistent conflict, which keeps things interesting; plus, unlike the first season, characters are actually sticking around. It's definitely different from the first two seasons, but, for the most part, I think Rebellion benefits from it, as it gives it a different flavor.
If I have any complaints it would be the dip in animation and that there are just too many men around.
Branwen has so much wasted potential as a character. She could've easily been this story's Alleyene; giving advice and insight for Annelotte. But instead she feels like a tool; being nothing more than a slave (thus satisfying that fetish) with an interesting backstory, a backstory which does nothing for her now. Sure, other characters satisfy a fetish too, but at least they're important to the story; Branwen is just there. If they bring her back, I hope it's a story of her gaining her freedom, getting her dragon and full power back, and joining the rebellion. If not, then I hope she never shows up again.
Ending on a nice note, I really like how the anime is executing Ymir. She's a really good villain. Also, the music has been very good this season as well (the piece played at the end of the episode when the group saw Mirim was nice).
|2012-05-02, 01:47
|Link #219
Prefectural Magical Girl
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Paris, France
|2012-05-02, 14:13
|Link #220
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Spoiler for Episode 5:
Well anyway, my favorite Queen's Blade season is the 6 Queen`s Blade: Utsukushiki Toushi-tachi OVAs. Those were the best out of all the anime seasons. They had the most fanservice/nudity, had some nice character development for characters that didn't get much screen time in the first two seasons, and the ED was so epic. I don't think Rebellion is gonna top that.
|adventure, fantasy
|Thread Tools


text:
A Lexicon of Social Well-Being
- Details
- Published: Tuesday, 19 May 2015 10:47
- Hits: 6596
Luigino Bruni
Palgrave Pivot, April 2015
We are living in a long transitional period and a paradigm shift that started well before the financial crisis of 2007, one that is very likely to last for a long time. Therefore we must quickly learn how to live well in the world as it is today, including the realm of work. We need to learn a new vocabulary of economics and markets that is more suitable to understand the world in this era of globalization and financial capitalism. There are some fundamental words of social life that need to be rethought, or even rewritten, if we want civil and economic life to be 'good' and just. Right now we are conducting bad economics, partly because we are thinking and speaking badly about economics and civil life. Without a doubt, the following terms are among them: wealth, poverty, entrepreneur, finance, happiness, esteem, merit, bank, common good, work, justice, management, income distribution, profit, rent, corporate property rights, indignation, and capitalism. We urgently need a lexicon for a new economic and social well-being.


text:
British Politician Tells Local Paper It Can't Quote Him Because He Dislikes Its Readers' Comments
from the didn't-really-think-this-out-at-all,-did-you? dept
However, rather than develop thicker skin, some politicians have instead made efforts to keep all the bad people away from the paper vellum they call skin. Some try to shield themselves (and the children!) with vague anti-cyberbullying laws. Others push for "real name" requirements. And some (well, maybe just this one), just tell the offending entity that it's no longer part of the conversation, no matter how ridiculous this "arrangement" actually is.
Christopher Hawtree is a very unusual politician because he dislikes being quoted. The Green councillor, who has just been selected to fight for a parliamentary seat, has told a reporter for his local paper, the Brighton Argus, to stop approaching him after meetings.
So, a local politician who deals with local issues would rather not answer questions from the local paper. One of the correspondents for the offending paper logically asked (via Twitter), "Isn't that his job?"
Why doesn't Hawtree want to talk to his district's paper of record?
Hawtree tweeted in response: "I have a great dislike of the Argus readers' comments and so prefer to appear in other papers."That normally wouldn't be a problem, but Brighton & Hove's only paper is the Argus. Hawtree apparently would like to be the sort of public figure that can coast through several successful terms, untroubled by his local paper and mouthy constituents. But if that's truly the sort of person he wishes to be, he needs to drop the "public figure" part of it.
Not only will he not respond to the paper's inquiries, but he's actively steering anyone who will listen towards an alternative "paper of record."
So, given that the city of Brighton & Hove is served by only one title, what "other papers" does he prefer? The New York Times, evidently, because he urges his followers to sign up for a subscription.I'm not sure how much longer Hawtree's planning to "serve" his community, but I would think his constituents will be trimming a few months or years off that total. It's pretty tough to remain a community leader when you've implied that many in the community are "dreadful" and "hateful." Topping it off by cutting the press out of the loop makes Hawtree look like the sort of person who'd be better off returning to the private sector and becoming a hermit, rather than attempting to bypass all that "unpleasant" communication the real world's known for.


