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Cornflower Blue...Friday, July 01, 2011
I love the cornflower colour, the uneven shaped spots and the halterneck collar..its such a cute 50's style..
The day after I bought it the lovely Jen tweeted me saying she had seen this dress and she thought it was very 'me'! She must know me very well! :)
I had it altered by a dress maker so it fit just right but I never got any decent photos taken on the night so when my sister came home from Scotland at the start of June I decided to wear it again for our night out..
For my birthday I wore it with my skinny pink bow belt that I wear all the time and nude patent heels from Dorothy Perkins. In these pics I wore it with cream wedges with striped navy ribbon ties from River Island last summer.. insanely high but incredibly comfy.
35 comments
- Anonymous1 July 2011 at 17:41
that dress is so cute! Love the colour on you!ReplyDelete
You look absolutely beautiful, your wedges are amazing!!xxReplyDelete
This dress looks amazing on you! I love the cut of it & the neckline.ReplyDelete
So pretty.
Rebecca x
That is an adorable dress. It must have looked cute with the bow belt.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous1 July 2011 at 18:40
Amazing dress! I love the blue color, it goes so well with your red hair :)ReplyDelete
That is such a cute dress! xReplyDelete
I think I'm in love, that dress is perfection! Saw it in nude on their website but sadly not in my size :( looks absolutely gorgeous on you though! xxReplyDelete
Love this dress, v pretty style and the shoes are awesome! :)ReplyDelete
- Anonymous1 July 2011 at 19:24
Those shoes!!! :OReplyDelete
Indeed, this dress is definitely you ! I also adore the shoes :)ReplyDelete
Hugs from Julls ♥
The colour of this dress suits your skin tone and hair colour beautifully. Also your mention of going to a dress maker reminds me that I have a ton of ill-fitting clothes which I should really sort out! -x-ReplyDelete
what an adorable dress. The shape of it is great and it looks so cute on youReplyDelete
Aw it really does look lovely - so glad you bought it! xReplyDelete
Wonderful dress <33ReplyDelete
- Anonymous1 July 2011 at 21:48
Pretty! Love the color with your hair!ReplyDelete
really cute dress :) i love the colour! ronan xReplyDelete
Super cute dress.. It really is so 50's I love it!ReplyDelete
That colour looks amazing on you! I love the dress and the collar is fab.ReplyDelete
This dress is so beautiful. You look great!ReplyDelete
This dress is so sweet and looks amazing on you!ReplyDelete
What a great find, I adore anything with polka dots and the collar is fab! xReplyDelete
OMG that dress is super cute and love the shoes!ReplyDelete
YOU + that DRESS + RED glasses + those SHOES = divine!!ReplyDelete
Wow those shoes are gorgeous! You always have such great taste in shoes!ReplyDelete
Aww, lovely polka dot dress ! ^^ Blue is definetily your colour.ReplyDelete
xx indie by heart
x beaula xReplyDelete
Beautiful dress! I love it with the shoes as well!ReplyDelete
This dress is gorgeous, as are the shoes!ReplyDelete
That's really gorgeous, I love the colour too. The shoes are lovely also! Look great together.ReplyDelete
What a gorgeous dress!ReplyDelete
It looks like it was made for you! :)
Clare x
That is so perfect for you!ReplyDelete
I love that dress so so much! The collar is perfect and so is the adorable polka dot print.ReplyDelete
What a lovely dress! the colour goes perfect with the colour of your hair! You look adorable. xReplyDelete
cute! and I think you and I have the same (or very similar) glasses! cool!ReplyDelete
Your shoes are adorable!ReplyDelete


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- We understand numbers, remember the past, and manage emotions
to give you a successful investment experience.
Why Integrated Wealth Solutions?
We are a Melbourne-based business working with Australian baby boomers.
We help business owners, and others, plan their investment portfolios.
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The Three Key Investor Requirements
We believe that in order for you to have a long-term investment experience you will need to have these requirements:
1. NUMBERS understanding a bit about the laws of probability and the basics of statistics;
2. HISTORY a grasp of financial history, past events back as far as possible;
3. EMOTIONS awareness of your emotions, and the discipline to execute a strategy, and stay with it.
From our experience not many people, investors or professionals, have these skills.
For those of you not trying to become as rich as Kubera, but wish to avoid living out their retirement in poverty we suggest you study our evidence-based investment philosophy click here.
We piggy back on some of the leading financial minds in the world, adding our own understanding of history and the mind, to provide a clear long-term investment strategy for the baby boomer.

subset: commoncrawl


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top 10 procrastination tactics to get you back on track
I don't know about you, but whenever I'm faced with a work task that I totally don't want to do (but know I have to), I end up having the cleanest house in the entire world. Also? Laundry is done and folded. Friends I haven't spoken to in a while get called. Pretty much anything else gets done except the to-do item at hand. I am, my friends, the Procrast-O-Master.
But I've recently discovered that there are certain procrastination things that I do that actually inspires me to actually get back on task. And so, here they are, in case you're looking for something to do to make you do the something you're supposed to be doing.
10. Take a shower. I have friends who make fun of my obsessive love of showers, but I can't help it: and I love mine almost too hot to stand, with tons of water pressure. And the truth is that I've had some of my best ideas while I'm standing under the showerhead. So if I find myself at a complete standstill, I go take a really hot shower. I usually come back refreshed and raring to go.
9. Exercise. I really do not like exercising, even though as I get older, I'm finding it more and more of a necessity. But there a couple of good things about exercise: (a) I'll either hate the idea of going to the gym or hitting the trail so much, that the alternative of doing the task I'm avoiding sounds better; or (b) I'll go get some exercise, come up with a more palatable way of tackling my to-do list while I'm in the midst of dying on the treadmill. Also? Exercise often leads to a hot shower ... bonus!
8. Go outside. This time, it's not about exercise: I just take a look around. Perhaps I even find a weed with odd-looking tiny flowers and take a photograph of one. Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes.
7. Drink a glass of water. I'm horrible about not drinking enough water. So if I'm going to procrastinate, I might as well use the time to do something good for me.
6. Bribe myself. I just say to myself, "If I complete this Annoying Thing, then I get to take myself out for a chocolate cakeball." Funny thing is that I tend to fall for it every time.
5. Get on the internet, and look up other rockstar writers and photographers (or people who are doing what I should be doing, with great aplomb). Sometimes I just need a little inspiration.
4. Time myself. Promise myself that all I need to do is do the Annoying Thing for 15 minutes, and then I can take a break. (And maybe a cakeball!) I can do almost anything for 15 minutes, and I'm always surprised at how productive I am at the end.
3. Solo Dance Party! To something like this. Or this. Or hell, even this. If you're at the office, just put your headphones on, close your eyes, and tap your feet. You'll get the necessary rush to energize you and help you focus.
2. Clean my workspace. I know, the cleaning thing again. But the trick is that I'm only allowed to clean my workspace, and nowhere else. Usually the clean slate is enough of a push to get moving.
1. Do nothing. I mean, nothing. Tell myself if I'm not going to do the Annoying Thing, I'm not allowed to do anything else. I close my eyes, and listen to my own breath until I get bored.
Then it's time to tackle it.
Tomorrow is the last day for registering for the Chookooloonks Path Finder! The group this session is so amazingly awesome and diverse -- I hope you'll join us.


