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We've all oohed and ahhed at pictures of them on Pinterest, in blogs, and in our favorite home catalogs. And we've thought: "Wow, this is a great looking, magical tool to organize my household once and for all!"
I'm talking about the kitchen command center, the analog system of calendars, pinboards, organizers, and office supplies — all matchy-matchy, of course — that many families use to do the bills, sort the mail, and plan intricate schedules.
I, too, have warm thoughts when I see command center pictures. Then, my dismissive inner voice tsk-tsks, "Don't be fooled. It's just an organizing tchotchke you don't need; it'll create clutter, and my family won't use it."
So, I'll 'fess up. I'm a digital girl through and through, and I do everything I can to avoid keeping paper around the house. With that disclosure, here are my thoughts on why I just can't find the utility in the popular kitchen command-center concept.
Who isn't a fan of chalkboard paint? I love the stuff. Even considered using it on my bathroom walls. But, attractive as it is, I can't think of an organizational benefit. Grocery lists need to be taken to the store. Posting the menu of the day? "You get what you get and don't throw a fit" is the mantra at my house.
Creating a big old calendar on the chalkboard? This is what Google Calendar is for. My husband and I can add to our calendars anytime, anywhere, and check each others' for conflicts.
One more strike against the chalkboard idea? Our kitchen is small; I'd rather my art-crazed child take her sketching to the dining table or elsewhere, especially if I'm busy with hot pots.
Homework supply area
Now that my daughter has entered the homework years, I figured a homework supply area was worth a try. But a cute mason jar or galvanized bucket full of sharpened pencils labeled with chalkboard paint? Why do we need so many pencils? A few pencils and pens fit in the junk drawer. If we need more, we have an entire craft closet upstairs.
Regardless, I thought I'd gather some supplies and create a dedicated area using a tray. After all, how could I write about something I hadn't tried? Well, here's the optimistic before and sad aftermath:
Credit: Liz Foreman for HouseLogic
Chore chart
How about those massive whiteboard chore charts? Not necessary. My 6-year-old's chores are still memory-friendly: Take out the trash and set the dinner table. When the time comes, I'll adopt my mom's method: a sheet of notebook paper with hand-drawn grid lines and star stickers for successfully completed tasks. I'll pitch it at the end of the week and start with a new sheet of paper.
Artwork wall
Our old behemoth of a fridge takes magnets. 'Nuff said.
So, what do others think?
I informally polled some friends on the topic. After all, maybe the concept works for them.
My neighbor Rachel Lippman has a now-defunct command center in her basement, since there's no place in their small kitchen to hang it. "It has a chalkboard on the front and opens up with slots to put mail and keys," she says.
They had it up in their apartment before they bought their home. But Rachel admits that it didn't get used much. "I know Matt never put his keys on it," she says.
Now they keep grocery lists and personal calendars on their smartphones. They manage the family schedule on a paper calendar they keep in the kitchen.
Another neighbor, Ann Gibbons, included desk space in her kitchen renovation. "We had grand ideas that we were going to do our work there," she says.
Instead, the Gibbons — two adults, two kids, and an 18-year-old at college — now use the built-in desk as a storage area for school supplies and as a staging area for mail. The kids' homework gets done on the nearby dining room table.
Credit: Liz Foreman for HouseLogic
"I like it because it's off of the kitchen counter," Ann said, but acknowledged, "If we had a second space it would become as [cluttered as the desk]."
She's also "reusing plastic containers, and we have pencils in one, erasers in another, scissors in another, so [my sons] can't hop up during homework time to go get supplies. I do have systems but they're not frou-frou."
So, I'm sticking to my guns:
- The kitchen is for cooking; it's not a pseudo-craft closet. A few pencils and pens in the junk drawer work for us — for now.
- Using digital organizing tools for things like calendars and grocery lists keeps our family synced more efficiently.
- I have enough dust in my house. No whiteboards or chalk boards, please.
Do you disagree with me? Tell us how your kitchen command center keeps order or hasn't lived up to its original intent.


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Homecoming is always a special time of year for any college or university. With alums coming back to reminisce and current students wanting to show that their class is as good as any in school history, the atmosphere is usually electric. It is a great time to rekindle old friendships and to make new ones.
At Regis as at many institutions homecoming centers itself around athletics and camaraderie. Our athletes take to the fields and courts to show their school spirit and and our fans cheer them on anxiously anticipating inevitable victory. Our faculty and staff come out in support of the students who work so hard on the field of competition, the same way they work hard in the classroom.
This year homecoming started out with the traditional pep rally. A late night party where school spirit dominates. The pep rally this year was student run and they did a terrific job. The DJ had the students on their feet, and the MCs for the evening kept things moving and helped fuel the great atmosphere.
(Various pep rally images)
Saturday morning homecoming began in earnest. With the official blessing of our new athletics fields, followed by men's and women's soccer, women's field hockey, and women's volleyball. This would be an all day event for me, and it turned out to be the same for many of our alums. With the biggest crowds of the year looking on, our teams competed fiercely in each of the games that day.
Ashley Hibbard(Left) & Marie Kong(Right) take the field for the women's soccer game
(Left) Kelly Cadigan takes a corner kick
(Right) Molly Teixira receives a pass during the women's field hockey game
Sara Ankerud (Yellow) comes out of her goal to stop an attack by the Anna Maria forwards
(Left) Amanda Hoyt serves against a tough Daniel Webster team
(Right) Domingas Gomez gets great height while on the offensive in two different matches that day

subset: commoncrawl


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We want change, but we don't want to change the process, make the time or the effort. We want change, but aren't willing to put in the hard work. We know we've got too much to work through and therefore become less interested in change.
I don't believe we're not, not interested in change, but when it becomes too difficult, we let go of our need to change. Sadly, some of us won't always recognise we need to change. Others won't think about it, but we need to work and own change.
Because we find any form of change hard, we're reluctant to go through the process, let alone own it and that's a pity, because without any form of change, we will be the ones who lose out.


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A.S ARB | Experts in tree care are a newly formed fully insured company with over 25 years combined experience, due to this vast experience we can fulfil all your tree surgery need from planting to dismantling, reducing or lifting.
A.S ARB is dedicated to providing the highest quality in tree surgery, customer care and satisfaction. All works will be completed safely and efficiently with little disruption.
NPTC Qualified
All our staff here at A.S ARB are Are NPTC Qualified
Here at A.S ARB we are all trained to BS3998 for arboriculture and tree work


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Sridevi has acted in more than 70 hindi movies. Sridevi is known as one of the best dancers Bollywood film industry has ever produced. With her elegant personality and her sensual looks, she was a perfect blend who was able to dance and perform on various kinds of songs. Some of Sridevi's performances on songs are done in the traditional Indian cinema way, while some were very different that the then existing fashions and proved to be trend setters. From "Naino mein sapna" to "O Meri Chandni" she has proved her mettle time and again. Without any formal training in dance she has done rather well by becoming the first Indian female superstar in Bollywood. She has performed many tandavs, Chandni tandav being the most famous (while Chaalbaaz and Lamhe Tandav are also highly appreciated). Let's have a close look at the top 10 songs other than the famous tandavs that she has performed on in her carrier.
10. Naino mein sapna, sapno mein sajna– This was a brilliantly colorful dance from the movie "Himmatwala". Jitendra was the lead actor against Sridevi in this film. This song was such a huge hit that till now it is considered as the trademark of the 1980s on screen couple dances.
9. Mein teri dushman Dushman tu mera-The famous snake dance by Sridevi. Rishi Kapoor starred in "Nagina" against Sridevi and this song was the most popular one from the whole movie.
8. Nahin aur koi bs tum ho sath, kehni thee tum se jo dil ki bat-Undoubtedly the most sensual appearance of Sridevi on screen, this song comes from the Movie "Mr. India". Anil Kapoor was the lead actor in this movie.
7. Her ksi ko nh milta yahan pyar zindagi mein-This song from the movie "Jaanbaaz" was a huge hit.
6. Rab ne bnaya tujhe mere liye mujhe tere liye-This song was the highlight of the movie "Heer Ranjha" based on a folk love story.
5. Tu mujhe qabool mein tujhe qabool-Starring against Amitabh Bachchan in "Khuda Gawah" Sridevi acted in double role as Afghan Muslim woman. Her face expressions in this song are great.
4. Morni baagaan ma boley adhi raat ma-"Lamhe" was probably one of the best tests of Sridevi's acting skills. Till date it is considered as her best acting performance. She looked brilliant and stunning in the traditional thar desert attire. Dazzling!
3. Ksi k hath na ae gee ye larki-From the movie "Chaalbaaz" this song represents one of Sridevi's characters in the movie fully. Sridevi won her first ever Filmfare award for this movie.
2. O Meri Chandni-"Chandni" is probably Sridevi's best movie in her career. She was nominated for filmfare award for best actress for her performance in this role, but she won the filmfare for her role in "Chaalbaaz". In "Chandni" Sridevi performed bhangra, sensual peacock dance, a rain dance and some fun filled, lively and beautiful performances like the one in "O meri Chandni". Rishi Kapoor starred against her in this movie.
1. Mere Hathon mein nau nau chooriyan hein-This song is again from the movie "Chandni". A brilliant song where Sridevi has performed really well and according to the situation in the movie.