text:
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text:
HOUSTON — The Houston Astros added Carlos Pena to bring a veteran presence to their young team.
They also thought he could help move the offense.
On Thursday the 35-year-old showed his value in both areas, encouraging his teammates after a tough start and coming through in the 10th inning with a three-run homer to give the Astros a 7-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
"He's been tremendous on and off the field," manager Bo Porter said. "He is a first-class guy that really has helped mentor a lot of these guys we have here. You look at some of the big hits he's been able to get for our ball club (and) it speaks to the reason why we brought him aboard."
Pena takes pride in getting the team back on track when things go wrong.
"I do try to bring a good attitude every single day and throughout the ball game regardless of what's going on motivating my teammates and encouraging," he said.
Carlos Corporan struck out but reached on a wild pitch with one out in the 10th and J.D. Martinez followed with a double. Pena then launched the first-pitch homer off Michael Gonzalez (0-3) to the second deck in right field.
It was his sixth career last at-bat homer and his first since Aug. 2008 when he was with Tampa Bay.
"It never gets old," he said, still recovering from a post-game shower of Gatorade, water and shaving cream. "What a ball game. What a game. What a great homestand. I thought we were in every single game. This is a lot of momentum moving forward."
Houston went 5-2 in this homestand and is 18-16 since May 15.
Things didn't look good early on Thursday though, when the Astros fell behind 3-0. It was a sloppy game that featured six unearned runs and four errors.
Hector Ambriz (2-4) pitched a scoreless 10th to help Houston take two of three in the series.
Corporan tied it with a solo home run in the eighth. Matt Dominguez tied a career-high with three hits.
The Brewers led by a run before Jonathan Lucroy's homer in the sixth, which bounced on top of the low wall in right field, made it 4-2 and chased Lucas Harrell.
Houston got back within one when Martinez reached on an error by second baseman Scooter Gennett leading off the bottom half. Dominguez hit an RBI double with two outs that made it 4-3.
Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke was troubled by his team's performance on Thursday.
"That's as bad as it gets," Roenicke said. "Sometimes we might lose big, or we may not pitch well, but all the things we did wrong in that game, that's a bad game."
Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo allowed five hits and three runs — none earned — in seven innings. He has not permitted an earned run in 21 straight innings spanning three starts.
Gallardo didn't exactly let his defense off the hook for struggling in this one.
When asked if the mistakes on defense bothered him he said: "Not really; maybe a little bit."
Then he backtracked a bit saying that it's part of the game.
"I know for a fact the guys behind me don't want to make errors," he said. "They want to get every out they can. That is just how it is. As a pitcher, you have to move past it, whether it's an error or a misplayed ball. You have to focus on the next guy."
Jim Henderson replaced Gallardo for the eighth and immediately gave up the homer to Corporan.
Gennett was thrown out at home on a grounder for the second out in the ninth. Dominguez doubled to lead off the ninth and reached third with one out, but John Axford retired the next two batters to send it to the 10th.
Carlos Gomez doubled to start the Milwaukee eighth before a peculiar error on second baseman Jose Altuve. He missed catching the ball on a pickoff attempt, allowing Gomez to take third.
Altuve immediately looked down at his glove and ran to the Astros dugout. Television shots showed that his mitt had come apart, leaving a big hole in it that allowed the ball to get through. An Astros official tied it back together and he returned to the field.
Astros center fielder Justin Maxwell dropped a fly ball hit by Caleb Gindl that sent two runs home in the second for a 3-0 lead.
Houston right fielder Trevor Crowe injured his right shoulder crashing into the wall attempting to catch the home run by Lucroy and left the game. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right shoulder after the game. Marc Krauss was promoted from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his place on the roster.
NOTES: Houston plays another one of its former NL Central rivals when it opens a three-game series with the Cubs on Friday. Dallas Keuchel is scheduled to pitch for the Astros against Matt Garza. ... The Brewers return home to begin a three-game series with Atlanta on Friday. Wily Peralta opposes Atlanta's Julio Teheran.
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text:
Monday Morning Offering - 160
Image: George Mendoza
Good morning, good God!
The quiet days of summer are gone, Lord,
and parish life is almost in full swing!
Even if I'm not ready for it all,
the rush and quickening pace pick me up
and sweep me along, head long,
into a new "year" of programs and prayer...
I offer you praise, Lord, for the life all around me:
the people, the work, the schedules, the events,
the coming and goings, the new beginnings
and the opportunities all of this offers me...
I offer you praise, Lord,
for all the ways your hand stirs in my life,
prodding, inviting, pushing, pulling,
tugging at my sleeve to draw me out of myself
and into the pulsing body of your presence
in the people who cross my paths every day,
all day long...
I offer you praise, Lord,
for the gifts that are mine and for all the gifts
of those with whom I work and for all the ways
you mix and match our gifts and talents,
our inspirations, ideas and insights
as day by day, through the work of our hands,
you build the kingdom of your presence
and strengthen the reign of your peace among us...
I offer you praise, Lord,
for the grace and growth of working together
with sisters and brothers whose energy and excitement
charge me with new life, with hope,
with reason to put one foot ahead of another and,
step by step, to make my way through days and nights
and weeks and months, year by year,
growing in the life of your Church and in the joy
of being members of your Body, alive and well,
even when times are dark and difficult...
I offer you praise, Lord,
for the ways in which you make of us all
so much more than even the sum of us might be,
how you multiply our efforts in our sharing in the work
you've entrusted to our care...
Help me, Lord, when I'm tempted to withdraw,
when I'm tired and ready to call it quits,
when I'm weary and not sure if I can go on:
give me your Spirit to ignite the spark of your life within me;
give me others to draw me into the fields of your harvest;
give me strength to keep going when the going gets tough;
give me grace to trust that in everything I do
your hand is there to guide and guard me...
And when my selfish and careless ways wound those at my side,
help me see the harm I've done
and help me heal the hurt I've caused:
make me an instrument of your peace, Lord,
and open me to the healing peace that others offer me...
All this I offer you, Lord, as summer ends
and a "new year" begins in parish life:
accept my morning offering this day
and through all the weeks and months ahead...
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ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
I was already making creature costumes (since the late-90's) when I came across Dark Stalkers and Pokemon. While I didn't play the games much, I liked the character designs so much that I eventually made John Talbain (ver.1) and an Arcanine costume. The anime designs were so different and dynamic that I found it very easy to find a number of creatures I wanted to re-create!
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text:
Hotel Pennsylvania
401 7th Avenue
The 18-story Hotel Pennsylvania was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1919. It was designed by the firm of McKim, Mead & White, who also designed the original Pennsylvania Station that stood across the street from 1910 to 1963. The hotel's phone number received a substantial amount of promotion in Glenn Miller's big-band-era hit "Pennyslvania 6-5000." The hotel was renamed the New York Statler Hotel in 1949 and the Statler Hilton in 1954 before having its original name restored in 1992.
The building site has been coveted by developers for its prime location and a legal status that would allow construction of a massive new office tower without a special permit. In January of 2007, Vornado Realty Trust announced plans to demolish the hotel and construct a 2.5-million-square-foot office tower.
Although the historic background of the once-glamorous hotel is significant, it's tiny, seedy rooms have not won it much love from visitors or historians outside of a small but dedicated group of preservationists and it seems destined for the wrecking ball eventually.
Next: Grand Central Terminal


text:
YORK, PA – Five York College men's basketball players were named to the 2011-12 NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Honors Court as released by the organization on Wednesday. Seniors Andrew Pawlyk (Bernville, Pa./Tulpehocken) and Mo Oursler (Middletown, Md./Middletown) were joined on the squad by juniors Todd Maciejewski (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), Jordan Martz (Hanover, Pa./Hanover) and Chad Styer (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) as the Spartans were the only Capital Athletic Conference men's basketball team to be represented on the list that includes all NCAA divisions.
To earn a spot on the roster, a player must be a varsity player of junior or senior status and earn a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above for the academic year.
Pawlyk, Oursler, and Maciejewski were each a huge part of the Spartans' Capital Athletic Conference championship run.
Pawlyk played in 27 games, earning a start in 10 of those contests as he averaged 6.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He shot 49.6% from the floor, as he was a Spartan captain for the season.
Oursler played in all 28 games, starting in 27 of those games. He averaged 9.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. Oursler was one of the top three point shooters in the CAC as he canned 60 three-point field goals for the year. He shot 37.3% from three and 39.2% from the field. Oursler was one of York's top free throw shooters at 78.3%. He was also a Spartan captain in 2011-12.
Maciejewski averaged 8.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He played in 27 games with 19 of those contests being starts. He shot a blistering 57.1% from the floor while he also led the team in steals with 35.
Martz saw action in five games during the year while Styer was limited to one game due to injury in 2011-12.
Maciejewski, Styer and Martz will return for first-year head coach Matt Hunter who has replaced the retired Jeff Gamber. Gamber concluded his 35-year Spartan career with 493 wins, two CAC tournament championships and five CAC Coach-of-the-Year awards.
Hunter and his Spartans will debut on November 16 at the University of Scranton Tournament in Scranton, PA.


text:
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text:
The Trio for Clean and Clear Pool Water - Remember the Trio necessary for clean and clear pool water
Filtration, Circulation and Sanitation.
I always like to use the analogy that - if you had a filter as "big as a house" you wouldn't need worry about circulation and sanitation. Or - if you dumped in 5 gallons of bleach every few days, you wouldn't need to filter or circulate much either. Or imagine circulating your pool water so fast, like a rushing river - turning it over at a rate of 1,000 GPM (gallons per minute) that Sanitation (chlorine) and Filtration becomes unnecessary for clean and clear pool water.
In practice and in fact however - there needs to be a balance between all three elements, to ensure clean and clear pool water. So, we use a little bit of sanitation, a measure of filtration, with a healthy dose of circulation - in the correct proportions that work foryour pool.
In many cases, many pools that have problems with clean and clear pool water or the lack thereof - are suffering in only one of the three areas. Do you have problems with cloudy pool water? How about swimming pool algae? Do you backwash monthly - or weekly? How much chlorine do you need to use to keep the water clear? Today we are looking at one element of the Trio FILTRATION. So, I ask you?
How's your Filter?
Whether you have a DE, Sand or Cartridge filter on your swimming pool - some filters run better than others. Make sure your filter is not too small for your pool. Bigger is Better when it comes to pool filters. Secondly, you should know that a DE filter is a much better filter than a sand or cartridge in that it is capable of filtering the water down to a ridiculously low level of 2-3 microns. Sand or Cartridge pool filters can filter down to 20 microns - all else being equal. But as filter media ages, cartridge material breaks down with each cleaning, allowing more small particles to pass through, unfiltered. Pool sand beds can develop worn channels or paths of water flow. Sand also gets "tired" after a while and the edges get rounded. Add a pump that is maybe too large, pushing way too much water through the sand or cartridge and you can have really poor filtering. So then – a sand or cartridge filter can filter down to 20 microns, or it can be as high as 50. (Our eyes start to see particles in the 30-40 micron range).
Hint - if you have a larger filter, you can realize savings in how long of time you need to run the pump and also in how much chlorine you need to use to keep the water clear.
Hint - Change your filter sand every 5-7 years, or when it seems as though your backwashing twice as often as you used to... the sand over time loses it's sharp edges and this makes it filter less effectively. Changing pool filter sand is easy. You can usually find Pool Filter Sand in home stores, or at Stone & Gravel places (look in the phone book).Make sure that the bag reads "Pool Filter Sand". It should be cleaned and graded, 45-55 mm in size, also known as #20 Silica Sand.
Hint - Change filter cartridges every 2-3 years, more or less - depending on how much work you have demanded of them. Like filter sand, the determinant is the length of time required between cleanings. When you have to backwash your sand filter or clean your cartridges every week, it's time for new pool filter media.
Hint - Change DE filter grids when they develop holes in them. You should remove the DE grid assembly every 4-6 mos - from the tank to spray it completely clean. Using Filter Cleaner is a good idea every 12-24 mos to remove oils and mineral deposits from the porous fabric. As you hose DE filter grids clean, inspect them for holes or tears in the fabric.
Hint - Use the pressure gauge as your guide. Backwash or clean the filter when the pressure gauge rises 8-10 lbs above the clean, "after backwash" pressure.
Bonus Hint: Pressure gauges are cheap instruments - Don't bet your life on them. Sometimes they lie. Sometimes they stick - give them a flick of your fingernail when you check them - to make sure they are responsive.
Give your filter a check - maybe it's time this year to change the sand or cartridge or de filter grids. Or maybe things are going well. A good sized filter should be able to keep your water clean and clear with only 12 hours or so per day of operation. But that depends on Circulation, doesn't it? That's what we'll look at next time in our look at the Trio ~ Filtration, Circulation and Sanitation. Until then, enjoy your pool!