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Volunteer Positions at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is looking for energetic and committed individuals who are interested in becoming volunteers at the Capitol Visitor Center in a variety of activities including assisting visitors as well as behind the scenes tasks.
The Capitol Visitor Center, which opened on December 2, 2008, serves as the public entry to the U.S. Capitol. Since that time, the Visitor Center has welcomed more than 2 million visitors to the Capitol for a variety of events including tours, visits to the Exhibition Hall, and Congressional meetings.
Volunteers will assist in various departments including Visitor Services, Public Programs, Special Events, and Gift Shops. Some tasks will require volunteers to interact directly with the public, occasionally work outdoors, work with children, or stand for long periods of time. Volunteers will be asked to make a commitment of a minimum of 100 hours of service over the course of a year or approximately 8 hours a month.
Candidates will be required to successfully complete a background check performed by the U.S. Capitol Police before being accepted into the CVC Volunteer Program.
To apply, please contact:
Volunteer Coordinator
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(202) 593-1774
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
We'll work with your schedule.
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Friday, January 3, 2014
Clothespin Puppets
This is one of our go-to boredom busters. So simple and easy, yet sparks hours of creative play. I love crafts that continue on after the creation is done. These are great for mini puppets shows or pretend play. They have often been given names and kept as "pets."
Grab your clothespins and anything you'd like to decorate them with. We have done has simple as markers and as extravagant as glitter and glue (that made for some sparkly fancy monster friends!)
Today washi tape worked well. The entire family got involved in this craft and it was fun to see all the different creations come to life.
Em added some feathers using tacky glue. G was a big fan of the pom-pom balls and googly eyes on this day.
You know I just had a thought--Valentines Day is just around the corner, wouldn't these make a fun DIY Valentine for classmates?
Once we were done it was time for some silly puppet play. The best thing about clothespin puppets is making them talk! We eventually built a mini puppet theater using a shoe box. Much fun had with a few materials around the house.
I shared this and many other crafts over on
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Transform your photos into one-of-a-kind, hand painted masterpieces!
by Mykel Davis
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The image is near the edges of the product but doesn't cover the entire product. Some of the background color may appear around the outside edges of the image.
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Our ceramic coffee mugs are available in two sizes: 11 oz. and 15 oz. Each mug is dishwasher and microwave safe.
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Joseph Beardsley
February 20th, 2019
Joseph Beardsley
February 20th, 2019
From where we stand to look up to the winter sycamore so stately.
Born to be an image maker. I am a professional photographer and took assignments for 35 years, it was a great occupation, and now I do work for other reasons, passion, not clients.The calling on my life has reached a higher level and the work I now do is for a different purpose. Gods creation has always been an inspiring subject to photograph and I'm certain it will always be so, but for me it has reached an even greater level of importance. Some personal assignments have recently refocused my desire to reach to a higher degree of excellence, for the one who has created it all. The collections of images here are a result of some of that work as well as images from my other passion, fused art glass. Fused art glass has given me the ability...
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on FineArtAmerica.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Fine Art America does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Fine Art America sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee. We take great pride in the fact that hundreds of thousands of artists have chosen Fine Art America to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
All coffee mugs ship from our production facility within 1 - 2 business days of your order.


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The New York Knicks and Amar'e Stoudemire have reached an agreement on a buyout, according to multiple reports.
The New York Knicks and Amar'e Stoudemire have reached an agreement on a buyout, according to multiple reports.
The New York Daily News reported that some Western Conference teams are expected to pursue Stoudemire once he clears waivers this week. An ESPN report earlier this month said the Dallas Mavericks would be viewed as front-runners to sign Stoudemire if he were to be bought out.
The Daily News report mentions the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors as two other teams that "could be in the running" for Stoudemire. Multiple other teams, including the Los Angeles Clippers, have also been floated.
• MORE NBA: Midseason awards | Grading all 30 teams | All-Star coverage
Stoudemire, 32, is in the final year of a five-year, $99.7 million deal signed in July 2010 and is making 23.4 million this season. He spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Phoenix Suns.
Stoudemire averaged more than 25 points and eight rebounds en route to earning his sixth All-Star appearance during his first season in New York (2010-11), but his production has declined in subsequent seasons as injuries have limited his effectiveness.
Over 36 games in 2014-15, he has averaged 12.0 points and 6.8 rebounds. The Knicks possess the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 10-43. The NBA will resume play on Thursday, the same day as the league's trade deadline.
• MCCANN: Assessing impact of LeBron James' new NBPA role


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Obama reflects on race, police a year after Ferguson
U.S. President Barack Obama says the trust between communities and police needs to be improved a year after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Rough Cut (no reporter narration)
ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) U.S. President Barack Obama said in his weekly address on Saturday (August 15) that the trust between communities and police needs to be improved. Obama was speaking on community policing in the year since the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager who was fatally shot by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer. "His death, along with the events in Cleveland, Staten Island, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and other communities, sparked protests and soul searching all across our country... We've come to see, more clearly than ever, the frustration in many communities of color and the feeling that our laws can be applied unevenly," Obama said. Brown's death sparked months of sometimes violent protests both in Ferguson and around the United States following subsequent police killings of unarmed black men in several other cities. It also spurred the "Black Lives Matter" movement that has cast a spotlight on long-troubled relations between police and minority residents of many U.S. cities. In his weekly address, Obama said a taskforce he created in May made of police officers, activists and academics to propose recommendations on community policing had since made some 59 recommendations, including ways to make better use of data and technology and expanding police training and protocol.


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gCubik concept from Japan
by Edwin
The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan has successfully developed a small box-like display device which is able to conjure up 3D images on a palm, and has dubbed the device gCubik. The gCubik displays 3D images, enabling multiple people to view it simultaneously from various angles with the naked eye, doing away with the need for pesky glasses and the like. This development is made possible thanks to an applied technology of "integral photography method," a kind of multiple-lens method. LCD panels are used in all three sides, measuring around 10cm x 10cm and being adjacent to each other, giving the illusion as though there's a 3D object within.
Source: Tech-On