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I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and a bookish holiday. From what I've seen, many of you have, and so did I! I was actually very conservative about the amount of books I put on my Christmas list, and I received three of the four that I asked for. I asked for and received Complications by Atul Gawande, an essay collection about the trials faced by the medical profession as written by a surgeon. In an unprecedented turn of events I had finished a book on Christmas Eve, and so was able to start one right away on Christmas, and I've been devouring Complications, a book I've meant to read forever and even more so since Eva has been known to gush about (and rightly so from what I've read so far!). I also got The Knife of Never Letting Go, the dystopian YA that any number of my bloggy friends have been going on about, but which I probably most associate with Nymeth's raving. Lastly, I received a copy of Listening Is an Act of Love which is a collection of personal stories from ordinary people as told to their loved ones in StoryCorps interview booths. I can't remember where I originally heard about it, but I do know that I'm quite excited to have it.
Now, just because I was so well-behaved with asking for books on my Christmas list doesn't mean there's been any shortage of books coming into the house lately. In fact, you may remember this post where I came to you enablers for your help not indulging in the Book Closeouts Black Friday fiction sale. As I was counting on, you all did not dissuade me but convinced me that purchasing myself some books was, in fact, the right course of action. With that in mind, I whittled my total down to a mere 7 (for a house in which the shelf space probably stands at perhaps -150 books right now). Yes, I'm ashamed, but I'm also pretty elated with the haul, too.
It consists of...
- After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell (from which the text of my header comes, and which I decided I definitely needed a copy for my own collection)
- Stand the Storm by Breena Clark (historical fiction about freed slaves in DC during the Civil War)
- The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (more historical fiction that I've had on my wishlist for a long time!)
- Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (another that feels like I've wanted it forever!)
- 26a by Diana Evans (an Orange Prize for New Writers winner for my lapsed Orange Project reading)
- The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke (which many of my blogging friends were talking up during the Once Upon a Time Challenge last year)
- Birds in Fall by Brad Kessler (which I have no comment for, but sounds really good)
And all of this doesn't count several review copies that have shuffled in in recent weeks, which I don't think I'm going to mention because I'm getting tired (and slightly ashamed), but which I haven't forgotten and will be getting to in the extremely near future once I finish the book I gave myself permission to enjoy with no strings attached for Christmas.
In other news, in one fell swoop I told myself that I would read more books this year, waaaay more books, and also joined Twitter. That's right. I've crossed over to the Twitter dark side after months and months and months of wisely holding out. Nonetheless, I went and got a phone with internet capabilities, and I felt like I needed something to make it feel like I was getting my money's worth out of it. So, Twitter it is. My name there is toadacious1, which is actually a weird screenname I've been using since I was in high school, so if you've got a sketchy follower with "toad" in their name, that's me. If you want to follow me, please do, and if you'd like me to follow you (if I'm not already), please do leave me your name, and I'll look you up! Also, if you can think of a few people or entitities that I'd really be missing out by not following leave their names, too, if you please.
All right, that's all from me for today, but I'll be trying to catch up with the blogosphere as soon as today's pork and sauerkraut eating is through. Also - keep your eyes peeled for the 3rd Annual Leafy Awards for Excellent Books Read in 2009!


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Posts in the "GIFTS" category
August Gifts
by Angeliska on August 20, 2012
I found this little bird on the ground in my yard, at the end of a particularly hard day. I cradled him in my hand and brought him inside. He looks like I've been feeling, lately. I'm so thankful for (…)
Suprises + Suchlike
by Angeliska on August 10, 2010
Surprises of all sorts are abounding in this scorching season. The heat has gotten so intense that the minute you step outside, all the air is sucked out of your lungs. I retreat into the cool, dark cave of my (…)
Magic Windows #10
by Angeliska on February 4, 2010
Here's a wee quickie mini-birthdee review, in magic window form, for your delight and delectation. As always, the Magic Windows series is a portal into my world in snippets captured my my trusty telephone camera. The full details (or as (…)
Magic Windows #1
by Angeliska on August 26, 2009
Want to see into my day-to-day? My crazy-ass hyper-power robot celephone records it fairly faithfully for me, and it's high-time for a magic window party! Jewels from the shop. Sometimes I cannot resist the sparkle. Okay, I admit that I (…)
Black Velvet + Silver Filigree
by Angeliska on May 21, 2009
I got a new hat today. – velvet + silver filigree hat from Uncommon Objects – metal twig earrings from Parts + Labor – antler lady necklace, gift from Mlle. Verhext, made by Element Lux – watch chains necklace from (…)


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|Unrip is a Scrabble word. Scrabble point value for unrip: 7 points.
|Unrip is a Words with Friends word. Words with Friends point value for unrip: 7 points.
Above are the results of unscrambling unrip. Using the word generator and word unscrambler for the letters U N R I P, we unscrambled the letters to create a list of all the words found in Scrabble, Words with Friends, and Text Twist. We found a total of 20 words by unscrambling the letters in unrip. Click these words to find out how many points they are worth, their definitions, and all the other words that can be made by unscrambling the letters from these words. If one or more words can be unscrambled with all the letters entered plus one new letter, then they will also be displayed.
|Definition of "unrip" found in the Merriam Webster dictionary
|Definition of "unrip" from The Free Dictionary
|Definition of "unrip" from Dictionary.com
|Words that start with unrip
|Words that end with unrip
|Words that contain unrip


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These are a few of my favorite house tours - the perfect way to waste a few minutes:
Sarah M Dorsey Designs - love her colour choices and mixture of prints
Yellow Brick Home - amazing to think they packed this much style into just 650 sq feet
Making It Lovely - a fantastic sense of style
Tudors Down - a sea of mid-century, so 2 thumbs up from me (check out their latest tour at AP)
And with all the changes around here I've been busy updating our House Tour page - so feel free to have a look around. I won't judge!
Here is this years house:
You can count on it being massively incohesive as the designers each try to cram as much of their style into their one room. Some go subtle, some go neutral, some go bold. It's guaranteed to be an interesting mix.


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Helaina Hurban came to New Jersey with a clear agenda.
The 18-year-old — a senior at Yonkers High School in New York — planned to visit Group USA in Secaucus with her mother and aunt on Sunday.
The store was the only one in the state that carried a floor-length dress by designer Mori Lee— a dress that Hurban hoped to wear in May.
The dress turned out to be a disappointment. It was not as flattering in person as it appeared online.
Hurban — whose prom is weeks away — says a process that should be fun and exciting has become laborious, due to the lack of options for full-figured girls.
"It's annoying. It's tedious. It's frustrating," the high schooler, a size 14, said from inside a fitting room in the Jersey Gardens outlet mall.
"She doesn't have a perfect figure, so it's harder to find the perfect dress," her mother, Marla, whispered outside the fitting room.
The visit to the state's largest outlet center was an unplanned stop in their prom dress venture.
"She's not normal," Marla Hurban said jokingly of her daughter who rejected an expensive dress. "We offered her a beautiful $400 dress and she said 'no.' "
"I'm going to wear it once and never again," Helaina Hurban explained. "So, I don't want it to be that much."
"I thought I knew what I wanted, until I started shopping," she said last weekend outside Deb Shops in Elizabeth.
The store — which carries juniors prom dresses in sizes 0 through 24 — is one of a handful of chains that offers a variety of styles for any size.
The designs at the store, which range from loose-fitting floor-length frocks to high-low ruched bodice dresses, are priced moderately, too. They range from $100 to $180, with many marked down by as much as 50 percent.
Catherine Zappia, a 17-year-old junior at Bishop Ahr High School in Edison, found a dress at Deb Shops on her first visit, which came as a surprise to her mother, Nora. Even more delightful was the $83 price tag.
"I really didn't want to spend more than $300 on a dress because we're still not over shoes and accessories," Zappia said.
At David's Bridal, which has nine locations across the state, half of the wide-ranging prom inventory is available in juniors sizes 13 to 21. The store organizes its dresses by style — as opposed to size — so as to avoid isolating girls based on their figure, says Marissa Rubinetti, a senior buyer for the chain.
"We want each girl to embrace her size and not feel self-conscious," says Rubinetti, whose responsibility it is to spot prom trends. "We don't want a girl to feel like she's a segregated shopper."
And while many boutiques or specialty prom shops only carry sample or smaller sizes, Rubinetti says David's Bridal offers shoppers plenty of options.
"You can try on the dress in your size," Rubinetti said. "We are a large chain, so we have great buying power." Dresses, for example, are priced from $99 to $399, to accommodate different budgets.
David's Bridal also has an obligation-free personalized styling service that offers shoppers a one-on-one consultation with an in-house expert at no additional cost.
"The stylist will be as hands-on or as hands-off as the customer wants," said Kristin Taylor, the store manager at David's Bridal in East Brunswick.
A stylist is experienced in identifying a look to flatter any figure, Taylor says.
Oftentimes, girls who wear larger sizes are discouraged from wearing trendy styles, she says. Many full-figured shoppers, for instance, stray away from romantic "fairy-tale" style gowns, which have a little more layering or tulle.
"Any trend can go for any person, regardless of the size," she says. "It's all about the fit."
A dress with a bustier cup, for example, works for smaller or larger sizes because it can accentuate a slim frame or create the illusion of one.
Unlike Deb Shops, whose in-store display proudly highlights "plus"-sized fashion, David's Bridal avoids use of the term altogether. It is absent from its stores and advertisements and is strictly discouraged among its staff.
"I don't know that 'plus size' is even the right term for a shopper," Rubinetti says. "She's a normal girl, she just happens to be a larger size."
• Across NJ, volunteers bring dresses to prom-goers in need


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APPAREL MONTH: Mighty Fine debuts new lines at Magic
LA-based design studio Mighty Fine is debuting a range of new collections and licensing collaborations at the Magic Marketplace in Las Vegas this week.
The firm is presenting lines across its men's, women's, juniors and toddlers labels.
It has revealed a new exclusive licence for late artist and activist Keith Haring's pop artwork, while other new licences include Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and Vampire Diaries.
In addition, Mighty Fine will reintroduce its collection of Sex and the City tees in time for the release of the second film.
Classic brands such as Disney, Sesame Street, Marvel, Hello Kitty and Peanuts are also being showcased during the three-day show.