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In the do-it-yourself Pfandtasche workshop you can design your own bag, and will get introduced to the PVC banner material.
We work only with recycled materials, using as little energy as possible.You will learn how to easily turn old commercial banners, PET bottle tops and bicycle tubes into a practical bag. By using PET-bottle tops as connectors and you need neither thread nor electricity.
More info at the Pfandtasche blog!
Join us on the 29th november at 19:00, at Open Design City
incl. material costs for 1 bag – 25 Euro
Sign up for the workshop here!


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By Kelly Greene
People with pensions are planning for retirement in the dark.
Many of the 42 million U.S. workers still lucky enough to be in traditional pension plans are counting on them in retirement – but they don't know much about those benefits, including how much they're worth, according to a study that Fidelity Investments, which services plans for more than 4 million participants, released last week.
More than two-thirds of more than 500 workers surveyed said they do not have detailed knowledge of how their pension plans operate, but more than half said they are counting on those pensions to help pay for living expenses in retirement.
Nearly one-third said they don't know their plan's vesting schedule, 40% don't know what their payment options will be when they retire or leave the company, and 27% don't know at what age they can start getting payments.
Those statistics are a "red flag" that companies need to do a better job educating workers about the value of the benefit, says Wendy Foster, senior vice president in Fidelity's defined-benefit business.
If you're reading this and realizing that you don't know much about your pension, it should be easy to learn more. Most of that information is now accessible online, along with tools calculating different payout estimates based on your retirement age. You may have to track down how to get to it through your benefits department, however. Following passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, employers are required to send a notice to employees once a year that the information is available, Ms. Foster says. So, you should be getting at least one form of communication each year about your pension.
And what if you're realizing you've lost track of a pension from a previous job? A publication on the website for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. has a publication titled, "Finding a Lost Pension," offers strategies for finding it.
One bright spot: Workers are finally getting the message that, for many people, it makes more sense to choose to receive regular payments throughout retirement rather than taking a lump sum that the retiree is then responsible for making last. More than half of the workers surveyed – 56% — said they expected to get regular "annuitized" payments when they retire. Only 10% plan to take lump sums, and 9% expect a combination of the two.
"There's been a mental shift," Ms. Foster says. "With the uncertainty of the markets, it's created a new recognition of the value of annuity payments."
Are you covered by a traditional, defined-benefit pension plan? If so, do you think it's hard to get information about it from your employer?


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Select Sires Announces Essay Contest and Holstein World Feature Issue
PLAIN CITY, Ohio, July 17, 2012 - Select Sires, in conjunction with Holstein World magazine, is excited to announce a chance for youth to win an iPod touch by writing an essay about their favorite Select-sired Holstein daughter. Three winners will be selected to receive an iPod touch, a one-year subscription to Holstein World and will have their essay published in the Select Sires October 2012 Holstein World issue.
Youth, ages 9 to 21 (as of January 1, 2012), are welcome to enter a 500-word (or less) essay about their favorite Holstein female sired by a Select Sires bull. The animal does not have to be an animal owned or shown by the youth, but can be any Select-sired animal they admire. All essays should include the name of the sire and be accompanied by a photo of the animal. Photos can be professional or candid, but must be 300 dpi or 4 X 6 inches in size. Entries must be submitted by August 27, 2012, by email to Leslie Maurice, or can be mailed to Select Sires Inc., Attn: Leslie Maurice, 11740 U.S. Highway 42N, Plain City, OH 43064.
This contest is part of the special October 2012 issue of the Holstein World featuring Select Sires. Several opportunities for Select Sires customers are available. All advertisers who feature Select Sires progeny will receive free color with their ad and semen credits up to $250. If interested in advertising email Carol Moyer or call (800) 334-1904 ext. 223. Space reservations need to be made by September 1, 2012. Distributed at World Dairy Expo, the issue will also feature customer success stories, articles about the future of the company, and insight into the Select Sires line-up.
Based in Plain City, Ohio, Select Sires Inc. is North America's largest A.I. organization and is comprised of nine farmer-owned and -controlled cooperatives. As the industry leader, it provides highly fertile semen as well as excellence in service and programs to achieve its basic objective of supplying dairy and beef producers with North America's best genetics at a reasonable price.


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PHILADELPHIA (AP) Ryne Sandberg is back in the big leagues.
The Philadelphia Phillies promoted the Hall of Fame second baseman to their coaching staff as third-base coach and infield instructor.
Sandberg had spent the past two seasons managing Philadelphia's Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The Phillies also promoted Steve Henderson to hitting coach and Rod Nichols to bullpen coach.
The moves came a day after the Phillies fired first-base coach Sam Perlozzo, hitting coach Greg Gross and bench coach Pete Mackanin.
With Sandberg already in the dugout and Charlie Manuel entering the final season of his contract, the natural assumption is that the Phillies have already lined up their next manager.
``The fact of the matter is he's not the heir apparent. We made no promises to Ryne Sandberg,'' general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Thursday. ``Ryne Sandberg is part of this coaching staff and we're happy to have him. I think Ryne is going to get an opportunity to be a major league manager at some point, whether it's with the Phillies or with another club, we don't know.
``I have told Ryne this would not preclude him from getting an opportunity if someone calls and asks for his services to be a manager. We're just happy to have him on our staff and think he's a great addition to our staff.''
Manuel led the Phillies to five straight NL East titles and the 2008 World Series title before a slew of injuries contributed to an 81-81 finish that snapped Philadelphia's string of winning seasons at nine.
Manuel isn't worried about having Sandberg on the staff despite the public perception that he's the manager-in-waiting.
``That doesn't put any pressure on me,'' Manuel said. ``Since I've gotten to know him, I absolutely like everything about him. I get along real well with him. I'm looking forward to working with him. In the dugout, he'll be our defensive guy. He'll work with our infielders and he'll move the defense. His responsibility will be a lot more than coaching third base. Also, we'll use his hitting expertise. He's a Hall of Fame hitter and he's got some really good ideas. He talks about hitting the way that I like. I think he's going to be very valuable to us.''
Manuel, who turns 69 in January, isn't asking for a contract extension.
``I know how old I am,'' he said. ``I have a favorite saying, `Know thyself.' I know myself. I still have a lot of passion, I have a drive, I still love baseball, things like that. I think my contract is fine. I think at the end of the year, I'll be glad to sit down and not only take inventory of myself, but talk to the people and see where I'm at and see what I want to do. I'm not saying I'm going to retire or I'm going to quit or nothing like that. I've been in the game a long time and I love it.
``I'm looking forward to this year because I think it's a great challenge, a great challenge for me and a great challenge for our team.''
Sandberg began his career with the Phillies, getting one hit in six at-bats in 1981. He then was traded to the Chicago Cubs when general manager Dallas Green, who managed the Phillies to the 1980 World Series title, convinced his former team to throw Sandberg into a trade along with shortstop Larry Bowa for shortstop Ivan DeJesus.
Sandberg was the 1984 NL MVP, made 10 All-Star teams and was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2005. He managed four seasons in Chicago's minor league system before coming back to the Phillies. Sandberg interviewed with the St. Louis Cardinals last winter and was rebuffed by the Cubs. He could get more opportunities this offseason, or he could just wait it out in Philadelphia.
The Phillies retained three other coaches. Pitching coach Rich Dubee will return. Mick Billmeyer goes from bullpen coach to catching coach. Juan Samuel, the former third-base coach, was offered the role of first-base coach and outfield and baserunning instructor.
Amaro said he'll begin interviewing for an assistant hitting coach to join Henderson, who had spent the past two seasons as the Phillies' minor league hitting coordinator. Henderson hit .280 in played 12 seasons in the majors and previously was Tampa Bay's hitting coach from 2006-09.
``Saying the same thing in a different way will help spark or create a situation where a hitter can get what we're trying to get across to him,'' Amaro said about adding an assistant. ``This is a good way to do that. That's going to change that dynamic a little bit; it's something we wanted to address. It's something that's worked out for other clubs.''