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Yotam Ottolenghi's Spice Cookies
Growing up my one of my favorite Christmas books was The Sweet Smell Of Christmas – a scratch and sniff book about all of the scents of Christmas. It was a magic book filled with every fragrance I loved from the season – apple pie, pine from trees, ginger from cookies. I would scratch and smell and smell and smell, in fact I used the book so much it all started to smell alike, the sugar and ginger from cookies, the pine from trees, and oranges from little bears stocking all became one larger scent of Christmas. I loved that book and how it all became one big sensory seasonal explosion. A few years ago Bari found a copy of the book and bought it for her kids, immediately upon seeing it I yelled it was my favorite holiday book and everyone laughed.
I may have outgrown a book with scented stickers but the smell of Christmas never grows old to me – the fresh pine on the streets where trees are sold, the ginger and sugar of baked goods, and the citrus from bowls of oranges immediately bring a smile to my face. A few years ago I ran upon a recipe for Spice Cookies from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's cookbook Jerusalem, these cookies became a yearly staple and possibly my favorite cookie to bake on dark December nights. They are loaded with warm spices, flecked with chocolate, enlivened by citrus they remind me of my favorite German cookies Lebkuchen that I literally load my bag with on visits to Berlin.
Baking these this year for a friends holiday gathering the scents of spice, citrus, and a touch of Grand Marnier reminded me of the book The Sweet Smell Of Christmas and the joy it brought to me as a child. The nostalgia for childhood smells baked into an adult cookie could there be anything more perfect for a Christmas memory, I might say no. I have made these cookies both with the currents and liquor and without as a kid friendly alternative and both are great. They are warm from spice, hinted of chocolate and citrus, and sweet enough to create a holiday memory for anyone.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.
RaOttolenghi's Spice Cookies – adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook
¾ cup currants
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (the original recipe called for brandy but I made this swap and rather liked it)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons best-quality cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon each ground cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely grated or chopped
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon grated orange zest (plus juice from the orange)
½ large free-range egg
3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup confectioners' sugar
- Soak the currants in the Grand Marnier (or brandy) for 10 minutes.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, and dark chocolate.
- Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and lemon and orange zest to combine about 1 minute. With the mixer or beater running, slowly add the egg and mix for about 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients, followed by the currants and brandy. Mix until everything comes together. I usually squeeze the juice of the orange as the dough is very dry and this added moisture helps hold it together and adds some nice flavor echoing the zest.
- Gently knead the dough in the bowl with your hands until it is uniform.
- Divide the dough into size of golf balls and roll each chunk into a perfectly round ball.
- Place the balls on 1 or 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them about ¾ inch apart, and let rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, until the top firms up but the center is still soft.
- Remove from the oven. Once the cookies are out of the oven, allow to cool for 5 – 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack.
- While the cookies are still warm, whisk together the glaze ingredients until a thin and smooth. Pour a tablespoon of the glaze over each cookie, leaving it to drip and coat the cookie.
- Repeat the glaze step for a thicker glaze. Leave to set and then serve, or store in an airtight container for a day or two.


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Wednesdays Rotary Club Program (6:30pm - 7:30pm)
Meet with us in person at our regular weekly programs
John A. Wilson Building in Room 123
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
NOTE : Enter through the D Street, NW entrance which is in the rear of the building. The John A. Wilson Building is a short walk from the White House. There is no cost to attend for visiting Rotarians and guests. All welcomed!
Metro : Federal Triangle (Orange/Blue/Silver Lines), Metro Center (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines) and/or Gallery Place/Chinatown (Red/Green/Yellow Lines)
Parking : Some metered parking is available on Pennsylvania Avenue, NW and 13th & E Street, NW.
Email : email@example.com
Rotary International News:


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Buyer's Guide: Conference Room Acoustic Treatment
If you are looking to create a better acoustic environment for your office's conference room but are unsure where to start, our Buyer's Guide can help. This guide will walk you through our buying process and will help you make an informed decision about what products to purchase for your space. A conference room usually requires an absorption product to create a clearer sound environment. Mixing our fabric and image acoustic panels will create a decorative statement that will eliminate the sound clarity issues that our common in conference rooms. For additional product information and solutions for your conference room, keep reading our Buyer's Guide: Conference Room Acoustic Treatment.
Worksheet: DIY Acoustic Treatment
Diagnose your space with our printable step-by-step guide


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Start Date: December 4, 2017
End Date: December 4, 2017
Venue: National Training Institute, Ministry of Health, Cairo, Egypt
This one-day course will provide a general overview on the typical principals of a successful grant application. The course will review tall-purpose core components of the grant application process as per international standards.
This session will include hands-on exercises, examples of successful grant applications, and display a variety of tools and practices that can be utilised by prospective scholars.
This Course is ideal for:
- Academic researchers interested in grant application
- Library and information professionals who provide classes to faculty on this topic
Miss Daniela Gomes
CEO and Managing Partner of Octopux Consulting
Ms. Gomes is the CEO and Managing Partner of Octopux Consulting, a private company that provides professional services in a number of subjects based around EU Funding for Research & Innovation, lobbying, networking, training and business planning.
She has extensive knowledge and expertise of the European Commission's funding programmes like FP7, Horizon 202, SME Instrument, COSME, ERASMUS+, Eurostars, EU Procurement and more. She is a public speaker, project manager, project evaluator, coach in EU funding, business & market analyst and expert in digital marketing. Having English, Portuguese and Cantonese as her 3 mother-tongues, she also speaks fluently French and Dutch, with an average command of Spanish and Catalan.
Her specialties include Bid Writing & Project Management in different EU funding programmes (FP7, Horizon 2020, COSME, Erasmus+, Creative Europe, Eurostars from EUREKA, EU Procurement, etc.), Exploitation & Dissemination of EU-funded projects, International Networking, Lobbying, Knowledge Transfer, Market Analysis, Business Planning, Strategy, PR, Training Courses, Executive Coaching.


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I never was a people person. When I was 5, I would make my mom call another little girl down the street for me because I was too scared to call her by myself. In elementary school I was very quiet and did not like to talk to kids who did not talk to me first. In high school I remember getting really bad headaches when I went to gatherings with kids I didn't know. I still have a phone phobia and get really nervous when approaching people I have never talked to before.
Becoming a scientist seemed like the perfect fit for a shy, socially awkward, book worm like myself. I did not realize that graduate school would require networking, collaborating, teaching, presenting research and traveling alone to conferences in foreign cities. The only way I made it through was by not thinking about it and just jumping in head first.
I think that is why I love the kitchen and cooking so much. It is the private, all-to-myself, quiet and solitary lab that I always envisioned myself working in that does not exist. I like having the control to be in there as long as I want, I can talk to myself but do not have to talk to anyone else, I can dance around, sing out loud, spill things, swear, laugh, frown and even cry really (that last one I try to avoid).
Sometimes Mike walks in and I am startled back to reality, quickly assessing how crazy I look in that moment. Often I have my wooden cutting board, precariously resting between my two sinks with that days creation propped on top. This, I discovered, is where the best lighting is in my windowless kitchen. "Am I weird?" I ask, just to check. If I've truly lost it I trust he will be the one to tell me.
The experiment I was running in my lab kitchen on this occasion was to make my own chili flakes. I have my uncle Brian to thank for this little acquisition. When I spent an afternoon out in Abbottsford with my mom's twin brothers and my gramma, my uncle drove me out to a farmers field to pick a plethora of chili peppers. I think they are serrano chilies, or maybe thai chilies, but my uncle had another name for them which escaped me the moment I heard it.
He suggested I hang them to dry if I was not going to be able to use them all. I did this, twirling green twisty twine along the peppers stems and hung them in the window in the living room. I think it has been around one month since I did so. I was getting tired of seeing them hang there so in the midst of working on my thesis defense presentation, I took the peppers down and into the kitchen to make homemade chili flakes.
I cut them, one at a time, into my little food processor, the dry seeds spilling into the container. I must have placed about 20 or 30 cut up peppers and their seeds in the processor before closing it up and turning it on. It took several minutes to get a fine preparation. My whole face was itchy and sweaty afterwards, and inhaling the pepper dust caused me to go into several coughing fits. I suggest covering the processor with a towel if you try this yourself. When you open the food processor and transfer the peppers into a jar, however, there will be no escaping their potency so be prepared.
I'm so proud of that little spice jar though. The flakes are so RED. And the spice is so nice. I used a tiny pinch in a homemade spaghetti sauce which made it alarmingly spicy. The flavour was very potent, but it was a yummy spice, I just have to remember to use it sparingly.