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Jagannath University Admission Test Notice 2016-17. JNU Admission Test Circular 2016-2017 from www.jnu.ac.bd. Jagannath University (JNU) is one of the most famous University of Bangladesh. In my opinion, after University of Dhaka it would be better to get admitted in this University. Because there are a lot of causes in saying so.
Jagannath University Admission Circular 2016-17At first I will say that, it is situated in the capital of Bangladesh. You will get a lot of opportunities comparing to other Universities' students. Though this University is not so old but it has a glorious past. Recently this university has invited applications from the eligible students to get themselves admitted in Honors 1st year in the academic session of 2016-2017. You have to apply through Teletalk mobile SMS. No other mobile operator is allowed to submit your application for admission.
Jagannath University Exam Routine:
- JNU A Unit Admission Test : 21 October 2016
- JNU B Unit Admission Test : 23 September 2016
- JNU C Unit Admission Test : 30 September 2016
- JN U D Unit Admission Test : 28 October 2016
- NU E Unit Admission Test : 24 September 2016
There are total 2760 seats in this university in different Units.Jagannath University Admission Circular 2016-2017 academic session for Honours 1st Year. JNU Bachelor Honours Admission Circular 2016-2016. Jagannath University Admission Result, Jagannath University admission seat plan & Jagannath University admission results all news regarding Jagannath University are available here.
Jagannath University Admission 2016-2017
Unit Wise Total Seat:
- A Unit-Total 760 Seats
- B Unit -Total 720 Seats
- C Unit- Total 620 Seats
- D Unit- Total 560 Seats
- E Unit- Total 100 Seats
Jagannath University Admission Test Notice 2016-17


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Harry Leck Memorial Medal
The 2016 winner of the Harry Leck Memorial Medal is Dr Ron Reid. Ron has been involved in vacuum throughout this career making a significant contribution that is well recognised in the UK, and throughout the world. In semi-retirement, Ron continues to use his knowledge and expertise, and Vacuum Symposium is very fortunate to have him as one of our Vacuum Training Course tutors.
Born and educated in Glasgow, Ron gained a B.Sc. (Hons) in Pure Science in Natural Philosophy before moving on to the University of Warwick to carry out research in Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) from crystal surfaces, which led to the award of a Ph.D.
Thereafter he took up post-doctoral positions at the New University of Ulster at Coleraine, and later at the Department of Metallurgy, University of Oxford designing instrumentation to observe the low energy scattering and diffraction of electrons – surface science applications that demanded ultra-high vacuum conditions.
In 1976 Ron was appointed to the vacuum section at the Daresbury Laboratory of the Science Research Council (subsequently the Science and Engineering Research Council, CCLRC and STFC) to assist in design and development work on the Ultra High Vacuum system of the Synchrotron Radiation Source which came into operation in 1980.
In 1987 he became Head of the SRS Vacuum Section with responsibility for vacuum system design and operational vacuum support. He led the development and transition of the Group into what is now the Vacuum Science Group of the Accelerator Science and Technology Centre (ASTeC), laying the foundations for what is recognised as a world centre of expertise in vacuum design and instrumentation, in NEG coatings and photocathode preparation. ASTeC is part of a partnership with the Universities of Liverpool, Manchester and Lancaster to form the Cockcroft Institute, a major player in the international accelerator scene.
He retired from full time work in 2006, but continued as a consultant to ASTeC for several years, and carried out work as an External Expert for the ITER project at Caderache in France.
Ron has published a number of papers, articles and reports and prepared electronic teaching modules in aspects of vacuum science. He has been involved in the organisation and programme committees of several international conferences, schools and workshops, and was the Deputy Programme Chair for IVC-14 in Birmingham in 1998. He has been a lecturer for the CERN Accelerator School and the Cockcroft Institute and continues to teach short courses in vacuum technology at national and international level.
Ron has been active for many years in the UK Institute of Physics, particularly its Vacuum Group, where he has been Chairman and Secretary, and is currently serving as Chair. He was Secretary of the Surface Science and Technology Division for a number of years. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and a Chartered Engineer. He is currently Treasurer of the British Vacuum Council and has been a member of AVS (formerly American Vacuum Society) since 1977.
In IUVSTA (the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications), he has been Councillor and Alternate Councillor for Great Britain and Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Vacuum Science Division. He was Recording Secretary for two Triennia and held the position of Secretary General between 2004 and 2013.
September 2016


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The Bear
Bilton LaneLong LawfordRugbyWarwickshireCV23 9DU
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Ellen was tall and a slight figure, and as pretty as a picture in her Sunday clothes, and prettier than any picture on a working day, with her sleeves rolled up to her shoulder and the colour in her face like a rose, and her brown, hair all twisted up rough anyhow; and, of course, she was much sought after and flattered. But I couldn't have done it myself, I think, even if I had been sought after twice as much and twice as handsome. No, I couldn't, not after the doctor had said that father's heart was weak, and any sudden shock might bring an end to him.
But, oh! poor dear, she was my sister—my own only sister—and it's not the time now to be hard on her, and she where she is.
She was walking regular with a steady young man, who worked through the week at Hastings, and come home here on a Sunday, and she would have married him and been as happy as a queen, I know; and all her looking in the glass, and dressing herself pretty, would have come to being proud of her babies and spending what bits she could get together in making them look smart; but it was not to be.
Young Barber, the grocer's son, who had a situation in London, he come down for his summer holiday, and then it was 'No, thank you kindly,' to poor Arthur Simmons, that had loved her faithful and true them two years, and she was all for walking with young Mr. Barber, besides running into the shop twenty times a day when no occasion was, just for a word across the counter.
And father wasn't the best pleased, but he was always a silent man, very pious, and not saying much as he sat at his bench, for he had been brought up to the shoemaking and was very respected among Pevensey folks. He would hum a hymn or two at his work sometimes, but he was never a man of words. When young Barber went back to London, Ellen, she began to lose her pretty looks. I had never thought much of young Barber. There was something common about him—not like the labouring men, but a kind of town commonness, which is twenty times worse to my thinking; and if I didn't like him before, you may guess I didn't waste much love on him when I see poor Ellen's looks.
Now, if I am to tell you this story at all, I must tell it very steady and quiet, and not run on about what I thought or what I felt, or I shan't never have the heart to go through it. The long and short of it was that a month hadn't passed over our heads after young Barber leaving, when one morning our Ellen wasn't there. And she left a note, nailed to father's bench, to say she had gone off with her true love, and father wasn't to mind, for she was going to be married.
Father, he didn't say a word, but he turned a dreadful white, and blue his lips were, and for one dreadful moment I thought that I had lost him too. But he come round presently. I ran across to the Three Swans to get a drop of brandy for him; and I looked at her letter again, and I looked at him, and we both see that neither of us believed that she was going to be married. There was something about the very way of the words as she had written them which showed they weren't true.


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Serves: 6
- 1 red pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 yellow pepper, halved and seeded
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 25g soy margarine
- 3 large onions, finely sliced
- 3tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1tbsp brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 2tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 175g quick-cooking polenta
For the topping
- 75ml tomato sauce
- 2tbsp soy cream (optional)
- 2tsp nutritional yeast
- 1tsp paprika
- Pinch of red chili flakes
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
- Put peppers under a hot grill and cook until the skin blackens. Turn and repeat until the whole peppers are charred. Wrap in saran wrap, allow to cool, then remove the skin and slice.
- Heat oil and margarine in a saucepan, add the onions and cook 5-7 minutes until soft.
- Reduce heat and stir in balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and bay leaves.
- Cook until onions are rich golden brown (about 20 minutes).
- Remove bay leaves and season to taste.
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Cook polenta according to package directions.
- While hot, stir in the peppers, onions, parsley and thyme. Check the seasoning. Pour the polenta mixture into an already oiled dish, perhaps a flan dish. Push it down flat with your hand. Leave it to cool.
- Combine the ingredients for the topping, season to taste and spread over the top of the polenta.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the top has browned. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
|Buy it Now on Amazon!


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"Stellan and Angie will help you reach your full potential. If
you are an up-and-coming junior, seasoned tournament player or new to the sport
they will help you with critical fundamentals, footwork, and proven serve and
serve return tactics. I have had a chance to work with many fine coaches and
what impresses me the most about Stellan is after a stellar international career
he is still a student of the game. He is aware of the newest trends and can
customize strategies for all levels of play. Angie really understands the
playing issues and challenges most Americans are dealing with as they strive to
improve. As a USATT Hall of Famer and World Team member she can offer practical
solutions to common problems that are impeding progress. I encourage all my
students to take advantage of their camps whenever


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Wine Brancaia il Blu Rosso di Toscana IGT 2005
Tasting Notes
Wine rich ruby color with a purple hue.
The wine has a balanced, elegant, fresh taste, rich shades of milk chocolate, with fine tannins and a gentle finale apple aftertaste. Excellent potential for aging.
The wine has a delicate, complex aroma with notes of blackberries, currants, minerals and hints of vanilla.
The wine goes well with dishes of dark meat (lamb, beef), fried or stewed game (dove, pheasant).
Interesting Facts
Supertuscan delightful wine "Ile Blue" - the flagship of the winery La Brankayya showing elegance, complexity and intensity of flavor. Since the first vintage in 1988 fell into the wine list of the best wines from the Gambero Rosso, since "Or Blue" consistently gets high marks world experts and wine critics.
For the production of "Il Blu" crop is harvested from two vineyards: "Brankayya" in Castellina in Chianti and "Poppy" in Radda in Chianti, located at an altitude of 230-400 meters above sea level. Vineyards with a total area of 24 hectares, grown on poor, rocky soils containing clay and limestone are the southern, south-western and south-eastern exposure. Stocking density - 6000 vines / ha. The grapes are harvested by hand in September and early October. Alcoholic fermentation and maceration are carried out at a temperature of 30-32 ° C in a temperature-controlled steel tanks for 20 days. Part of the must is fermented in oak barriques. Wine kept for 20 months in oak barrels, of which 2/3 - new, third - the second year of use. After bottling, the wine is left to ripen further 4 months in the cellars of the economy. Wine storage capacity is 15-20 years.
Estate Brankayya uniting two names - Branca and Poppy, since 1981 has a couple from Switzerland - Brigitte and Bruno Widmer. In the production of wine they cooperate with Martin Widmer Cronenberg. Since 1983, when one of the wines received the first prize in a local competition, the production are successful. Today wine "La Brankayya" are among connoisseurs of classical and production is based on principles such as the search for self-identity and commitment to quality.
Martin is responsible for the management of the company, while Barbara, an experienced winemaker, is responsible for the production of wines. Wine consultant is the famous Dr. Carlo Ferrini. Today Brankayya produces four wines: "Il Blue," "Chianti Classico", "Tre" and "Ilatrayya."
Producer's description
Since 1998, the company manages their daughter Barbara and her husband Martin. Barbara, an experienced oenologist, is responsible for the production of wine and Martin led the company's management. Consultant wine is the famous Dr. Carlo Ferrini. Today Brankayya produces four wines: "Il Blue," "Chianti Classico", "Tre" and "Ilatrayya."