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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — It's only lunch. What's the big deal?
The first few weeks of a new school year are when parents stress about what to feed their youngsters.
Lunch programs at schools provide nourishment, but picky eaters often prefer a lunch packed (or supervised) by mom or dad.
Choosing healthful items for your child's lunch means careful planning, extra trips to the supermarket and time allotted for making sandwiches and cutting up fruit. Ideas for lunch box items are plentiful, but after the first couple of weeks of school, children often become bored with their usual choices, and parents tire of the chore. But it's important for parents to keep the pantry stocked with fresh ideas.
Planning is the key. "Mommy blogs" and Pinterest are loaded with quick ideas for packing no-stress lunches.
Evelyn Cucchiara, author of "30 Days to an Organized Home," blogger at AllEvelyn.com, and mother of three sons, is an expert at organizing family dynamics. In an email, Cucchiara said the routine that works best for her family is "repeating the same systems over and over. If it works, stick with it. Saves you time, energy and thought power. You know what to plan for, they know what to expect."
These tips for making school lunches works well for her boys, Cucchiara said. They make a week's worth of lunches on Sunday.
—Set up an assembly line, making five at a time.
—Wrap in foil sheets, like the ones available at the big box stores.
—Check what's in the products you are using. No sense making lunches at home if you're not using healthful ingredients. Especially check the bread — many labeled wheat are not whole wheat, just white bread colored to look like whole wheat.
—Pack snacks in reusable plastic containers to save the expense of buying plastic bags
—Make desserts on Sunday also — then pack individually and freeze.
—Get each child a water bottle labeled with his or her name. The child is in charge of filling it up daily.
—Storing all dry goods in resealable containers takes up less space in the cabinet and kids can help themselves.
—Store condiments on a lazy Susan in the fridge.
—Buy often-used items in bulk so you don't have to make last-minute trips to the store.
—Get rid of any kitchen bowls/pots/pans and other items you don't use on a weekly basis — or at least store them somewhere you won't bump into them daily.
After a few weeks into the school year, parents might be tempted to buy prepackaged lunch kits. Most are high in saturated fat and sodium, and low in fiber and other nutrients. You can make a lunch kit easily that's more nutritious and less expensive.
Bento lunch boxes are popular with youngsters, and you can buy a variety of bento-style containers. Bento is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. You can buy disposables or two-tiered themed boxes such as Hello Kitty, Kotobuki Samurai Warrior, frog face or piggy.
Here are some ideas for lunch.
Shake-up salads are easy. Simply layer salad ingredients in a plastic container that your child can shake up when he or she is ready to eat.
1/2 cup drained mandarin oranges
1/3 cup shredded cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup steamed broccoli
1/4 cup chow mein noodles
Layer ingredients in plastic container and shake when ready to eat.
1/4 cup pizza sauce
1 cup cooked elbow macaroni
1/3 cup defrosted frozen peas and carrots
1/4 cup diced mozzarella cheese
Layer ingredients in plastic container and shake when ready to eat.
1/4 cup salsa
1/3 cup rinsed black beans
3/4 cup chopped lettuce
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup baked tortilla chips, broken
Layer ingredients in plastic container and shake when ready to eat.
—From Parents Magazine
1 can (16 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Combine ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Serve with pita bread or pita chips.
—From Parents Magazine
This recipe, found on Pinterest, may be made in advance, and the muffins can be stored in the freezer.
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
4 turkey hot dogs, cut into 5 pieces
Prepare muffin mix according to package instructions. Grease 20 slots in a mini-muffin tin and spoon a small amount into the bottom of each.
Place a piece of hot dog on top of muffin batter. Cover with a spoonful of muffin batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Makes 20 muffins.
Here's a recipe we found on several blogs. Some posts suggest using melted frosting in place of the melted chocolate. Heat the frosting in the microwave in 15- to 20-second intervals until desired consistency and mix with cereal in place of melted white chocolate.
1 cup white chocolate chips or 10 ounces vanilla-flavored almond bark
2 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk
5 cups Chex cereal (rice or corn)
1 cup boxed red velvet cake mix (or any flavor)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Make a double boiler with a pot filled with an inch or so of water, and a glass bowl that fits inside the pot; the bottom should not touch the water. Turn heat to medium.
Place white chocolate chips or almond bark in bowl; stir until melted.
Turn off heat and add cream cheese and milk. Stir until cream cheese is melted and everything is combined. Stir in cereal until fully coated.
In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together cake mix and powdered sugar. Transfer cereal to a plastic container, top with cake mix and place lid on container. Shake until mixture is combined.


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Sky Sailing
Usman M. Bajwa 5/18/2011 11:18:17 PMHuge CONGRATZ on this amazing Finalist. Good luck up next!
Louvette Fowler 5/19/2011 1:09:40 AMUB, coming from you, that is an amazing compliment. Thank you. :) #9412835
Merna L. Nobile 5/19/2011 8:52:59 PMIt is with great pleasure that I offer my congratulations on your award for the month of April. Merna
Louvette Fowler 5/20/2011 10:39:02 AMThank you Merna! #9417229
Nancyj E. Hovey 5/20/2011 4:23:15 PMC O N G R A T U L A T I O N S
Louvette Fowler 5/21/2011 11:06:01 AMOh my! Wow, thank you so much! #9419989
JO ANN CLEVELAND 5/21/2011 5:14:43 PMWTG Lovette! Huge congratulations on your awesome 2n Place Gold WINNER!!!
jo ann c. #9420570
Barbara Waldoch 5/21/2011 5:43:35 PMCongratulations on this beautiful shot, Louvette! #9420632
Usman M. Bajwa 5/21/2011 11:28:40 PMGlad to see this win, Louvette. CONGRATZ. Great eye and framing!!
Louvette Fowler 5/22/2011 11:55:11 AMThank you for joining me in this accomplishment, Jo Ann, Barbara and Usman! I really appreciate your kind words and support. #9422141
Phyllis H. Burchett 5/26/2011 8:47:50 AMCongrats on this fantastic winner! #9429720
Aria City Center - Las Vegas
Exif: F Number: 13, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/125 seconds, Flash: did not fire., ISO: 1250, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 105.00 mm, Model: NIKON D700
Uploaded on 4/18/2011 12:28:33 AM
Camera: Nikon D700 Digital SLR Camera
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Louvette Fowler. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


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Scandinavian Mountains over 2000 metres - James Baxter
Sorry, the page could not be found
This website has recently changed, and the page you are looking for may no longer exist.
Use the navigation above to proceed. Alternatively, a good place to start is the home page.
Alternatively, if you are looking for information about areas and mountains, you should go to the areas section. If you are interested in buying the books, go to the books section.