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Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Anna Steffens Interview
A few weeks ago, as a wave of unseasonably warm weather hit Berlin, I found myself one Saturday afternoon in Golden Gate, one of Berlin's most underground spots. I've spoken about Golden Gate at length on this blog and don't plan to write any more about it now. For those that are interested, there is another nice piece on it here. Suffice to say though, that it stays open pretty much non-stop from Thursday through Monday, and features some of Berlin (and Germany's) younger, up and coming talents, rather than the big names you tend to see at Berghain, Arena, etc etc. Although it's not unusual to see house acts here (I remember one memorable set from Oskar Offermann and Edward), the music policy tends to be more plonkety plonk tech house, and marching minimal. Not everyone's cup of tea, but those inside don't seem to mind much. The soundsystem is compact, but punchy and always seems to deliver. On this auspicious Saturday, a young female DJ from Cologne was playing called Anna Steffens. After the show we shared a beer and a Jaegermeister and she agreed to answer a few questions. Thanks a lot to Anna, and if you find yourself in Cologne, go check her out.
Hi, could you tell me a bit about yourself, and where you come from?
Hi, I'm from Cologne and I've been living there for ten years now. I grew up in Remagen, near Bonn, and after school I moved to Cologne to work in the media. But then I decided to study (Music, English, Communication) and started DJing by the way.
How did you end up DJing in Golden Gate? How did your set go?
Two years ago I played in Wilde Renate and someone listened to my set. He's a friend of the guys who do the 5vor12 parties and he asked the booker to invite me to play one afternoon. I liked the atmosphere and the staff and crowd were really nice. It was fun to play there and i think they liked what i played, I didn't hear any contrary. :):)
Is Golden Gate well-known throughout Germany?
If you know the clubs in Berlin I think you may know Golden Gate as well. It´s a Berlin institution and exists for a long time now.
How would you describe your sound?
I don't like this stereotyping in describing sounds but i would say it's groovy deephouse going ahead.
How does playing in Berlin compare to playing in Cologne?
In Berlin the clubs are open from Friday til Monday. In Cologne we don't have this afterhour phenomenon, clubs close at 7/8 in the morning. Apart from that it's not very different.
Do you release music? Do you have any plans to do so?
I go to the studio with a friend whenever we have time. I have Abelton at home and I try to learn a bit more now and then. But i have a job as well and not the time to be a full-time DJ or spend my time in the studio the whole week. We already did some tracks but we haven't yet sent them to anyone. But I don't stress myself with releasing something.
What's your next step in terms of DJing? Do you have any goals?
I don't have any concrete plans in terms of DJing. I just go with the flow and stay with my style of sound. What will be, will be. :):)
Posted by Gabriel Stargardter at 05:40
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Marrakech has made it into the number one spot on TripAdvisor's 2015 Travellers Choice Awards, the first time the city has made the top ten.
Morocco's most popular city with British travellers pipped nine other destinations in this year's awards, ranked by actual TripAdvisor travellers' reviews.
TripAdvisor called it "a magical place, brimming with markets, gardens, palaces and mosques" and in a different top 10 for North Africa, Marrakech took the top slot again, with Fez at No. 3 and newcomer Essaouira on Morocco's Atlantic coast, at No. 7.
Morocco is tipped to be a number one surf destination for 2015, too, with its spectacular kite surf beach in Essaouira and Taghazout already a surf favourite with European surfers, with more surf spots along the country's Atlantic coast which stretches from Asilah in the north down to Dakhla, far south.
Marrakech has long been a popular choice with Swiss timeshare brand Hapimag's members and Hapimag's Marrakech Residences resort, just minutes from the airport in the swish palm-dotted quarter called La Palmeraie, is perfectly located for a Morocco break. Guests can chill by the pool or explore the city's souks and spice markets, or venture further afield with organised excursions to see argan co-operatives, visit the High Atlas Mountains, among an array of other options on offer.
Second in the Top 10 TripAdvisor awards list was Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of the famous Angkor Wat, with Istanbul, Turkey, in third place.
Photographer's favourite Prague made it into the number 5 slot, with Hanoi (Vietnam) at no. 4, while London (6) and Rome(7) pipped Paris, in at number nine.
The awards from the world's largest travel review site judge destinations on a worldwide scale, in Europe and in the UK.
The full 2015 winners' list is as follows:
TripAdvisor Travellers Choice World's top ten travel destinations
1. Marrakech, Morocco
2. Siem Reap, Cambodia
3. Istanbul, Turkey
4. Hanoi, Vietnam
5. Prague, Czech Republic
6. London, United Kingdom
7. Rome, Italy
8. Buenos Aires, Argentina
9. Paris, France
10. Cape Town, South Africa
Steve Jackson, TripAdvisor's top contributor of photos in 2014, said: "Marrakech is one of those cities that should be on everyone's bucket list.
"It's a fantastic city to explore, rich in history and culture, and between the sea of street activity, bright colours and striking sunsets, it is a truly intoxicating experience."
What's the most memorable place you've ever been to? Tweet us at @GoTimeshare and share your tips and pics!