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Toogle Search - Bill Gates - When you make a search on Toogle, it fetches the first images from Google images search and converts the picture into a colored ascii file made of only the search terms.
Google Mirror - elgoog - This site is like a mirror reflection of Google. All the text is displayed in the reverse order and inclined to the right of the page just like Arabic language. Remember that the queries are also to written in the backward direction
Gwigle - What Am I Googling? - A very addictive game where you are shown the Google search results page and you then have to reverse guess the search query. The game has various levels and can keep you busy for a long time. The accompanying tips will help you become a better googler. [Thanks, Ionut]
Guess The Google - At the start of this Google game, a grid of 20 image thumbnails would appear each of would match one search keyword. You get 20 seconds to guess the search keyword but you can make as many number of guess as you want during that time.
Googlewhack - A Googlewhack is a Google search query consisting of two words - both in the dictionary, and without quotation marks - that returns a single result. The search will list 'Results 1-1 of 1'. Googlewhacking is the pastime activity of finding such a result. A person attempting to find Googlewhacks is known as a Googlewhacker. [Whack Stack]
World War on Google Maps - Online players (2-25) randomly receive a set of countries with troop hitpoints based on real world population data. To play: attack neutral and enemy countries in an effort to try to take over the world. You have a 20% chance of receiving more troops when you overtake an enemy country. [via Slashdot]
Google Maps Flight Simulator - Nothing so advanced as the Microsoft Flight simulator, but this Googel computer game lets you fly a small farmer plane over any landscape created from a compilation of Google Maps images. You can use the keyboard arrow keys to change the flying directions, bank and dive. Space lets you fire while A/Z are for varying the flying speed.
Guess the Place - You are shown a picture and need to find out which country, state or city is being shown by looking at parts of Google Maps, or Flickr images of the place.


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Will Meghan Markle wear white for her wedding? Kate Middleton and the Queen wore this hue
MEGHAN MARKLE is set to marry Prince Harry in May. But will she wear white on her wedding day? Kate Middleton and Queen Elizabeth II both wore ivory on their big days.
Daily Express :: Style Feed


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Just like Weebly and other site builders, Wix is used by millions of webmasters all over the world. However, there are also many people wondering that whether it is a good option to create and manage the entire online presence. To make it clear, we have worked out a comprehensive Wix review to check its usability and extensibility from its design, mobile optimization, eCommerce feature, blog & social media, SEO, support and hosting.
Before writing this review, we have hosted a Wix site with the hosting service Wix offers, and kept monitoring the site closely for about 6 months. Besides, we have read numerous verified feedbacks to learn other users' real voice.
No matter what type of website you plan to build using Wix, you have the ability to create a special website because there are hundreds of templates in more than 70 categories for you to use. With their 1-page templates, you are able to get your online presence up and running easily and add features and pages as your business grows.
If you want some templates that are not offered by Wix, you can host your site with the companies offering thousands of templates, such as HostGator that provides 4,500 free templates (learn more information about HostGator review). Moreover, you are able to make your site unique by taking their designs and changing the pictures, colors, fonts, backgrounds and text with just a few clicks.
Mobile optimization
Your site visitors are able to visit your site on mobile, because this software is mobile optimized. With just 1 click, the optimized mobile view will take your HTML5 website and create an optimized view for smartphone. In addition, your site has the chance to get high visibility in some of the most famous search engines. Another highlight is that you have the ability to reorder, resize and hide elements to make your site perfect on mobile, which doesn't change the appearance of your desktop site.
eCommerce Feature
If you want to sell some products and service online, you can add a customizable online shop to your site. Then, import your online store to your Facebook page to promote your products and services. Additionally, you can manage your product inventory quickly without entering the editor every time, create product collections and set up product options flexibly.
More outstanding eCommerce features are listed as below.
- 100% compatible with mobile devices.
- Easy click-to-edit tools & endless styling options.
- Multiple payment methods, easy integration & coupons.
Blog & Social Media
You just need to click a few clicks to add an elegant blog with seamless look and feel. Equipped with special and customizable galleries, tag clouds, lists, and social feeds, your blog will appear as a separate page within your site automatically. To boost site traffic, you need to add relevant categorization tags to the posts at you blog to ensure search engine can find your blog content and website easily.
Moreover, to make your readers share your content, you can add some social icons to each of your posts, such as Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and so on. Besides, to grab your visitors' attention, you can create some elegant images and elaborate videos at your blog. Moreover, add a social bar to the site homepage to enable visitors find your social sharing accounts in only one place.
There is a creative tool Wix offers running as an analysis on your site, providing useful advice on how to make your site search engine friendly. Furthermore, Wix works well with most of the popular search engines, such as Google, Bing, and much more, creating a good relationship between your site content and its search results, which helps you increase site traffic and run business better.
The professional support staffs at Wix are standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer users' questions. Therefore, no matter when you meet problem, you can contact them and get instant assistance. Moreover, in the knowledgebase, there are hundreds of walkthroughs and vide tutorials with sufficient information about this software and answers to common issues.
Wix has released 4 different hosting packages to enable users to choose the most suitable one to build their exceptional Wix website. The solutions are named as Connect Domain, Combo, Unlimited and eCommerce, starting at $4.08/mo that is a little higher than the price of JustHost unlimited hosting (read JustHost review). Noted, JustHost shared hosting service is awarded as one of the best budget web hosting services.
According to the aspects we reviewed, it can be concluded that Wix is a deserved to be chosen for hosting a special and customizable website for business, online store, portfolio page, and so on. Besides, they offer multiple hosting choices. However, if you want to purchase a high quality shared hosting plan to host your Wix site, we suggest you go with InMotion, BlueHost as well as HostMonster.
Learn the highlights of these hosting companies in the following table.


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It has the hallmarks of a run-of-the-mill one-woman show. Inspired by a Gabriel García Márquez story? Check. Woman going on a voyage of self-discovery? Check. Flashbacks to troubled adolescence? Check. But there is something else going on in this 75-minute monologue, and it's not just the vibrant performance by writer Leann O'Kasi.
It takes a while to figure out what it is; why director Alison Peebles has made Steve Bain's excellent sound score so intrusive, and why O'Kasi's first-person narration should turn more inward-looking still. The answer is that her character, Maria Cruz, is not just another holidaying Londoner seeking reinvention amid the sexy rhythms of Brazil. Much more unsettlingly, she is a woman who is plagued by voices in her head. In its moments of greatest intensity, Dirty Paradise brilliantly conveys what a disturbing and dislocating condition that must be.
In one poignant scene, Maria makes a drawing of how it feels to hear the sound of unseen people crying, hectoring and squabbling. By the end of the speech, the paper is a scribbled mess.
O'Kasi, who has proved herself an incisive director in productions such as Topdog/Underdog at the Citizens, shows herself to be equally intelligent as a writer and actor in a supple, vivid and assured performance. She holds the attention on Arlene Wandera's car-wreck set every step of the way.
After its initial promise, however, the story pulls its punches: the cacophony of Brazil not only eases the noise inside Maria's head, it lessens the emotional impact of her fear, stigma and isolation. The concluding psychological explanation for her condition is too convenient a way to resolve a dilemma that has been so disturbingly evoked. Having unleashed such dark forces, O'Kasi could have rattled us even more before claiming her happy ending.


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Neighborhood heroes come in all sizes and statures. Sometimes it's a resident who puts in a new fence. Other times it's a whole neighborhood group committed to boarding up houses. They often go unrecognized.
Not in the Springwells Village neighborhood in Southwest Detroit. On October 21 the Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI) annual showcase and fundraiser, Heroes of the Neighborhood, will honor a host of organizations, volunteers, program graduates, and supporters. The event runs from 6-9 pm at the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority's sparkling-new dock on the Detroit River.
The food served at the event will all be from local vendors and will literally give you a taste of the diversity found in Springwell Village. Beirut Kabob will serve Middle Eastern cuisine and La Terraza will be serving Mexican seafood. Live musical entertainment will be provided during the strolling dinner and valet service is complimentary with your ticket.
Springwells Village is an interesting place. If you didn't work, live, or grow up there, you might just pass on by. But for such a small area, there's enough going on to capture anyone's attention. Springwells Village isn't actually Mexicantown. It's a diverse and growing community that sits between Mexicantown and Dearborn … and is a vibrant meeting ground for these neighboring cultures.
It's in these cultural crossroads that the Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI) make Springwells Village its primary focus. But while the area it works in is focused, its revitalization programs run the gamut from youth development to adult education to community development. It's all here.
"It's one of the most viable corridors for business opportunity," says Kate Solis, an Americorps member recently placed with the Urban Neighborhood Initiative.
"We have dozens and dozens of entrepreneurs already," UNI's Tiffany Tononi adds.
"We believe in the community and that they'll recognize their own issues and find solutions. We're just here to give it extra professional attention," she explains. "Maybe they're working or raising kids and don't have the time to research zoning ordnances. That's where we help out."
A Head Start preschool program found its home in their community center, a former Lithuanian Catholic Church. There you can also find a public computer lab and a bike garage where children from the community come to learn bicycle mechanics and earn bikes of their own by fixing them piece-by-piece.
Across the way is the Springdale Green Play Lot. "This used to be vacant lots and a drug house," Tononi candidly says. Now there's a playscape, open space for sports, a pavilion for picnics, and a track running the outside, giving residents a beautiful and safe place to exercise. UNI's work was also key in revitalizing two other parks in the neighborhood, Lafayette and Weiss.
Most striking perhaps are the murals painted around the neighborhood. "They're part of the Southwest Arts Mural and Apprenticeship program," Tononi says. "We hire the artists to come in but the students help design the murals."
UNI has also partnered with other organizations of broader scope to accomplish its goals. Most recently it collaborated with the Greening of Detroit. A number of trees have already been planted around the neighborhood, but another day of tree planting is planned for this fall.
This progress hasn't gone unnoticed. Detroit LISC (Local Initiatives Support Coalition) named Springwells Village as one of 3 sustainable communities on the upswing in the city.
For more information on the Urban Neighborhood Initiatives or to RSVP to the Heroes for Neighborhoods event, visit http://www.unidetroit.org/.
Photo credit: Karpov the Wrecked Train