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Results 10-9
Girls soccer
Bremen, LaVille advance at Argos Sectional
Bremen and LaVille earned a pair of quarterfinal wins over Northern State Conference competitors at the Class A Argos Girls Soccer Sectional Tuesday night at Eugene Snyder Field.
The Lady Lions advanced with a dominant 6-2 victory over John Glenn, while the Lady Lancers reprised an earlier loss to Culver Community with a narrow 2-1 victory over the Lady Cavs at Argos.
In the Bremen-Glenn game, Jasmine Schafer recorded a hat trick with three goals, while Katelyn Aguayo finished with two goals and an assist, and Claire Schmidt also scored for the Lions, who out-shot Glenn by a 12-3 shots on goal margin.
Justina Weiss and Celine Murphy scored in the 21st and 36th minutes to knot the game at 2-all at the half for Glenn.
In the LaVille-Culver game, the two teams were locked in a 0-0 stalemate at the intermission before Heather Roeder found the back of the net less than two minutes into the second half to give the Lancers a 1-0 edge.
Kayla Shaffer tallied the equalizer in the 51st minute for Culver, but Kailey Gardner scored on a Roeder assist in the 59th minute, and the Lancers held on for the win after their 2-1 loss to the Cavs at Newton Park last week.
Mickella Hardy recorded 12 saves in goal for Culver, but it wasn't enough as LaVille out-shot the Cavs by a lopsided 14-3 shots on goal margin.
Bremen and LaVille now advance to the late semifinal at the Argos tourney Thursday at 7 p.m. following an earlier match-up between the host Lady Dragons and Elkhart Christian.
The last time the Lancers and the Lions met, LaVille edged out Bremen in overtime, 5-4, in mid September.
B-Jasmine Schafer (Katelyn Aguayo) 1st minute
B-Aguayo (Marissa Browning) 7th minute
G-Justina Weiss (unassisted) 21st minute
G-Celine Murphy (Erin Patterson) 36th minute
B-Schafer (unassisted) 57th minute
B-Schafer (Lexi Pate) 58th minute
B-Claire Schmidt (unassisted) 63rd minute
B-Aguayo (unassisted) 67th minute
Shots On Goal: Bremen 12, Glenn 3
Saves: Bremen 1 (Regan Murphy), Glenn 6 (Skye Vickers)
Corners: Bremen 1, Glenn 5
Records: Bremen 10-6, Glenn 4-10-4
LaVILLE 2, CULVER 1
L-Heather Roeder (unassisted) 42nd minute
C-Kayla Shaffer (unassisted) 51st minute
L-Kailey Gardner (Heather Roeder)59th minute
Shots On Goal: LaVille 14, Culver 3
Saves: LaVille 2 (Kyleigh Breden), Culver 12 (Mickella Hardy)
Corners: LaVille 8, Culver 1
Records: LaVille 12-4, Culver 11-4-1
Boys tennis
Plymouth, Warsaw set for CMA Regional championship
Warsaw knocked off defending regional champion and host Culver Military 3-2, while Plymouth advanced to today's championship round with a 4-1 victory over Manchester at the CMA Boys Tennis Regional Tuesday night.
CMA's Sam Concannon remains alive in the 1 singles tournament following his 6-2, 6-2 victory over Warsaw's Sam Rice, while Martin Fecarotta and Brian Tao are still in the state doubles tourney with their victory over the Tigers' 1 doubles tandem of Will Petro and Nikos Schlitt.
The Pilgrims earned victories on all courts except 2 singles Tuesday, meanwhile. They'll get a chance at a reprisal with the Northern Lakes Conference-champion Tigers after Warsaw handed them a narrow 3-2 defeat — one of just three Plymouth losses this season — in head-to-head play back on Sept. 5.
Plymouth is playing for just its second-ever team regional title after a win in 1992, while Warsaw is looking for its first such title since securing a string of three straight from 2005 to 2007.
CMA closes its team season shy of a fourth straight regional title, which would have been the program's sixth in eight years.
at Culver
Singles: 1. Sam Concannon (CMA) beat Sam Rice, 6-2, 6-2; 2. Kyle Wttschurack (W) beat Chris Bilicic, 6-0, 6-1; 3. Evan Miller (W) beat Abel Barerra, 6-0, 6-3.
Doubles: 1. Martin Fecarotta/Brian Tao (CMA) beat WillPetro/Nikos Schlitt.
Singles: 1. John Hunter (P) beat Connor Eichenauer, 6-2, 6-4; 2. Max Karg (M) beat John Gerard, 6-2, 6-1; 3. Nate Knapp (P) beat Brayton Spann, 6-3, 6-2.
Doubles: 1. Matt Flynn/Max Holloway (P) beat Noah Cain/Morgan Metzger, 6-1, 6-4; 2. Ryan Johnson/Braydon Davidson (P) beat Dalton Day/Branden Scott, 6-1, 6-0.
Individual Singles:
Denis Stepanov (North Judson) beat Adam Harts (Maconaquah), 6-0, 6-0.
Nikki's Rongos (Columbia City) beat Branden Bates (Peru), 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.
Individual Doubles
Kreighton Ray/Austin Finicle (Peru) beat Nick Love/Joe Dale (Maconaquah), 6-2, 6-4.
Lady Lions fall to Jimtown
Bremen's volleyball team fell in four competitive sets with Northern State Conference foe Jimtown at home Tuesday, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 29-27.
Chelsea Huppert and Cassie Sears put in an impressive 22 and 21 kills, respectively, for the Lady Lions, while Huppert also notched six blocks at the net.
Rachael Czarnecki recorded 12 digs with three aces, Sabrina Gilley served three aces with 45 set assists and nine digs, and Brooke Fitch passed out a team-high 18 digs in the loss, which dropped Bremen to 19-9 overall.
At Bremen
Bremen stats
Kills: Chelsea Huppert 22, Cassie Sears 21
Aces: Rachael Czarnecki 3, Sabrina Gilley 3
Assists: Gilley 45
Digs: Brooke Fitch 18, Czarnecki 12, Gilley 9
Blocks: Huppert 6
Records: Bremen 19-9
Close but no win for Argos volleyball
Argos battled back from a two-game deficit but couldn't quite get over the hump in a five-game loss to South Bend Washington Monday, 14-25, 26-24, 25-18, 23-25, 15-4.
Allie Warner tallied 10 kills with an ace to lead the Lady Dragons' attack, while Kelsey Kring finished with eight kills.
Bri Overmyer set 25 assists, Kristen Ringer and Sabrinna Brown finished with 13 and 12 digs, respectively, and Aubrie DeWulf managed five kills as Argos fell to 5-21 on the season.
Argos stats
Kills: Allie Warner 10, Kelsey Kring 8, Aubrie DeWulf 5
Aces: Allie Warner 1
Assists: Bri Overmyer 25
Digs: Kirsten Ringer 13, Sabrinna Brown 12
Records: Argos 5-21
JV score: Washington 2, Argos 0 (25-19, 25-17)


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Coret wrote:It wasn't Salvatore's idea to kill off Chewbacca. Lucas gave him the general outline for the book and told him to kill Chewbacca off.
That's not exactly how Salvatore tells it. He definitely says it was from higher up, but he says the idea to kill him off wasn't from THAT high up. It was definitely APPROVED from that high up, though.