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Cheyenne County
This was Indian country when the railroad arrived in this area on its drive west in 1867. After frequent skirmishes between Indians and the railroad workers, the government sent soldiers to protect the end-of-tracks encampment called "Sidney," for the Union Pacific Railroad president Sidney Dillion. Sporadic troubles continued, until the Indians were routed in 1869. In the mean time, the rail-head was on to the west, and with it the unscrupulous portion of the population.
By 1870 the citizens of Sidney felt they should be incorporated into the political activities of the state. Thomas Kane was sent to Lincoln to talk with Governor Butler. That August a proclamation was issued making Cheyenne a new county (the whole south half of the panhandle) and designating Sidney as the county seat. Soon there was a school with a dozen children. May 1873 saw the first issue of the "Sidney Telegraph" printed.
During the gold rush to the Black Hills, Sidney grew to 3,500, then 5,000, and was a "wide open" town. Liquor, dance halls, gambling, variety shows were open 24 hours a day. Law abiding citizens had many problems to contend with. In addition to 1,000 soldiers the Fort, who sometimes liked to whop it up, many large freighting outfits had headquartered in Sidney, each with hundreds of workers. It took from several thousand men to move the millions of pounds of freight that arrived by train, onto wagons headed for Dakota. Come payday things could get out-of-hand in a hurry.
In the summer of 1876, a host of undesirable characters drifted into Sidney. That's when "the regulators" organized and were able to persuade them to leave town, making Sidney a fit place to live, again.
Bad as that was, the next wave was worse -- the cowboys from Texas! In the late 1870s and '80s Sidney was the center of the great cattle range. Horse thieves were also numerous. When horses, stolen from the Indian agency, were sold openly, there was threat of an Indian uprising. So soldiers from Fort Sidney were asked to step in and clear out the rustlers.
In December, 1877, a fire burned a good portion of the business district to the ground.
By 1882 special officers were placed on the Union Pacific passenger trains between Omaha and Sidney. Any "rough looking character" was arrested and dropped off between stations. By that time there were 200 people buried in "Boot Hill." Some had died a natural death, or accident, some were killed by Indians, several at the end of a rope, but the majority were killed in fights and drunken brawls. Soon things quieted down and "The Telegraph" reported..."if a stranger attended to his own affairs, and kept away from drinking and such, he's pretty safe from quarrels as if further east..."
Many legends have been handed down, such as the great bullion robbery -- four bars of gold, worth $80,000, stolen from the freight room when the agent went to lunch. There were several suspects, but the thieves were never apprehended. It is claimed that Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill Hickock, Sam Bass, Butch Cassidy and Doc Middleton were frequent visitors in town, probably because Calmity Jane resided in Sidney for a time.
Noteworthy events include: President Chester A.Arthur, along with General Sheridan, was in town long enough to change engines on his special train in August, 1883. Throngs also greeted President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the late 1930s, following a switching from the Burlington to the U.P.tracks at the east edge of town.
A community split during the Ku Klux Klan era was followed by the "Dirty 30s" and the Depression years, but Sidney was planning for the future, and went forward anyway.
In World War II, the Sioux Ordinance Depot came to the area. This enormous installation northwest of Sidney brought thousands of people to town. Again restaurants were open 24 hours a day, beds were rented by the hour to accommodate the workers on different shifts. The city needed to added utilities -- power, water, sewer system, and telephones -- and many cement sidewalks.
The City of Sidney, present population just over 6,000, celebrated its centennial in 1985. Sidney has had its wild and wooley days, and at times some thought the town would wither and die -- when the rail-head moved on, the fort was relocated, or the Sioux Army Depot closed. Now, in 1988, Sidney is feeling the effects of low wheat prices, the oil bust, the loss of farms, and closing businesses.
What was once a grass-covered, treeless prairie has at times limped, but has survived to become a desirable place to live and rear a family.
God has graced our town and with His blessings -- WE WILL SURVIVE.
By Audrey J. Buhrdorf, 1403 Osage Street, Sidney, NE 69162


text: "Whiny Sisters Are Ick, Ick, Ick!" is a song from the Frances episode "A Whiny Sister for Frances". The song is sung by Frances as she paces around the dinning room table. The song is sung to the tune of Bizet's Carmen with new lyrics (written by Judy Rothman and Alex Rockwell) that express Frances' feeling towards annoying little sisters - particularly her own sister, Gloria.


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|Ariel Guslandi
|Ariel Guslandi
|Ariel Guslandi
|Ariel Guslandi
Hi, all. Today, I'll show you about "Sunday Fashion". I was in Discovery Mall. These six photos were taken on April 12th, 2015 in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. Jeans by Bershka, Jacket by Jimmy Butcher, Batik T-shirt by Sari Amerta and Hat by Red Liquid. I like outfit because the design is very unique, beautiful and the price is affordable. And also, I love Indonesian Batik because batik is very unique, amazing and beautiful. Thank you :)
Follow me on :
- Instagram : https://instagram.com/arielguslandi1
- Twitter : https://twitter.com/arielguslandi1
- Pinterest : https://pinterest.com/arielguslandi1
- Contact me at email@example.com


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PARA 2008: Invited/Panel Speakers
Workshop on State-of-the-Art in Scientific and Parallel Computing
May 13-16, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Keynote and Invited Speakers:
Dr. Chris R. Johnson
" Large-Scale Scientific Visualization"
Dr. Jack Dongarra
Dr. Kimmo Koski
"Case CSC Finland in building the European HPC Ecosystem">
Prof. Bo Kĺgström
Prof. Syvert P. Nřrsett
Prof. Brian Vinter
"Not All Fun and Games"
Additional Invited Panel Speakers:
Prof. Rene Belsř,
Dr. Sverker Holmgren,
Prof. Kristjan Jonassen
Dr. Jacko Koster
Prof. Dana Petcu
Dr. Olaf O. Storaasli
AbstractsChris Johnson: "Large-Scale Scientific Visualization" Modern high performance computers have speeds measured in teraflops and handle data set sizes measured in terabytes and petabytes. Although these machines offer enormous potential for solving very large-scale realistic computational problems, their effectiveness will hinge upon the ability of human experts to interact with their simulation results and extract useful information. One of the greatest scientific challenges of the 21st century is to effectively understand and make use of the vast amount of information being produced. Visualization will be among our most most important tools in helping to understand such large-scale information.
Our research at the Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute at the University of Utah has focused on innovative, scalable techniques for large-scale 3D visualization. In this talk, I will present state- of-the-art visualization techniques, including scalable visualization algorithms and software, cluster-based visualization methods and innovate visualization techniques applied to problems in computational science, engineering, and medicine. I will conclude with an outline for a future high performance visualization research challenges and opportunities.
Jack Dongarra: "Four Important Concepts to Consider When Using High Performance Computers "
In this talk we examine how high performance computing has changed over the last 10-year and look toward the future in terms of trends. These changes have had and will continue to have a major impact on our software. Some of the software and algorithm challenges have already been encountered, such as management of communication and memory hierarchies through a combination of compile--time and run--time techniques, but the increased scale of computation, depth of memory hierarchies, range of latencies, and increased run--time environment variability will make these problems much harder. We will look at four areas of research that will have an importance impact in the development of software.
We will focus on following themes:
Björn Adlerborn, Robert Granat, Bo Kĺgström and Daniel Kressner: " New Parallel Variants of Dense Eigenvalue Solvers and Reordered Real Schur Form" Recent improvements to the QZ algorithm for solving generalized eigenvalue problems are reviewed. Among the major modifications are novel multishift QZ iterations based on chasing chains of tiny bulges and an extension of the so called aggressive early deflation strategy aiming at reducing the overall computation time on modern computing systems. A novel parallel implementation of a multishift QZ algorithm is presented. In addition, some inherent bottlenecks and possible remedies and improvements are discussed. The second part of the presentation will discuss parallel blocked algorithms for eigenvalue reordering in the standard and generalized Schur forms, filling another gap of the ScaLAPACK eigenproblem functionality. The algorithms are applied in parallel computation of stable invariant subspaces arising from algebraic Ricacati equations.
Kimmo Koski: "Case CSC Finland in building the European HPC Ecosystem "
During the last few years Europe has put together a number of grid infrastructure projects (DEISA, EGEE, ...) which have paved the way for pan-European ICT collaboration for science. One recent project example is a joint initiative with a target to provide European research access to top end computing facilities exceeding a petaflop/s performance. This Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE) collaboration has started a preparatory phase project, partly funded by European Union, and targets to launch the first petaflop center in 2010. To be able to serve the user community with varying needs efficiently, it is important to link the future top-of-the-pyramid resources to the full European HPC Ecosystem - including all elements for supporting a research project from actual hardware resources to competence in providing services for scientific computing.
The talk describes the HPC Ecosystem and gives an update to the European petaflop initiative. The new research infrastructures and their computing needs are discussed. CSC - the Finnish IT Center for Science is a partner in many of the EU projects building the European infrastructure collaboration and is used as a case example.
Brian Vinter: Not All Fun and Games"
High Performance Computing groups around the world has started looking into the use of game-consoles and high end graphics cards as inexpensive means for obtaining very high computing power. The desire for still more physical realism in computer games have created processors for game consoles, such as the CELL-BE and highly capable GPU such as the NVIDIA G92. The vendors of these systems have decided to open the platforms enough towards the user community that it is possible to program these chips for other purposes than "Fun and Games". This talk introduces some of the platforms that we to some extend today and most certainly tomorrow, may use to obtain a very attractive price/performance ratio for HPC applications. The talk will cover both the promises of these architectures and the rather rocky path to get to those promises. A number of real application experiences will drive the motivation of the talk.
Contact Information:
Please mail comments re. this page to:
E-mail: elster-at-idi.ntnu.no (replace -at- with @)
It was last updated on Jan. 31, 2008. Comments welcome.