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Forgive me while I reboot this. You'll notice a few things have changed.
I'm trying to manipulate the format so this reads a little more like web page than a blog...
I don't write particularly linearly (as anyone who has tried to navigate the previous incarnation of this site will undoubtedly know), and so the linear format of a blog wasn't exactly conducive to my 'snap the puzzle pieces wherever they fit' kind of writing style.
But my plan is to serialize the novel here, and share the pieces as they arrive, in fashion that makes a little more sense.
I have completely dumped the old posts, opting for posting the Great-Beast-of-a-Novel in some semblance of order.
This is the stage just before a first draft, known commonly as "Draft Zero." Yes, I know zero isn't really a number—it's a place holder in the absence of a number. Look, I don't name this stuff. Point being, there will be spelling and grammatical errors abound. I know they're there, and I will (theoretically) fix them when the manuscript is finished. Which, judging by how fast I've written so far, should be just after we've colonized Mars.
Thanks for reading. No really... you both mean a lot to me.


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Empires, during expansion, control by force of arms and the fresh memory of defeat in the minds of the vanquished. Once the borders have expanded too far, and the battles are the wars of previous generations, other means must be employed.
One of the most successful examples of such practise was the Roman Empire. No longer able to control its subjects by military might alone it cowed them with a state religion in the form of the myth of Jesus Christ. If fear of punishment in the here and now could not keep the proletariat in line, then the threat of eternal damnation surely would. Indeed, even after the Reformation, it is only in the last hundred years that the Roman Catholic Church can be said to have truly faltered.
God may not be dead but he is undeniably failing rapidly in Western society. The Almighty is more often than not the puppet vassal of right wing politicians. Where a strong moral stance on society or an excuse for war is required, you can almost be certain that it is time to pay lip service to God. The downside, now that God is only an excuse, is that fear of His divine retribution can no longer be used to control the masses. Fortunately, for the West at least, the War On Terror has presented itself. A concept so brilliant that if it did not exist then the American government would have to invent it.
Fear, as always, is the key. The identity of the enemy is almost irrelevant. His true power and capabilities are likewise negligible, just so long as the fear is real. The psychology is both simple and deeply rooted in the human subconscious to the point of being an archetype – fear of the bogeyman. Hitler had the Jews, gypsies and homosexuals. America, since the institution of slavery, has had the Negro. The same white liberals that will inform you that the coloureds are now free to vote, ride at the front of the bus and attend schools with their children are ones who are barricaded up in the suburbs with private security. Deep down they know, because it is enforced by the media, that the black man is waiting, ready to rape, murder and pillage. Correspondingly, they must be kept in their place. To do so overtly would be to invite a race riot. Instead, civil liberties have been abused in the name of that other moral crusade – the War On Drugs. With the American prison population now at two million, and a felony conviction in most states resulting in a lifetime forfeit of the right to vote, it is indisputable that this particular war has been most successful is disenfranchising a large number of black, Hispanic and Puerto Rican Americans.
The above has proved so successful in the domestic environment that it can come as little surprise that America has decided to employ it world wide with their War On Terror. They have learned the lesson well – the enemy is now so nebulous that no one is above suspicion. As long as you accede and surrender your civil rights without argument you have the right to be innocent until proven guilty. Should you be foolish enough to suggest that the government may be in error, to protest against being forced to provide fingerprints, DNA and iris scans, woe betide. At best, you will be judged guilty of unpatriotic behaviour. At worst, you will be viewed as a subversive with terrorist sympathies. To disagree is to have something to hide.
While it may be argued that it is a historical inevitability that Britain should align with a power block, it is disconcerting to see the ease with which the current government has grabbed a hold of the USA's coattails. Apparently falling into line without question to every request made from overseas for increased security. Though, perhaps, there is a certain irony to be derived from the fact that the British now appear to be little more than a colony of their former colonies.


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It looks like Asus may have over promised when it said Ice Cream Sandwich would be hitting the original Transformer in early February. In fact, owners may have to wait as long as March, as Asus made a statement on its Singapore Facebook page saying the Android update is being pushed back, although no reasons were given. The Transformer Prime previously received Android 4.0 treatment, although TechnoBuffalo saw mixed results.
Here's the statement in full from Asus:
Dear fellow Asus members, we would like to say that we appreciate all the support we see in our Asus Facebook page every day. It makes our contributions worthwhile and fulfilling.
We are informed that the ICS upgrade for TF101 will be ready within the Feb/March 2012 period. You will be able to receive the upgrade notification via FOTA once we have a confirmation date.
We thank you for your patience and understanding in this matter
It's frustrating news for Transformer owners patiently waiting to experience Ice Cream Sandwich, but if a delay is what it takes to get a compatible, bug-free port, then an extra few weeks wait won't sting too much. Hopefully this time Asus will hit its predicted timeframe, though.
[via Android Police]


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Now $20.00
Hartford Shorts
Style # 117775-6200A
Our Hartford shorts are a classic, timeless piece that you can recycle year after year. Get them in every color so that you always have this staple on hand come spring and summer. Wear them with the contrasting striped belt, plain, or roll up the cuffs a couple of times for an extra laid-back vibe. These are the ultimate short that you can wear for almost any occasion.
- Contrast small stitched logo above back right pocket.
- Two front pockets, two back pockets with button flap closures.
- Canvas striped belt included (detachable).
- Hardware: Button closure, zip fly.
- Cut: Sits below the waist.
- Fit: Slim through thigh & leg.
- 10" inseam.
- 100% Cotton.
- Machine wash.
- Imported.


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|Reviewed By
|Room Note
|Emeritus Account (28474)
|Very Mild
|Very Mild
I am a smoker seeking for pleasant aroma in tobacco. Recently I found this in a catalogue published by a Japanese pipe-maker, and tried. The catalogue says that this one have aroma and flavour of blue curaçoa, which stimulated my curiosity. On opening the tin, you will feel very pleasant aroma of blue curaçoa, which is not overwhelming. The component is premium bright colored Virginia cut in a little broad ribbon as a body and a little amount of Black Cavendish. I think it contains no Burley,or if it contains, the amount is extremely a little. I wonder what element flaboured with blue curaçoa. On lightihg the tobacco, you feel slightly sweet aroma of blue curaçoa and sweetness of virginia. I have never experienced such a type of flavour and aroma. To my happiness, it smokes very smooth and pleasant, and without no bit. But one regretable point is that the aroma is so slight that it fades out after half of a bowl. I wish if it endured to the last. And one more difficulty , my first tin is not capable of reserving the freshness and aroma. When the leaves became so dry, it smoked so hot. In such condition, the aroma is damaged. I think it is better to reserve it in a jar with humidifier. In conclusion, if you are lookng for unexperienced aroma in tobacco, this is worth trying. I suspect that it's price is in middle-high range because of it's high quarity Virginia.
11 people found this review helpful.
|Reviewed By
|Room Note
|Pipestud (1826)
|Very Mild
|Mild to Medium
The Virginia was good and the added orange flavoring in the Black Cavendish even worked for me. And, if you like your orange juice with no pulp there was plenty of it in Bailey's Birthday Blend.
8 people found this review helpful.
|Reviewed By
|Room Note
|Smokeybear86 (14)
Tin Note: The tin once popped open, quickly releases the smell of orange creme-cycle it was exactly what you expect it to smell like.
Initial Light: It took me two false lights to get this blend burning and it seemed to struggle a bit at first.Once it was lit however i began to taste this orange tangy flavor and for a few minutes i was enjoying it. Most of the flavor was from before the tobacco was lit however, before i even touched flame to it i can taste Orange liquor while drawing in unlit. This is a heavily cased tobacco.
Mid-Smoke: Throughout the entire mid-bowl i was experiencing the same chemical taste OTC's such as Captain Black are known for and it was also accompanied by a little bite. It was a Mild smoke at times but the bite and burn kept coming and going making it a frustrating smoke.
Bottom of the Bowl: My pipe was getting really hot just past the beginning of the bottom. I had to empty out the burning tobacco and allow it to cool. Upon relight I felt as though I was starting this smoke all over again except this time i knew what to expect. Until i got a nice swivel of juice that honestly tasted like orange liquor filled with cigarette buts.
Room Note: Neighbor popped up over the fence to wish me a happy birthday and complimented the smell saying it smelt of tangerines and fruit, so at least those around you will like the smell of this blend providing your willing to sacrifice your tongue and briar to please them.
Dottle: Gooey ash remained in the bottom of my pipe but more goop then ash.
Smoking Duration: This smoke was about 1 hour.
Overall: Sadly i did not enjoy this blend its more of a people please-er than a tobacco for one to enjoy. It smells great in the tin and once you light it, but it burns both your pipe and your mouth. It does have the decency to try and put out the flames by shooting juice down the stem, but i doubt you would appreciate that anymore than the later.
1) 1-2 DAYS Dry time, 2) Try it before you buy it.
Pipe Used: Caminetto Dublin
7 people found this review helpful.
|Reviewed By
|Room Note
|Jason h. (51)
|Mild to Medium
I thought this blend was quite good. It had a really nice room note, and the flavors came through rather nicely. The smell was that of a heavy aromatic, with a good mild tobacco aroma under it. This is worth trying if you want something a little different.
4 people found this review helpful.
|Reviewed By
|Room Note
|StevieB (1751)
|Mild to Medium
|Mild to Medium
Dan Tobacco - Bill Bailey's Birthday Blend.
I started smoking this today before reading the constituents. Good job, because had I have read it contained orange liqueur I would have given it a biased result; I'm not a fan of orange in tobacco.
Virginia accounts for more of the blend than black Cavendish. The ribbons are quite coarsely cut and the aroma is one of sharp, bitter, orange liqueur. The moisture's good, being ready to smoke imminently; well, that's my tin!
B.B.B.B. ignites without a hitch, generating quite a unique smoke. The tobaccos aren't what makes it inimitable, they form a simple, Virginia heavy, VaCav flavour. It's the Blue Curacao which gives it a unique character. Slightly sour, sharp, very zesty, alcoholic, oranges. The liqueur has a scintilla of sweetness, but this is surpassed by the fervent, alcoholic, orange, side. On the low side it can burn a little quick; not 'fast', but a bowl requires a more tentative technique for a longer smoke. I don't get any bite.
Nicotine: just above mild. Room-note: quite nice.
Bill Bailey's Birthday Blend? I couldn't smoke it regularly, but for the individuality of the flavour I feel happy with three stars:
Pipe Used: Meerschaum
Age When Smoked: 9 months
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
2 people found this review helpful.