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A pumping house track full of electronica, synths, pads and 129bps beats. Hypnotic and driving, this track features a looping phrase throughout and a piano laden section for that uplifting feel. Positive and full of energy.
Want the cubase source file as well?
If you'd also like the original Cubase source files you can get both the mixed music AND the Cubase file for $20 at: http://audiojungle.net/item/fractured-house/6971428


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I have been working in IT since 2001 for companies such as Computacenter and Getronics. I started out as a first line support analyst supporting heterogeneous networks but rapidly worked my way up the ranks expanding my knowledge as I went to include areas such as system builds, deployments, networking, and security to name a few.In 2008 I decided to concentrate on the monitoring and management of large enterprise networks using Microsoft's System Center Operations Manager (OpsMgr) 2007 of which I have extensive knowledge. As testament to this the Windows Management User Group (WMUG), invited me to join their ranks as a Community Leader where I have been invaluable in helping to bolster the OpsMgr skills to the benefit of the group and it's members.I have now moved into an OpsMgr 2007 consultancy role to do what I like most - working with OpsMgr and sharing my knowledge and experiences with the community.
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|System: X360, PS3
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Omega Force
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: Koei
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: Spring 2007
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-2
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Pending
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Matthew Walker
From 1337 to 1453, England and France were at war. Soon you will be able to experience the magnitude of this epic war without going to the library. Omega Force and Koei are bringing what is sure to be another classic, in the vein of Dynasty Warriors, to the PS3 and Xbox 360. Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War will bring depth to the historic war genre with an eclectic assortment of characters including Joan of Arc and John Talbot 1st Earl of Shrewsbury. With such a dynamic storyline, it's only fitting that one of the most powerful war comes to the most powerful next-gen systems.
The game's unique sense of action will bring strong dynamics and ever-changing conflicts. Taking control of a rouge commander, you can choose to fight for the English or the French. As the game progresses you will have to adjust your style of play by sending the best unit for battle. You will also have several different units at your command, such as infantry, cavalry, archers, and special units like elephant units and castle siege specialists. With the "Free Mission" system, players will be able to deploy their mercenary forces at their fingertips for either the English or French armies, thus giving control over how the battle will turn out directly to the player. Your progression will depend solely on your achievements and decisions on the battlefield. One of the main goals is to build a reputation as a capable and dependable leader. Doing so will not only allow you to employ more desirable soldiers, but will also allow you to take on harder missions worthy of a leader of your magnitude. The more battles you fight, the stronger you become, as do your soldiers. Gaining combat experience during each battle will cause your troops to become more lethal in combat. Using a point system, you will also be able to augment your unit's capabilities for battle.
The few trailers that have been shown don't really show the graphic appeal of a next-gen system, unfortunately. The character models for the known iconic characters look great, but when you have thousands of soldiers at a time on screen, the mapping for the soldiers falls short. Even several of the environments displayed by screenshots and the trailer look bland. It is not something you'd expect from a next-gen title. Of course, with the delay to summer of 2007, maybe Omega Force and Koei can polish the graphics to meet the standard of the powerhouse consoles. The trailers do offer one shining hope though. Throughout the trailers are several close-ups of characters that are cut off mid-dialogue, which leads one to believe that there will be several storylines to advance the action along.
Incorporating a three button assignment system, Bladestorm brings a certain sense of strategy to the gameplay. Controlling hundreds of selectable characters in a strategic system seems a bit complex. Fear not, while a strategy game at heart, Hundred Years' War reminds us that it is okay to be a button masher. In fact, it will reward you with intoxicating combos as your hundreds of soldiers engage and attack your enemy in unison. If the music from the trailers is any indication as to how the in-game score will be, then it will be both dynamic and sense shattering. Omega and Koei don't look to disappoint with the musical score since it has been one of the factors that made Dynasty Warriors and Romance of the Three Kingdoms as successful as they have become. Since, undoubtedly, there will be voice acting, the only hope we can have is that it won't feel over dramatized. Equally, we can only hope that the soldier reactions to attack won't be painfully exuberant.
Hours upon hours of gameplay are surely on the horizon of Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War. Judging by past successful franchise games, we can safely bet that combat will be simplistically pleasing. Commanding several factions of an army on a micro level will feel fresh in a long repeated genre. Since the full details of the game have not been released yet, Koei will undoubtedly have other options available in the game not yet mentioned.
So, should you anticipate greatness from a game so intertwined with history? If you love history and wonder what it would be like to battle in such an epic war, then it is a resounding yes. Even if you are not the type to be washed away by the scope of detailed accuracy to historical games, you should at least be biting at the bit to enjoy the sheer brutalities of war only as Koei can bring. With so many great titles set to debut this year, Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War could definitely be among the top.
Matthew Walker
CCC Freelance Writer