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Welcome to Month9Books Birthday Bash! We're so excited you're all stopping by!
This is going to be an awesome event with many tour stops featuring our authors! The full schedule is below and make sure to stick around for the EPIC Giveaway taking place!
Here's a quick note from Georgia McBride, owner of Month9Books!
Month9Books is turning 2 this year and I could not be happier. We are living proof that if you have a dream to write, create and inspire, you should follow that dream and let nothing keep you from realizing it. Thank you to all the readers, writers, agents, partners and friends who have made this possible. We write for you.
--Georgia McBride, Publisher and Owner of Month9Books
(1) New Kindle with touchscreen (US only) loaded with all our Month9Books titles. US Only.
(1) Paperback prize pack of 5 Month9Books Titles. US ONLY
(2) eBook Prize Packs of 5 Month9Books titles. International
Hi Munira! Thanks so much for having me! I love doing interviews, especially when the questions are as fun as yours. :)
What do you enjoy the most? Reading books or writing them?
While I love writing, creating my own characters and putting them through the ringer, reading is my first love. Writing is a lot of work. When you read someone else's story, the goal is to truly get lost and allow yourself to enjoy the ride. Nothing is better than curling up with a great book!
How did you get into writing in the very first place? What is the first ever literary piece you have ever written?
When I was about 12 or 13, I began to write about my feelings—at that age we're brimming with them. The more I wrote, the more I realized if I put made up characters in my place, I could come up with really fun ways to turn the tables. My imagination just exploded from there. I wrote on-and-off through High School, but it wasn't until a few years later that I realized writing was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
How did your first publication with Month9Boooks happen? What do you think is the best thing about working with M9B?
Month9Books actually contacted me while I was querying another project. Georgia McBride had read the first chapter of A Shimmer of Angels a few years before and loved it. M9B asked if A Shimmer of Angels was still available. It was, so I sent off the first twenty pages. An email came a few days later asking for the full manuscript, which I sent. Less than two weeks later I had an offer for a three-book publishing deal in my inbox! It was an incredible turn of fate for A Shimmer of Angels to be the first Young Adult title published by Month9Books.
I would say the best thing about working with M9B is the sense of community. Georgia and my fellow GMMG (Georgia McBride Media Group) authors are wonderfully supportive and ridiculously hard working. I've also had the pleasure of working with some of the most amazing editors (Mandy and Ashlynn, you guys rock!), copy editors, PR people, and have made some unforgettable friends.
Has being an author changed you as a person? If so, how?
That's a great question. Umm…maybe? I definitely take my writing more seriously now. I've never worked harder than I do on deadline—which I LOVE. I feel a little more confident when writing and editing now, thanks to all I've learned from M9B. Other than that, I'm still the same chick, holed up in her home office, blasting music, and spinning ideas for the next story.
If you could be a character in any of the books published by your fellow authors, which one would it be?
Oh, that's a tough one, because if you've read many of the Month9Books titles, you'll see a pattern. All the main characters are awesome, yes, but they also have some seriously tough obstacles to overcome. I'm going to cheat here a little and say Quinn from Heather L. Reid's Pretty Dark Nothing, because then I could find out what happens in the second book in the series—releasing in 2015 (I can't wait)!
What are your tips for those who plan to have a future in writing and publishing?
Dream big. Imagine the unimaginable. Create characters you can't get out of your head. Don't give up, no matter the obstacles. And, most importantly, write it all down.
Last but not the least, when do we get to read your next book in the Angel Sight series? Any spoilers/teasers for the fans?
A Matter of Time, the third and final book in the Angel Sight series, is set for release in May of 2015. The last thing I want to do is give away spoilers, but I can say that A Matter of Time picks up shortly after the end of A Slither of Hope. If you read A Slither of Hope, you'll remember the kind of predicament we left Ray in. Things only get tougher for Ray from there. A Matter of Time is a seriously wild (and sometimes fun) ride and I can't wait for you guys to be able to experience it!
Thank you so, so much for your time and the interview once again! My best wishes are with you always :)
Thank you so much, Munira!
About the Author:
Lisa M. Basso was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She is a lover of books, video games, animals, and baking (not baking with animals though). As a child she would crawl into worlds of her own creation and get lost for hours. Her love for YA fiction started with a simple school reading assignment: S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. When not reading or writing she can usually be found at home with The Best Boyfriend that Ever Lived ™ and her two darling (and sometimes evil) cats, Kitties A and B.
Title: A Shimmer of Angels (Angel Sight #1)
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Sixteen-year-old Rayna sees angels, and has the medication and weekly therapy sessions to prove it.
Now, in remission, Rayna starts fresh at a new school, lands a new job, and desperately tries for normalcy. She ignores signs that she may be slipping into the world she has tried so hard to climb out of. But these days, it's more than just hallucinations that keep Rayna up at night. Students are dying, and she may be the only one who can stop it. Can she keep her job, her sanity, and her friends from dying at the hands of angels she can't admit to seeing?
Title: A Slither of Hope (Angel Sight #2)
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
by Month9Books
by Month9Books
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Want to see what I think about this book?
Want to see what I think about this book?
Rayna struggles to piece her life back together, but hiding in plain sight from the police, the SS Crazy, and the Fallen isn't a foolproof plan—something Kade, the World's Worst Roommate, reminds her of everyday. The late nights of failing to teach Ray how to protect herself against the Fallen are getting to Kade, changing him in ways he doesn't like, and after a family emergency sends Ray back into Cam's arms, Kade decides he's had enough. News of Rayna's resurfacing brings both angels and the Fallen to San Francisco by the dozens, all eyes scouring the city for the girl with the gray wings. Rayna will need both Kade and Cam's help to ensure her family's safety, navigate the new dangers and enemies springing up all over the city, and manage the surprises that arise with her new set of wings.
Follow the schedule to meet some more amazing bloggers and authors they are hosting:D
Jessica Arnold will be hosted by Read for your Future
Vanessa Barger will be hosted by Pretty Little Pages
Lisa M. Basso will be hosted by In Vogue with Books
Sarah Bromley will be hosted by A Book and A Latte
Steve Bryant will be hosted by Jump Into Books
Brynn Chapman will be hosted by A Backwards Story
Nicole Conway will be hosted by Two Chicks on Books
Scott Craven will be hosted by Books and Ashes
Ty Drago will be hosted by The A P Book Club
Dorothy Dreyer will be hosted by Her Book Thoughts!
Dorothy Dreyer will be hosted by Oops! I Read A Book Again
Jennifer M. Eaton will be hosted by Book Briefs
Kit Forbes will be hosted by Book Lovers Life
Janice Gable Bashman will be hosted by All Things Urban Fantasy
Amanda Gray will be hosted by Aspiring Joy
Kelly Hashway/Ashelyn Drake will be hosted by Book Geek Review
Elizabeth Holloway will be hosted by Tales of a Ravenous Reader
Missy Kalicicki and AbiKetner will be hosted by Once Upon A Twilight
Nicola Marsh will be hosted by ReadWriteLove28
Georgia McBride will be hosted by YA Sisterhood
Jen McConnel will be hosted by A Dream Within A Dream
Jackie Morse Kessler will be hosted by Dark Faerie Tales
Beck Nicholas will be hosted by The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club
Michelle E. Reed will be hosted by Doodle's Book Reviews
Heather Reid will be hosted by Bookish Things & More
A. Lynden Rolland will be hosted by Fiction State of Mind
Kristal Shaff will be hosted by Chicklit vs Fantasy
PabSungenis will be hosted by Classy Cat Books
Rachel Tafoya will be hosted by Jessabella Reads
Vicki L. Weavil will be hosted by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads