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The European Union's blockade of U.S. beef, in place for about the last 20 years, is showing signs of weakening. Members of the European Union have expressed interest in accepting larger quotas of beef not produced with hormone implants. In exchange the US would drop tariffs that were allowed under a previous WTO ruling against the trading bloc.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association's Gregg Doud says it's possible that the countries are getting closer to making a deal. What has turned things around is the fact that the EU is a major beef importer. And the United States beef industry would like to have a piece of the action, even if it is hormone free beef.
Doud expects that if a deal is accomplished, a substantial amount of U.S. hormone free beef could be headed into the European Union. But first the U.S. needs to gain access.


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4 Counsels from a Veteran
I Corinthians 2:1-5
Have you ever asked, "I wonder how Apostle Paul felt as he went about making disciples and planting churches? Did he feel the power of the Spirit flow through him? Did he feel confident? What advice would he give me in my situation here in _______?"
Fortunately we don't have to go far to find out, nor do we have to raise the dead. Let's take a look at I Corinthians 2:1-5.
1. Focus on sharing the "testimony of God," that is, on "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (vs. 1, 2). How easy it is for our focus to wander elsewhere: contextualization; linguistics; sustainability; resolving poverty issues; cross-cultural communication and adjustment; worldview and so much more, all of which have their rightful place.
Paul, however, determined to place his primary focus on Christ, not as our example (which is important), but as the Crucified One. Jesus Himself prophesied: "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (Jn. 12:32 NKJV). Fruitfulness in ministry is not about us—"excellence of speech or of wisdom"—but all about Him.
Let's point to Him verbally, courageously, frequently, daily, everywhere and to everyone. He will forever be attractive.
2. Don't let your emotions undo you (v. 3). Paul described not only his determination, but also his emotions: weakness, fear and much trembling. How like us was this great man of God!
So often I hesitate to talk about Jesus because I feel so weak, so dry, so empty, so unworthy. We will always be so very unworthy… but the message is about Him. He will always be supremely worthy!
No matter how gifted, how well-trained, how experienced we may be, we are always in danger of listening to our fluctuating emotions and going silent because of how we feel.
Let's not allow our feelings to have the last word! No matter what we feel or don't feel, His words are always true; He is always faithful; He is always available to save those who hear and believe.
Let's always remember that God loves to use weak people. This was the amazing discovery Paul made and describes in II Cor. 12:7-10: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong." Our weaknesses and fears open the way for a larger measure of the power of Christ to flow into and through us to others.
3. Don't neglect your prayer life and fasting (v. 4). Paul's speech went beyond human wisdom and persuasion to a "demonstration of the Spirit and of power." As we attempt to share spiritual matters with people, we very soon learn that it takes more than superior, logical arguments to convince people they need to surrender to Christ.
A bit later in his letter Paul reflects that "the kingdom of God is not in word but in power" (I Cor. 4:20). Obviously we must use words… so many times we do not speak as we should and could. But still and all, we need the anointing of God's Spirit as we speak. This anointing comes upon us as we pray, as we fast, and as we listen carefully to and obey the Spirit as He directs us.
We become so busy with the Lord's work that we neglect the Lord of the work. I believe it was John Wesley who once said, "No one ever became apostate who did not first neglect his closet."
Let us seek time alone with Him each day, just as Jesus Himself often withdrew to lonely places to fellowship with His Father (Luke 5:16). If He felt the need to do so, how much more do we need times alone with Him!
4. And finally, Remember the goal: that people put their trust wholly, only and always in God (vs. 5). He has not asked us to become anyone's messiah. People come and go; we ourselves come and go. Only He will be forever present with those who surrender to Him. It is so easy to want to become the answer for people. Often people look to us to become their answer, but this is neither good for them nor for us. God allows trials in our lives to test our trust in God alone for salvation, wisdom, holiness, power for life and ministry, protection and provision. Is He enough? Is He sufficient for us?
Let us point others to Him by word and by life that they, too, may find that He is enough.
--A. Roth
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Eastern Creek 2014
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[URL=https://www.racedepartment.com/media/videos/assetto-corsa-yellowbird-eastern-creek-2014.7846/]Assetto Corsa: Yellowbird @ Eastern Creek 2014[/URL] by [URL=https://www.racedepartment.com/media/authors]Michael Hornbuckle[/URL] on RaceDepartment


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Cabernet Franc
We could not leave the waning year behind without giving you the official shortlist you've all been nervously waiting for. Just to make sure you don't get the wrong impression: This is a highly subjective parade. It's ours alone, and it's in no way a comprehensive ranking. The following are simply those that impressed and delighted us most out of the minuscule drop of German Wine ocean that we happen to have sampled over the past year. It so happens that all of them were from past vintages, rather than fresh out of the 2011 barrels, but again, that is in no way a judgement on the qualities (or lack thereof) of the current vintage.
It's well known that for the first few years after planting, vines yield bumper harvests, but cannot quite produce the concentrated, characterful flavour in their grapes that old vines are renowned for. So it struck me as somewhat self-defeating when I saw "from young vines" clearly spelled out on this Swabian Cabernet Franc (yes, that's right: Swabian Cabernet Franc) - as far as I'm aware, there is no obligation for a wine grower to inform customers of this on their label. It's either unusually decent and straightforward of Hans Hengerer, who is still a fairly young vine himself, to put it on there.
Or, and this became more plausible for me with every sip of this wine - it is actually a teaser: "It's that good now. Just wait till you taste it when they're fully grown...". Because it actually is that good now:
When we first launched the Wine Rambler, we anticipated, rather optimistically, that wineries might at some point in the future might send us samples to review. But we also always insisted, a touch self-defeatingly perhaps, that we would be very strict about ethics and transparency in doing this. And we are. But the good people of the Terras Gauda winery of Spain, which makes and markets a range of wines from different regions of northwestern Spain did not let themselves be deterred by this, much to their credit, and were kind enough to send us a six bottle sample to review. And it fell to the Munich branch of the blog to do it.
How to go about such a task? I decided on the following course of action: I would not research anyone else's reviews, ratings or scores beforehand. I would not research prices either, which means I could not comment on value, but I wouldn't be influenced by it either. I would also not set up a single tasting where I would compare them in a professional setting. Instead, we would drink the wines at Munich HQ, one at the time, over a couple of weeks, like almost anyone who buys them would: On the kitchen table, after a day's work, with food.
It has been a while since France, the world's greatest red wine country (yes, deal with it!) has drawn me into its sway. This time, it's the unlikely region of the Touraine. Lured by the relative exoticism of that appellation for red wine, by the very original varietal mix of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Malbec, and not least by my love for regional French reds of any ilk, it was more than easy to give in to temptation.
But don't get the idea that some highly strung luxury cuvée caught my eye with a suggestive wink. No, it was a working man's red, as befits the outcome of the recent presidential election.
It's all rather melancholy. It's raining outside, autumn is coming on, and there's only one antidote against heaviness of heart that never fails: 1990 Bordeaux. Chateau Malescasse is said to be one of the very dependable producers of the Haut-Médoc, and in a more lucid moment, I secured this bottle on eBay.
And when I woke up this morning with the rain lashing against the windows, I knew it : Tonight is its night.
In what has become a Wine Rambler tradition, whenever we get a full committee meeting (Wine Ramblers proper and significant others) together, we do a little blind tasting comparing two wines that ought in theory be very similar on the basis of grape variety, style or pricing. This time, two aged Cabernet-based Bordeaux blends, one an actual mid-range Bordeaux, Chateau Poujeaux 1994, the other a Napa Valley classic, Mayacamas 1992. Braised vension, red cabbage, Spätzle and chestnuts were on hand to keep the contestants company.
We had been wrong before - and so uncorked bottle No. 1 with due concentration and a sense of humility.
Find the full and unabridged story of this wine, two Wine Ramblers, some chestnuts and a piece of venison in a blind tasting at a Wine Rambler full committee meeting.
See short tasting note here.
Recently we reported on a somewhat unusual German wine, a Syrah from the Pfalz. As this wine got a lot of interest, I decided it was time to open a bottle of another, unusual, red wine from the same producer. After having sampled the 2003 Syrah it was time to try the flagship wine of the Knipser winery, the Cuvée X, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot - all grow in Germany, just a few miles left of the Rhine.
Another venture into Eastern Europe, and into a grape that I like more and more: Cabernet Franc.
Very dark red, a little cloudy (unfiltered, probably), with a purplish edge. Smells of stewed vegetables, beetroot, ripe red peppers, but meaty at the same time. In the mouth, it brings rather hard-edged cassis and tar at first, Cabernet Sauvignon-style, but with more exposure to air, the sweeter and more savoury vegetable flavours take over. While the ripe fruit and oak flavours lean toward the international style, the vegetables give it character and spice. [read the full post...]
Very dark, blackish colour.
Great smell: Cassis, plums, cherry jam, tar and candied sugar.
Seems to go through two phases in the mouth, with nice sour cherry fruit, fresh acidity and coal at first, followed by subtle oak, vanilla, smoke and ash.
This more than convincing Bordeaux takes its stand between the traditional and the more accessible "international" style and actually gains complexity and tension from that. We (Mr. and Mrs. Munich Wine Rambler with two nice guests) really enjoyed this one, because it seemed to appeal to the snob as well as to the occasional drinker, without being a bland compromise.
Brick red colour, going brown on the edges.
Surprisingly wild smell, a little animal even, leather, some tar, some cocoa.
Slender-bodied in the mouth, very fresh acidity, aged cherry and plum flavours, surprisingly rough-grained, rustic tannin that has retained its sharp edge. Nice aftertaste of prunes and coffee that lingers for quite a while. [read the full post...]
German organic supermarket chain Alnatura has a small, but convincing wine selection, much of which comes in half bottles as well. A good marketing move, since, apart from being good for single drinkers or weekdays, this always makes me less hesitant about trying a wine I know nothing about.
Deep cherry red, with a brick-red edge.
Nice smell of tannic cherries, raw beef, some red and black currants.
In the mouth, thick-skinned cherries again, red currants, medium bodied, a little leathery, a spicy, but also mouth-drying after-taste with a real pinch of tannic roughness. [read the full post...]
From the Loire valley comes this nicely named Cabernet Franc ("Day of thirst").
Nice colour for a start: dense, purple-tinged red. Nice smell, too: Sour cherries, some cassis. Bone dry, fresh, pure fruit in the mouth, reminds me of a lighter Bordeaux, but with none of the unpleasant greenness you can get there. This is fresh and nicely rustic, but ripe and with harmonic tannin. Two things I particularly like about this wine: No oak at all, and a kind of vegetable earthiness, like tasting a spade you've used to dig up vegetables.
Original, yet very easy to drink, this is a rare thing: a terroir summer wine. To me, this says "grilled vegetables" all over. Nicely chilled, I would even give it a go with grilled fish.