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Bella, Edward, and the act of giving the things that matter the most to the ones you love the most. Oneshot.
Written for the No Dialogue challenge, February 14, 2007.
1. Gifts
Rating 5/5 Word Count 1959 Review this Chapter
'The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.'
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
x x x
She was smiling when she realized…
Her legs were carrying her faster than she thought possible, moving in a silent blur beneath her body. The feeling was almost ethereal—vivid blood eyes bright, excited and searching, chocolate brown tendrils slapping her deathly pale cheeks in the strong wind, brilliant white teeth flashing in a beaming smile. She could feel the grainy texture of the damp sand against her hard, cold skin and the shrill cry of seagulls flying over head—exhilarating. Occasionally, her soundless strides were broken when her delicate toes skimmed the surface of the small waves lapping at the shore. A weak streak of pre-sunset light found the smooth surface of her forearm, suddenly turning the sparkling diamonds embedded in her skin into stunning rubies, glowing eerily in the twilight.
A pair of sturdy, cement arms brought her run to an abrupt halt as they spun her around in the air, squealing with delight. He was laughing, too—a musical sound that made her un-beating heart sing every time she heard it. He slowed down gradually before stopping altogether, only to dive for her lips the moment her feet touched the sand. He crushed her to him in an almost desperate manner, memorizing the marble contours of her entire body. He grinned into their kiss when he realized he had all of eternity to do just that—be with her.
It was there; gasping, laughing, hugging and kissing until she was dizzy and nauseated, that someone snapped the photo.
It was a gift to herself; an immortal couple, frozen in time. Her little everyday reminder…
x x x
She was angry when she realized…
That he was giving her a gift. She hated it when he gave her presents, and he knew that all too well. Still he snickered as he manually coiled her long fingers around the parcel, seeing as she refused to simply accept it. She eyed the purple wrapping paper distastefully, grumbling underneath her breath before reluctantly beginning to open it, her thumb slowly making its way under the tape before ripping it free, and he enjoyed her puzzled expression when she realized what it was. It was a copy of Sense and Sensibility—one of her favorite books. But she already had a copy. He knew that. Why was he giving her another one?
Of course she was about to protest but he gently placed a finger against her smooth lips, butterscotch eyes dancing wickedly in amusement. He leaned in; kissing the hollow below her ear and running his nose gently down the side of her neck, inhaling. She forgot all about her stupid book for that one second as she felt herself melting into him, before he stiffened and walked away, throwing a triumphant grin over his shoulder.
In the empty hallway she silently seethed in defeat…she didn't need his stupid gift…and if this was a practical joke, she wasn't laughing.
x x xShe was shocked when she realized...
Exactly why he gave her the book; such a flurry of emotions played out through her mind that at first, she didn't know which one was appropriate. Her chest heaved with tearless sobs and within three seconds of them starting he was there, curling her up against his chest, his anxious gaze boring down on her as held her tighter still. She tried to cling to him with everything she had, hoping that because she couldn't even begin to show just how happy she was feeling right now, he realized everything she was trying to convey in that one, zealous gesture. He looked over at the open page and understanding relaxed his perturbed state of mind, her favorite crooked smile appearing on his angelic face.
After immortality, it was the only gift he had left to give…and he was pleased that she had changed her mind and accepted.
x x x
She was torn when she realized…
That this was probably the last time she'd ever be standing in her room. All of a sudden, the usually bland yellow and blue of her room seemed vitally important as her eyes scanned the outlay of her bedroom, trying to memorize it quickly before she had to leave. She felt guilty because she knew that people would suffer. It was inevitable. She wanted to cry at least one tear for Charlie; for Renée…but she couldn't even if she wanted to—she was a vampire now. Her body was dead. Yet still, she felt compelled to try and make someone see that she hadn't just run away from her family for no reason…someone had to understand that if he left her behind, she wouldn't be alive, anyway. Charlie knew all too well what happened last time…and so did Jacob. Jacob would always know the truth, but he would never understand. She needed to reach someone that would.
Reaching into the pocket of her jacket, she pulled out a small, thin parcel and wedged it carefully in-between the floorboards. Charlie would probably never notice it and that made her sad, to an extent. Although it was better if he probably didn't find it—no doubt he'd try to come after her if he thought she was alive. The thought made her laugh—a throaty, hollow sound that seemed to echo off the butter walls with such an intimidating finality, she thought for sure she'd break down right there on the spot. It didn't matter, she reassured herself…as long as someone eventually found it.
She couldn't stop the cry that broke through her lips as she pried her fingers away from the parcel. It was her last gift to humans…and although they would probably never get it, she gave it anyway.
x x x
The girl was scared when she realized...
Her family was moving into exactly the same house as that girl who disappeared from the area fifty years ago. Apparently, her father died in this house too just ten years ago—still grief-stricken over the loss of his beloved daughter. She tried to talk her parents out of buying it, but they told her to stop being so ridiculous. She didn't like ghosts, so she hoped that they would leave her alone…at last until she moved out after finishing high school. The case of the missing Isabella Marie Swan had become famous simply because she literally vanished without a trace…nobody knew what happened…there was no evidence to even suggest kidnapping or murder—there was nothing. She also allegedly had a boyfriend, but he left when she disappeared he was too distressed to stay in the town after that. Some of the much older people in the town knew her—some even professing to be in love with her…that she was the most beautiful girl the town ever knew.
There's even been a strange rumor coming from the La Push reservation that vampires came and stole her from the Quileute tribe she befriended…
And so she hesitantly went about finding her room, her feet creaking on the stairs. She eventually found it—the small one at the top of the stairs with the pale sky-blue and lemon walls. It definitely was out-dated, but nothing that a lick of paint couldn't fix. The dark varnish on the wooden floorboards had faded and dusted considerably and the girl couldn't stop cringing at the damp smell emitting from every corner.
It was almost as if this room was closed up the day Isabella disappeared…and knowing how rarely a house sold in this tiny town, she was sure that she wasn't too far from the truth, either.
And that's when she saw it—a small, old little parcel jutting out from in-between a crack in the floor.
Cautiously, she bent down to force it out—the mildew congealed in the wood almost acting like glue. She undid the small fastening carefully as the paper was now fragile with age. She was perplexed at first. It seemed to only be a faded page from a book…a classic actually. Sense and Sensibility. But what on earth was it doing under the floor? Someone obviously put it there on purpose. She could tell from the way it was placed and folded. Someone intended for this to be found. But why…?
Her eyes stopped scanning and widened. A few words were different from all the rest. They were highlighted.
My heart is and forever shall be, yours.
She was still confused.
She stood up from her crouched position on the dusty floor, and another thin, shiny piece of paper fell out of its hiding place within the torn page of the book. She bent down to pick it up, only to discover it was actually a photo…and the way it was captured made it seem as if the people in it were lost in their own little world. It was rather endearing and the young girl couldn't help but smile. The boy—who didn't seem much older than she was—was ridiculously good looking, but the girl was plain; pretty in a way, but such a sharp contrast to the boy who's arms she was locked in. There was no doubt they were lovers—their expressions gave it all away, even if their stance could be considered innocent enough. They were lost in each other, completely oblivious of the beautiful scene around them.
A flash of bright blue ink on the opposite side caught he girls' eye—an untidy, hurried scrawl that had bled and faded with age.
He gave everything he was to me. I did the same. I became him to be with him and in return, had to forfeit the life that I loved, but no longer belonged to me. While many shall, and have already suffered in the short term; a side affect of my absence I regret, know that I have not suffered at all. I am forever happy with his gift to me and so I leave this: a small piece of my heart…and his…as a gift to my former life and the people in it for so many wonderful memories.
Isabella Swan.
x x x
It was cold and windy where the girl was standing, the looming clouds above showing certainty of more rain. The dark brown leaves of an overshadowing banksias tree swept past her feet and she instinctively tightened her hold on her jacket in order to keep warm. She had re-wrapped the package she had discovered earlier and was holding it carefully in-between her fingers. Isabella Swan was okay. And whilst the whole town…no, the whole country would probably have liked to have known that, the girl felt as though she had been entrusted with a very important task. Something Isabella herself couldn't carry out herself for whatever reasons.
This gift was meant for one person only.
She bent down carefully on her knees, cringing slightly as a particularly icy breeze slapped her cheeks. Clearing the cemented surface of dirt and leaves, she grabbed the flower jar and placed some freshly cut wildflowers from a nearby meadow. She jammed the note carefully under the vase, leaving a small corner of the package visible.
Slowly, she rose again and stepped away, hoping that she'd done her job properly. After all, he deserved to finally rest in peace after all the pain her had gone through…
Charlie Swan
Beloved father and friend
1964 – 2041
The girl smiled sadly, eyeing the tombstone with a little pity before she walked away.
There, written in bold, black ink was a simple message on the exposed paper; the last thing the girl could do to ease the poor man's suffering.
Isabella's alright.
And as far as the girl could tell, Charlie must have accepted it…
…Because it never rained that day.
- Author
- Warui Usagi
- Rating
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- Reviews
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- 1959
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- 1
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- 16 Feb 07
- Updated
- 17 Feb 07
- Status
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Both Doom and Final Doom freeze at the 'Loading' splash screen which appears just after the initial startup.
This happens on both my HTC One X and Asus Transformer TF101. Both are running stock ICS and the latest FPse.
This doesn't happen on my HTC Desire HD running Android 2.3 and the previous FPse version.
I think this might be a problem with the latest FPse version rather than ICS as I'm sure I had it working on the Transformer running ICS with the previous FPse version.
Strangely I could load a saved game at the stuck 'Loading' screen and continue playing (until I wiped the saves somehow).
I have tested a few other games which appear to work OK.
Any help will be appreciated as I bought a Phonejoy controller just for Doom.