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- k_robe85
- 4 years ago
- Wedding: November 2012
This is my 1st post in the non-wedding boards!
I got my BFP yesterday!!!! Hubby and I have been trying for a year and we were about to begin the infertility testing this month if I got my period. I am so thankful we will not have to go that route and I am sooooooo exicted!
Any advice on this new journey will be great!


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BLU Crabhouse and Raw Bar Coupons
BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar 2305 Philadelphia Ave Ocean City, Maryland 21842 [Map]
- Ph. 410.289.3322
- Website | Facebook | TripAdvisor
- Hours: Open Mon – Thu at 3:00 | Fri – Sun 12:00 noon
- Seafood / Crabhouse Restaurant
- Menu | Cool Coupons – See Below!
About BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar
BLU Crabhouse and Raw Bar is a brand new restaurant in town with experienced restaurant operators at the helm excited to bring Ocean City visitors and locals familiar Eastern Shore fare with a unique, eclectic flair!
It's a great downtown location within walking distance of all the major hotels, next door to great miniature golf, and overlooking beautiful sunset views on the bay. BLU has offerings for everyone. There are Ocean City favorites on the menu–the dishes you look forward to enjoying every time you come to the beach. Awesome steamed MD blue crabs, shrimp and clams, and crab cakes as well as some new twists on the traditions using innovative ingredients and seasonings. The Raw Bar has a rotating oyster selection with everything from Chincoteague's to Blue Points! Unique specialty drinks and a draft beer featuring local microbrews and a rotating selection of craft beer specials!
You can dine and enjoy refreshing drinks outside on the deck or on the beach at BLU Crabhouse and Raw Bar. It's the "complete package" for a casual, fun, delicious dining experience!
BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar Cool Coupon
To use your Cool Coupon simply pull out your smartphone and show this Cool Coupon to your server when placing your order. No smartphone, then right click on the coupon and print it out!
Watch this space for more BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar Coupons
Thank you for visiting our BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar page & please share your pix & your comments with us!
Check Out Some Cool Crab Stuff…
|More Cool Crab Stuff On Amazon > Click Here!
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Ask the Ocean City Cool Community on Facebook – Click Here!
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Cool Stuff for the Beach from the Beach…
|Ocean City Cool Stuff Store > Everything made from photos from around Ocean City MD > Click Here!
"Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed… I think food is, actually, very beautiful in itself."~ Delia Smith


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I am very satisfied with my water treatment service. The custom installation was delivered on...
Shower Filters
If chlorine kills bacteria, then what does it do to our skin and hair? Remember your skin is the largest organ in the body.
Research has shown that the chemicals inhaled while showering can be 50 to 100 times more harmful than drinking the same water.
The Nimbus Shower Filter removes up to 99% of chlorine from the water, promoting smoother, softer skin, manageable hair, and eliminating flaky, dry, itchy scalps. Nimbus uses a unique 5 stage filtration system that combines the filtering capabilities of activated carbon with the advanced technology of KDF.
By reducing chlorine and other chemicals from your shower, you reduce the risks related to inhaling steam containing harmful chemicals often found in our water supplies. Other than the health benefits, the Nimbus Shower Filter offers tremendous cosmetic advantages as well.
- Removes 99%* of chlorine from the water, promoting smoother, softer skin, more manageable hair, and eliminating flaky, dry itchy scalps.
- Designed to reduce carcinogens, mercury, fluoride, silver, nitrates, arsenic, nickel, lead and pesticides as well as other chemicals found in our water supply.
- Keeps hair-tint colors true and perms lasting longer.
- Use less shampoo and soap while enjoying a rich lather.
- Prevents mold, mildew and soap film lm build-up in your shower.
- Installs easily! Simply unscrew old shower head and screw on Nimbus' shower filter.
- Provides up to 18 months of chlorine-free, silky clean showers, for a healthier, more enjoyable experience.**
- Long Lasting. Designed to filter up to 30,000 gallons of filtered water.**
Nimbus uses a unique 5-stage filtration system that combines filtering capabilities of activated carbon with the advanced technology of Redox media (KDF-SSD).
Water passes through a progression of separate filters, to assure maximum removal of particles. The first stage micron filter is locked into place to remove large particles and to prevent channels from forming within the unit. The filtration process begins with Redox material, which uses an electro-chemical process to reduce taste and odor affecting elements. These same elements can clog carbon only filters. A second micron pad separates the media and further removes particulate matter. The final chamber contains highest quality Granular Activated Carbon plus another micron filter. Aerating water with carbon makes your water as refreshing as it is clear.
* Removes 99% of Chlorine according to independent lab tests.
** Based on average water usage for a family of four. Longevity varies according to local water conditions.