text: When it comes to accounting for the business purpose be it business accounting, payroll accounting, tax returns, etc. it becomes very tough for an owner to do all the jobs himself. Recruiting a good accountant who is expert in the entire accounts job including bookkeeping, charity funding shall cost you http://sdawn12.bravesites.com/entries/general/stay-within-your-budget-for-the-accounting-job


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Universes with no weak force might still have stars and life
An alternate cosmos could do without one of the fundamental forces, physicists say
Juergen Faelchle/Shutterstock
Not all fundamental forces are created equal. An alternate universe that lacks the weak nuclear force — one of the four fundamental forces that govern all matter in our universe — could still form galaxies, stars, planets and perhaps life, according to calculations published online January 18 at arXiv.org.
Scientists have long thought that our universe wouldn't exist, or at least wouldn't support life, without certain physical laws. For instance, if gravity were much stronger than it is, most matter would collapse into black holes; if it were weaker, the universe wouldn't form structures such as galaxies or planets. The strong nuclear force holds atomic nuclei together, and the electromagnetic force carries light across the universe.
"Those three forces, gravity, strong and electromagnetic, are part of the deal," says theoretical physicist Fred Adams of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. But the weak nuclear force — responsible for making neutrons decay into protons, electrons and neutrinos — might not be so essential (SN: 4/29/17, p. 22). "That's the only one you can get rid of entirely without messing everything up," he says.
A previous study had argued that a universe lacking the weak force could exist. Some physicists think our universe is just one in an infinite multiverse, where many different cosmoses exist side-by-side, possibly governed by different physical rules. We live in this one simply because we couldn't live anywhere else (SN Online: 10/10/14), some scientists say.
"People talk about universes like they're very fine-tuned; if you changed things just a little bit, life would die," Adams says. But "the universe and stars have a lot more pathways to success."
In the new research, he and his colleagues simulated how matter was created in the Big Bang and then condensed into stars, but without the effects of the weak nuclear force. In our universe, one consequence of neutron decay is that most of the universe is made of hydrogen, which consists of a single proton and electron. Stars, in their hot cores, fuse protons into helium and heavier elements and then scatter them into space, helping to create everything from planets to physicists. But with no weak force, a universe would be filled with neutrons that didn't decay — a dead end for building heavier elements.
The only way such a universe could create complex matter would be to have started out with fewer neutrons and more free protons than our universe did. That way, neutrons and protons could link up and make deuterium, also called heavy hydrogen. So Adams and his colleagues tweaked the simulated universe's initial neutron and proton content, too.
Stars fueled with deuterium would still shine, the simulations showed, but the objects would look different. Burning deuterium is more efficient than burning hydrogen, so these stars would be a little hotter, larger and redder than our stars. But the stars could still create all the elements of the periodic table up to iron, and stellar winds could carry those elements out into space.
Any planets that formed would have water made with deuterium instead of hydrogen, which is toxic to life in our universe. "But if life had to evolve with deuterated water … it might be OK," Adams says.
Adams and his colleagues are some of the first to explore the consequences of a "weakless" universe seriously by tweaking the numbers, says Martin Rees of the University of Cambridge, who was not involved in either study.
The paper does not help figure out if the multiverse is real, though. "We hope that eventually we'll know," Rees says, but "I'm not holding my breath."
E. Grohs, A.R. Howe and F.C. Adams. Universes without the weak force: Astrophysical processes with stable neutrons. arXiv:1801.06081v1. Posted January 18, 2018.
R. Harnik, G.D. Kribs and G. Perez. A universe without weak interactions. Physical Review D. Vol. 74, August 1, 2006. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevD.74.035006.
E. Conover. There's still a lot we don't know about the proton. Science News. Vol. 191, April 29, 2017, p. 22.
C. Crockett. In another universe, free-range planets could host life. Science News Online, May 29, 2015.
T. Siegfried. Answers to questions posed by cosmology to philosophy. Science News Online, October 10, 2014.


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Bromic 6000 Watt Tungsten Smart-Heat Electric Patio Heater. 230V-240V/25A. Two Elements. Black high temperature coating. 56" wide x 8.5" high x 3.5" deep. Includes mounting brackets. Switch device and wiring not included – please contact your electrician.
The Bromic Tungsten Electric Heater offers high performance radiant heating to outdoor and semi-enclosed spaces in both commercial and residential spaces alike. The Tungsten is a black colored long stainless steel electric heater with a sleek mesh like front cage. The Tungsten Smart-Heat is not only a stylish radiant patio heater, but it also provides efficient directional heating as well. This heater can be mounted to both walls, ceilings, and can be recessed into a ceiling. Enjoy the evening outdoors with a Bromic Tungsten heater.
This product hasn't received any reviews yet. Be the first to review this product!


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State law says it's a county's responsibility to run a county jail. And when city jails in Pulaski County closed in 1994 — absorbed into a new regional facility — the county pledged to pay much of the tab, with some help from cities. But as the jail's budget ballooned with its population, so did the county's bill.
"Since the biggest cities have more crime, shouldn't they pay more?" That's what many county leaders ask. City officials argue that they do. About 60 percent of the county general fund comes from countywide property and sales taxes. But the bulk of that money comes from the cities in the county, particularly Little Rock. Figures below illustrate this, by breaking down the amounts collected, by geographic area, from a couple of major county revenue streams,, its property tax and its one-cent sales taxe
Property Taxes
Little Rock $11,000,129
North Little Rock $2,715,680
Unincorporated Pulaski County $1,736,285
Maumelle $1,010,735
Sherwood $967,577
Jacksonville $736,751
Cammack, Wrightsville, Alexander $53,925
Countywide Total $18,221,086
SOURCE: Pulaski County Treasurer's Office
• The figures reflect current 2004 Tax Year collections.
1-cent Sales Tax
Little Rock $6,593,483
North Little Rock $2,399,970
Sherwood $542,484
Jacksonville $527,971
Maumelle $189,840
Elsewhere in County $544,875
Countywide Total $10,798,623
SOURCE: Estimates based on state figures.


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From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
|A Dance with Dragons (appears)
Grimtongue is one of the crew on Asha Greyjoy's ship Black Wind.
Recent Events
A Dance with Dragons
Along with the rest of Asha's supporters, Grimtongue sails to Deepwood Motte as she contemplates her next move. He is captured along with Asha, Tris Botley, and several other ironborn when the castle is taken by the army of Stannis Baratheon.[1]
Grimtongue is later freed and ransomed along with the other ironborn by Tycho Nestoris, who needs an escort to get him to Stannis whose army is marching on Winterfell.[2]
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 42, The King's Prize.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 62, The Sacrifice.


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From New York Times bestselling author Louise Erdrich comes a haunting novel that continues the rich and enthralling Ojibwe saga begun in her novel Tracks.
After taking her mother's name, Four Souls, for strength, the strange and compelling Fleur Pillager walks from her Ojibwe reservation to the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. She is seeking restitution from and revenge on the lumber baron who has stripped her tribe's land. But revenge is never simple, and… (more)
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books (October 13, 2009)
Format: EPUB
File size: 1 MB
Protection: DRM
Language: English


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MOSCOW — Tass press agency today labeled a new U.S. report on Soviet military programs a "fantastic piece of fiction" and said the United States can't back up statements that the Soviets are researching space weapons.
The annual publication of the Pentagon's report on Soviet military power always draws a Soviet retort, but the emphasis on space weapons in the new study drew a quicker and sharper response than in the past.
"The bigger the lie and the more often it is repeated, the more people believe it," Tass said. "It must be proceeding from this principle that the Pentagon has published . . . the . . . report."
The dispatch said that by creating a "mythical Soviet threat" the Pentagon wants to justify U.S. military appropriations and America's stance at the Geneva arms talks.