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Erica Frantz
Dictatorships have dominated global politics for hundreds of years, from the pharaohs of Egypt to the absolute monarchs of Europe. Though democracy has since spread to much of the world, about a third of today's countries are still ruled by dictatorship. And yet, compared to democracies, we know very little about how dictatorships work, who the key political actors are, and where decision-making powers lie. Political processes are opaque, and information is often intentionally distorted. Political survival depends not on maintaining the favor of voters, as in democracies, but on securing the backing of a considerably smaller coalition of supporters. The absence of a reliable third party to enforce compromises among key players means that power-sharing deals lack credibility and the threat of forced ouster is omnipresent. Uncertainty pervades authoritarian politics.
Modern autocrats respond to this uncertain environment in a variety of ways. They use political parties, legislatures, elections, and other institutions typically associated with democracies to lessen their risk of overthrow. Despite the façade of democracy, these institutions are key components of most autocrats' survival strategies; those that incorporate them last longer in power than those that do not. The specific ways in which autocratic institutions are used and the extent to which they can constrain leadership choices to prevent consolidation of power into the hands of a single individual, however, vary enormously from one dictatorship to the next. Better understanding the conditions that push autocracies down a path of collegial versus strongman rule remains a critical task, particularly given that the latter is associated with more war, economic mismanagement, and resistance to democratization.
Comparative Political Regimes: Consensus and Majoritarian Democracy
Matthijs Bogaards
Ever since Aristotle, the comparative study of political regimes and their performance has relied on classifications and typologies. The study of democracy today has been influenced heavily by Arend Lijphart's typology of consensus versus majoritarian democracy. Scholars have applied it to more than 100 countries and sought to demonstrate its impact on no less than 70 dependent variables. This paper summarizes our knowledge about the origins, functioning, and consequences of two basic types of democracy: those that concentrate power and those that share and divide power. In doing so, it will review the experience of established democracies and question the applicability of received wisdom to new democracies.
Constitutional Law
Axel Tschentscher
Research on constitutional law has come in different waves mirroring the development of states in recent decades. While the decolonization period of the 1960s still kept the old ties of constitutional "families," comparison based on such ties has become ever less persuasive since the 1980s wave of constitution making following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Research about de facto and de jure constitutional law now tends to embrace institutional details like judicial review powers and procedures of direct democracy. The field of comparative constitutional law is controversial both in methods and substance. It still lacks a consistent framework of comparative tools and is criticized as illegitimate by scholars who insist on the interpretive autonomy within each constitutional system.
Research in the area of fundamental rights has to deal with long-lasting controversies like the constitutionality of the death penalty. Bioethical regulation is another new field where constitutional positions tend to diverge rather than converge. Embryonic stem cell research, therapeutic cloning, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, and surrogate motherhood are examples from biotechnology and reproductive medicine where constitutional scholars disagree about what, if anything, constitutional law can contribute to provide a basis or limit for regulation. With the worldwide rise of constitutional courts and judicial review, the standards for the interpretation of fundamental rights become more important. Legal scholarship has worked out the differences between the rule-oriented approach associated with Anglo-American legal systems versus the principle-based approach common to continental Europe.
Constitution-Making in Comparative Perspective
Gabriel L. Negretto
Constitution-making has been a central political activity in the modern era. Enacting a new constitution was an essential ingredient in the foundation of republics, the creation of new states, the inauguration of democratic regimes, and the reequilibration of democracies during or after a political crisis. Constitution writing has also become a crucial part of the process of overcoming a legacy of violent internal conflict and a component of authoritarian regimes that seek to gain legitimacy by emulating the formalities of representative democracies. This article surveys the most important concepts and issues related to the comparative analysis of constitution-making. Although it draws examples from constitutions made in a wide variety of settings, special attention is paid to constitutional texts adopted or implemented under competitive conditions.
Diplomacy in Foreign Policy
Kenneth Weisbrode
Diplomacy's role in foreign policy is hampered by multiple understandings of what diplomacy is and does. A broad definition of diplomacy holds that it encompasses more than the promotion of peaceful international relations. Instead, it applies to the sum of those relations—peaceful, hostile, and everything in between. Thus, foreign relations—so long as they involve the interests, direction, and actions of a sovereign power—may be regarded as being synonymous with diplomatic relations, whereby foreign policy relates to the theory and practice of setting diplomatic priorities; planning for contingencies; advancing strategic, operational, and tactical diplomatic aims; and adjusting those aims to domestic and foreign constraints. This conception of diplomacy is functional: it emphasizes the roles of diplomats and recognizes that many other people perform these roles besides official envoys; and it illustrates that diplomatic settings—and the means, methods, and tools of diplomacy—undergo continuous change. The basic mediating purpose of diplomacy, however, has endured, as has much of its institutional apparatus—embassies, ambassadors, treaties, and so on. This is likely to remain the case so long as there are multiple polities in the world, all having to relate to one another.
Gendering Institutional Change
Georgina Waylen
Many institutionalist scholars—historical institutionalists in particular—have recognized for some time that our understanding of institutional change needs to be improved. Taking this premise as a starting point, this article develops it by arguing that we not only need to understand institutional change better but that we also need to improve our understanding of how it is gendered. The chapter combines key elements from institutional analysis with recent gender and politics scholarship. This combination will form an analytical framework that can be used to examine how different instances of institutional change are gendered, highlighting, for example, the importance of some key concepts such as informal institutions and their role in either promoting or stymieing attempts to promote institutional change. After exploring the gaps in many current gender and politics analyses such as their capacity to explain many instances of institutional change, the paper charts the development of key insights on institutional change from both historical institutionalism and feminist institutionalism. It delineates different forms of institutional change and develops some key themes for each one that might enable us to better understand, not only how each is gendered, but also how far each form might be used by change actors as a gender equity strategy.
Gender-Sensitive Parliaments
Sonia Palmieri
While women have succeeded in promoting a feminist agenda in some parliaments, the international research shows that this is not always possible, and accordingly, not a realistic expectation for women. Parliaments, like any institution, have specific cultural norms and practices, some of which actively work against the advancement of gender equality. Understanding the conditions under which female—and male—parliamentarians might succeed in promoting gender equality outcomes has become an important avenue for research and development practice. The focus on gender-sensitive parliaments allows for a framework to identify, and encourage the development of, those conditions.
There are four key elements of a gender-sensitive parliament. First, it accepts that the responsibility to achieve gender equality, both as a policy outcome and as a process, rests with the parliament as a whole (its male and female members and staff) and with the organizations that drive substantial policy, procedural, and normative development (political parties). Second, a gender-sensitive parliament is guided by institutional policies and legal frameworks, which allow the parliament to monitor its achievements toward gender equality and allow follow-up and review. Third, a gender-sensitive parliament institutionalizes a gender mainstreaming approach through its representational, legislative, and oversight work to ensure that all the parliament's outputs consider, and counteract, any potential discrimination against women or men, girls or boys. This element requires a reconsideration of the process and structures of the parliament, including the respective roles and capacities of members and parliamentary staff. Fourth, a gender-sensitive parliament constantly strives to eliminate institutional cultures that sanction and perpetuate discriminatory, prejudicial norms and attitudes in the workplace against women members and staff.
National Secession
Philip G. Roeder
National secession seeks to create a new sovereign state for a nation residing on its homeland that is currently located inside another sovereign state. This goal distinguishes national secession from regional secession, autonomy, and decolonization and shapes the strategies, operational objectives, and tactical choices of the leaders of national-secession campaigns. Explanations for the success of some campaigns—particularly, success at getting on the global agenda—have focused on the identities, grievances, or greed of their members. Explanations for why some campaigns have turned to protracted intense violence have focused on these motivations and on tactical-logistical opportunities.
The existing literature suffers from its failure to agree on theoretical and conceptual fundamentals. As a consequence, empirical studies focus on very different universes of cases and operationalize key variables in diverging ways. The existing literature frequently does not consider how the goal of national secession constrains the strategies, operations, and tactics of such campaigns. And so, it often fails to consider whether studies with another dependent variable can be extended to the study of national secession. Explanations stress indeterminate or substitutable causes and remote constraints on most national-secession campaigns—causes and constraints taken "off the shelf" from theories about conflicts operating under very different strategic and operational constraints. Missing from these explanations is the authenticity and realism of the programs for national secession in the assessments of the populations that each program presents as a nation with a right to a sovereign state of its own. Explanations and recommendations for responses by common-state governments, their allies, and the international community often fail to understand the centrality of the war of programs between national secessionists and common-state governments and the ways this constrains what compromises are possible and what responses are most likely to lead to domestic and international peace in such conflicts.
The Politics of Fires and Haze in Southeast Asia
Helena Varkkey
Transboundary haze pollution affects about half of the countries in Southeast Asia with varied intensities on an almost annual basis. Haze not only affects visibility, but also causes widespread health problems, transportation disruptions, and other socioeconomic issues. This haze, and the fires that cause it, has been a key topic for environmental politics research in the region since the late 1990s. This has largely been driven by one overarching objective: how to prevent haze from returning in the following years. However, conditions on the ground (mostly in Indonesia and in the larger Southeast Asian region) have been changing and evolving drastically. This has resulted in a very dynamic research agenda that has to keep up with these changes.
Within the context of environmental politics, fires and haze can be viewed through the broad lens of national interest. There is a strong link between the severity of haze and the burgeoning agribusiness sector in the region: that of oil palm in particular. Oil palm is a very important crop in the region, with Indonesia and Malaysia making up almost 90% of total global palm oil output. Hence, national and business interest theories have often been used as a framework for research in this area, with commercial oil palm plantations often being the unit of analysis. This includes research by this author, using the patronage politics framework. However, this has been called to question lately as these plantations face increasing market pressure to act more sustainably. A new group of actors that have since been highlighted are smallholders, either independent or in contract with larger plantations. There is potentially much to be uncovered with regard to the relationships between smallholders and commercial plantations, and how this affects patterns of fire use and global sustainability issues.
Related to this is the ever-evolving collection of local, regional, and national policies (and related enforcement issues) over land and fire use in Indonesia. One key area of contention is the use of peatlands. Fires on peat produce the thick, sooty smoke that travels across national boundaries, and are notoriously hard to put out. Political research in this area is heavily framed by a tough debate between the scientific community and socioeconomic concerns. While peatlands play an important role in the global climate change balance, at the same time, these peat areas face immense pressure for development fueled by the scarcity of land.
The regional context has also been an important theme for haze research. Haze primarily affects the Southern Southeast Asian subregion. And the major players of the palm oil sector also come from this region. The Indonesian palm oil sector is a vibrant combination of Malaysian, Singaporean, and local companies. And ASEAN has been the hub of cooperation and mitigation activities over haze. Hence, many scholars have searched for answers at the regional level. However, new national developments like Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act suggest that countries may be losing confidence with regional efforts, which may be an indicator for future directions for solutions as well.