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11 months; yikes! We'll be celebrating Emily's first birthday here soon! Em has done a lot of growing again this month. She has mastered pulling up and is cruising now. My favorite is when she's standing and hears some music. She starts bouncing. Maybe she'll be a dancer too. We're still working on baby signing and she has learned another sign. She can now sign "more". It's not perfect because she tends to do it fast but she gets the message across. She has picked up a new word too. Her word for nursing is "na-na".
A couple extra pictures from this month:
And a little comparison I put together a couple weeks ago; Sean and Emily:
Other places to find me:
Facebook: Mama Dani's Musings, Twitter @MamaDaniBlog, Instagram: MamaDani, Pinterest: MamaDani


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About zalzane
Alternatives to singletons for data manager?
zalzane replied to methinks's topic in General and Gameplay ProgrammingI know you've put a lot of thought into your way of avoiding globals, but your editor example is a good example for passing references. At first many may think, I have this model editor and it can only do one model at a time. I've made a model editor and made the same assumption. Sure if that's true, just use a global or singleton rather than a more complex organization just to avoid using globals. But really, will an editor only store ONE model? Maybe this editor allows you to load a character model, but it can also load attachments like weapons. The editor can manipulate the character and the attachments. It seemed like only one model was needed, but after adding more functionality, now you need more than one. So when you open a dialog or tool in the editor, the dialog or tool will need to be passed a reference of what it will manipulate. I'll admit my example really wasn't that great, but inheritance based global access isn't around to replace something like a class full of references. An infinitely better example would be an static-inheritance class giving access to something like the graphics device. On one of my older projects, the "sprite" class is typically accessed very far down the call stack. From the entrypoint of the program, you have to go through a few layers of gamestate logic, then UI logic, then all the way at the bottom is the sprite class. The sprite class needs access the graphics device, or whatever class is handling the graphics device. Instead of passing down a reference to the graphics device down a dozen layers of call stack, the Sprite class would inherit from a static class that contains the graphics device. This way, access to the graphics device has to be explicitly defined through the use of inheritance, and any usage of the graphics device can be found by just looking at all the child classes that inherit from it. In addition, it's one less piece of trash floating around the global namespace. I'll admit it's hacky as hell, but I'd rather have an ugly hack than restructure 10k lines of UI logic.
Alternatives to singletons for data manager?
zalzane replied to methinks's topic in General and Gameplay ProgrammingOne of the clever, but more contraversial alternatives I've found for sharing data between classes is to use inheritance/static fields. Let's say you're programming a 3D editor of some sort, and a list of vertexes in your model has to be shared between many classes. The options in this thread include simply passing the list as a parameter, setting up a singleton, or setting up a container class that gets passed at runtime. With my inheritance method, you set up an abstract class that contains protected static fields for shared information - such as the list of vertexes that has to be shared. Any class that needs access to those vertexes would inherit the abstract class. This can be extended into a tree of inheritance to allow different child classes to have different read/write permissions on the abstract class' fields, but I would restrain myself from doing this too much at risk of ending up with 3-4 depth inheritance trees. The most significant issue with this model is that without the proper visualization tools, maintaining code that runs under this system can be very complicated, especially if you have poor docs. In addition, if someone else was to read your code without knowing what you're doing - it's likely they would get very confused very fast. If you use this system extensively, I suggest writing an addon/macro for your development environment that lets you inspect what kind of inherited fields each class has without actually opening up the abstract class.
Terrain generation in 3D Tile Based Game
zalzane replied to Mr.Big's topic in Graphics and GPU ProgrammingTriangle strips are a major pain in the ass, especially when you're programatically generating geometry. Don't use them. Depending on how you generate the terrain, it may be faster to just generate it each time the game loads rather than loading it from a file. I have a demo that uses opencl to generate terrain, and it can generate terrain an order of magnitude faster than it would take to load said terrain from disk. For figuring out which triangle the mouse is mousing over, check this out. http://xbox.create.msdn.com/en-US/education/catalog/sample/picking_triangle You can basically copypaste their code for it.
A* pathfinding on a sphere projected cube (uneven planetary body)
zalzane replied to CaiusEugene's topic in General and Gameplay ProgrammingYou could construct a linked list to represent the planet's mesh. enum Direction{ Above, Below, Left, Right }; struct Vertex{ float phi; float theta; float r; float cost; Vertex *neighbors; }; Using this method, the only real effort required is in the initial assembly of the linked list. For pathfinding you would just iterate through the linked list like you would for a normal array.
Your Worst "Gotchas" ever in programming
zalzane replied to Lil_Lloyd's topic in GDNet Loungepretty much anything i've done involving c++ has been riddled with gotchyas, I hope I never have to use that language again
What language is better to learn - C# vs. Java
zalzane replied to CoffeeCoder's topic in General and Gameplay ProgrammingHere's a short list of features that C# has that java doesn't. To be quite frank, C# was really designed to be a 'better' Java, and has succeded in many aspects. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/s1ax56ch.aspx - Value types vs. reference types http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd264739.aspx - Named and optional arguments http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8627sbea.aspx - Built-in events http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb397687.aspx - Lambda expressions http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/d5x73970.aspx - Value types allowed as generic parameters; generic constraints http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee207183.aspx - Co/contravariance http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173171.aspx - Delegates http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/9fkccyh4.aspx - Methods are not overridable by default http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/e59b22c5.aspx - Better interop support with unmanaged code http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/y31yhkeb.aspx - Pointers http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x9fsa0sw.aspx - Properties (getters/setters) http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8edha89s.aspx - Operator overloading http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh156513.aspx - 'async' methods http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms229005.aspx - More flexible exception throwing* http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/5cyb68cy.aspx - Ability to allocate memory not managed by the GC http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.io.aspx - Standard IO library that is not complicated and overly verbose ================================================================================ * adding 'throws' to a method in Java requires snowballing changes to all methods that make use of that method, which requires changes to those methods, etc... http://hexus.net/mobile/news/android/38789-google-android-ported-java-c-blazing/ Also, Java being more portable than C# is partially incorrect. Through Mono, you can compile C# code for a huge variety of platforms including Linux, Mac, PS3, and loads more I can't remember. The only problem with C# is that we'll never know if it ends up being a microsoft patent trap.
Progamming for beginners
zalzane replied to greenthingsjump's topic in For Beginners's ForumC++ is the industry standard for games so a lot of people suggest it, but it's a horrible starting point for a beginner looking to make their own games. I back the python recommendation.
Slowdowns / 'Anti-Hotspot'
zalzane replied to Imprecision's topic in General and Gameplay ProgrammingQuadtrees tend to be very computationally expensive, and even worse - tend to do lots of heap allocations in loops. I couldn't tell you without looking at your code, but it may be possible that the problem is the garbage collector. If you wanted to stay using c#, you may be able call the GC class and have it clean up after every node is created. It's unusual that the garbage collector would block you that badly unless you were doing LOTS of heap allocations that keep the variables alive for periods of time where the garbage collector can't figure out if it should treat the variables as a short-lifespan object or a long-lifespan object. I suggest you read this article and become more acquainted with the GC. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms973837.aspx
Game Engine from scratch using C++ and python - Where do I start?
zalzane replied to Peter Mishustin's topic in For Beginners's ForumEveryone in this thread is a naysayer. The first thing you do to create a game engine is to program several games. Take note what kinds of tools and algorithms you reuse in each game, and build a framework off those algorithms. Needless to say, once you've programmed several games, you won't actually be a beginner anymore.
Some newbies (like me) do love to code in C++
zalzane replied to sankrant's topic in GDNet LoungeThe only people I've ever met who consider C++ to be an adequate solution for creating videogames are people who have never programmed in a language that wasn't C++. The only reason it's still around is because it's what everybody uses, so if you're hiring C++ programmers for a game, you have a lot more choice than if you're hiring haskell or C# programmers.
Is c++ better?
zalzane replied to xhh's topic in For Beginners's ForumYou probably heard that from some other thread in the beginner's forum. I would take it with a grain of salt, this isn't necessarily a good place for the kind of business analysis involved in determining whether or not microsoft is going to drop XNA. However, it's extremely unlikely microsoft plans on dropping C# any time soon. They invested far too much money and resources to drop it and go back to C++. Assuming I'm wrong and microsoft drops XNA -and- C#, it would ultimately be irrelevant because of mono and monogame.
Is XNA dying and MS forcing to C++?
zalzane replied to Sooker's topic in For Beginners's ForumWhether or not microsoft condones C#/XNA is irrelevant in the long run thanks to mono/monogame.
how to unlearn a language
zalzane replied to game of thought's topic in For Beginners's ForumI had the same problem as you OP. C++ was my first language, however after using it for quite awhile I would still have issues with what I call "macro code", or code that dictates how larger parts of a program interact. For me that encapsulated how classes should interact with each other, inheritance, doing #includes correctly, and a few other tidbits. Unfortunately I have never found a text that really teaches how to create good macro code. Here's how I dealt with it and maybe it will help you out. Eventually what happened is I started programming in another OOP language, C#. For C#, OOP is very much more set in stone, and after programming a medium sized project with it, I learned more about OOP than I had learned in almost a year and a half with C++. However this didn't solve my issues with learning how to prevent #include circles, I eventually said 'screw it' and switched over to C# completely. To this day I've never had to tolerate C++'s god-awful translation unit system since then. [spoiler]I promise I dont work for microsoft[/spoiler]
Which level of programming detail is best?
zalzane replied to TheResolute's topic in For Beginners's ForumBig video game companies suffer the same issues as normal companies. There are HR people who have no idea what they're doing. There's a few who do. I would expect the HR guy at Valve or Dice for example to know their shit a lot better than an HR guy at EA or Activision. I'm not saying that every video game HR rep is an idiot, but based on my experience with HR people who hire for any kind of technical job, many of them don't actually know what they're looking for in a new hire other than making sure they fit the job description. Your results may vary.
Navigation in a big world
zalzane replied to dascandy's topic in Artificial IntelligenceI believe this may be a scenario where it would be a good idea to assist with pathing speeds through caching. I assume you're making some kind of adventure game with towns and roads and such. When the world is generated you might be able to cache the roads and the locations where they lead to and kinda "add them" into your current pathfinding solution. For a case in which something is pathing from one side of the map to another, I imagine this would cut down the path generation time by a few orders of magnitude, in addition to having it so npcs actually use roads.