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1. Umberto Eco's piece in the Guardian about the importance of good handwriting struck a nerve. I used to pride myself on my neat, even writing. Now, I have a collection of fine writing instruments [one of my obsessions], and a handwriting that deteriorates into the realm of the illegible after about two sentences. From Eco:
The crisis began with the advent of the ballpoint pen. Early ballpoints were also very messy and if, immediately after writing, you ran your finger over the last few words, a smudge inevitably appeared. And people no longer felt much interest in writing well, since handwriting, when produced with a ballpoint, even a clean one, no longer had soul, style or personality.
And while on that, a recent study indicates that handwriting is the best lie-detector test there is.
2. Social media familiarity breeds contempt, seems to be the moral of this Times Online story on Stephen Fry.
3. "When the pet develops rabies and starts biting its own mentors, it must be put to sleep, no way around it," a senior general involved in military operations in the North-West Frontier Province told me in late April, suggesting a definite new realization — if not change of heart altogether — that as far as the military establishment was concerned, the militants had gone too far. Until that point, the Army's claims that it was doing its best to hunt down "miscreants" were met with skepticism across the board.
That clip is from a Foreign Policy article suggesting that Pakistan is making more progress in its war against terrorism than an increasingly cynical world is prepared to acknowledge. It ends however on a prophesy designed to further fuel the cynical view that most of Pakistan's 'successes' are calculated pitches for its fund-raising drive:
And we should not be surprised if, as a result of Muslim Khan's interrogations, his mentor Maulvi Fazlullah also gets captured — perhaps timed to coincide with President Asif Ali Zardari's trip to New York to host a "Friends of Democratic Pakistan" summit on Sept. 24, at which he is expected to urge the world to better compensate Pakistan for its efforts against extremists, who under the tutelage of al Qaeda still pose a grave threat to the entire region. But perhaps now it's time the international community shows it is willing to reward success.
4. I can never get enough of writers talking of writing [the NYT series is a favorite, often visited/re-visited resource]. Here, for those interested in such, is today's find.
5. A blog post gives six reasons for politicians to take to Twitter. Clip:
Now what you can do with Twitter – Dr Shashi Tharoor on his visit to his constituency met with a girl who has lost both her legs and on the same day he tweeted –
"Visited a girl who lost both legs to a train when crossing the track bcoz road to her home was underwater. One more tragedy of underdevpmnt"
"Will look for prosthetic help for the girl. In her final year of high school. Desperately poor. A couple of Jaipur Feet cld change her life"
That 280 letters changed the life of that girl. The same day itself offers for help came from all over the world and last I heard that girl is undergoing treatment. Could such quick response possible without Twitter? What does that show? Doesn't that show that politicians and elected representatives can use twitter to spread the word faster than any other media out there?
Indeed. The catch? How many politicians are articulate enough to use that tool to get the right message across?
6. In The Atlantic, Mark Bowden has a great piece outlining, against the backdrop of TV coverage of the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, how journalism has been 'outsourced' to political hit men, business interest groups and such.
This process—political activists supplying material for TV news broadcasts—is not new, of course. It has largely replaced the work of on-the-scene reporters during political campaigns, which have become, in a sense, perpetual. The once-quadrennial clashes between parties over the White House are now simply the way our national business is conducted. In our exhausting 24/7 news cycle, demand for timely information and analysis is greater than ever. With journalists being laid off in droves, savvy political operatives have stepped eagerly into the breach. What's most troubling is not that TV-news producers mistake their work for journalism, which is bad enough, but that young people drawn to journalism increasingly see no distinction between disinterested reporting and hit-jobbery. The very smart and capable young men (more on them in a moment) who actually dug up and initially posted the Sotomayor clips both originally described themselves to me as part-time, or aspiring, journalists.
Then again, who needs journalists? As this piece in Columbia Journalism Review underscores, the new business model is to spend a lot of money on a telegenic talking head, and let the news gathering end of the business go whistle. While on the media, Nikhil Pahwa linked on Twitter to this spiderweb of inter-connectivity between politicians and journalists in India. Open link with caution — guaranteed to change the way you read newspapers/watch television. 🙂
7. From TED via Mental Floss: Oliver Sacks in prime form on the subject of hallucination.
8. Transparency International has just released its annual report on Global Corruption. To no one's surprise, India wins high placement.
9. Sometimes, all it takes to provoke a really stirring debate is a really badly written opinion piece. This qualifies. The writer sets out to trash contemporary Indian writing in English on the basis of book titles and blurbs; the resultant debate, now two weeks long and counting, is proving to be the gift that goes on giving. Wade right in — the last word hadn't been said yet.
10. What happens when one of the most famous opening sentences in literature is rendered in Emoji? This:
The New Yorker, on the project. Seems to me we're coming full circle — from symbol-based communication to alphabets, and now back again.
11. Having observed two of the four UN General Assembly sessions [as much of each as I could stomach] out of the five during my tenure in NY, I found them incredibly boring affairs. But then, they never had Muammar Gaddafi, spelt any one of 50 ways, over during that time. My loss. Your gain.
Over and, for the day, out.


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Life's Followers
Life's Followers is created for everyone to explore themselves and opportunities to create pathways with poetry you'd like to share. Can be any topic you'd like to compose no judgements here only love,beauty, harmony, laughter, pain and truths we may discover in our ephermal journey to everlasting enlightenment. Robert Frost said once
"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
So everyone lets start taking each moment and turning it into sunrises reminding us we are human beings living for beauty, love and romance this is what we live for poetry. The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. So what will your verse be?
New Writing
Join Group
Invite Friends
and counting . . .


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The special edition of the new Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Carbon Black, will allow buyers to drive on Aston Martin's Performance Driving Course (UK and Europe only) free of charge. Vantage Carbon Black differs from it's regular V12 Vantage counterpart with a hand-painted carbon black metallic exterior and an obsidian black leather interior with silver stitching.
The Vantage Carbon Black also boasts 19inch, gloss black 10 spoke diamond turned allow wheels and front parking sensors. It is equiped with a 6.0 liter V12 engine with a maximum speed of 190 mph and 510 horsepower at 6,500 rpm.
Supercharged Onyx Autos
More Stats +/-
$2.3 Million Supercars
Souped-Up Supercars
Supercar Spy Shots
Eco-Friendly Super Cars
Greener Aston Martin
Aston Martin Introduces the V12 Vantage Carbon Black
- By: Marissa LiuDec 18, 2009
References: astonmartin & diseno-art
References: astonmartin & diseno-art


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Today is a two for one post. Over at Dawn McVey's blog she is having another color challenge. Such a pretty palette.
I love the bright bold and clean lines of that first card. There is actually a story behind that one. ;o) It was my original plan for the challenge, but after working and re-working and giving up in frustration because I just couldn't get it to look right, I ended up with the card below. But like all things, sometimes if you just walk away for a bit...the answer will come to you.
Now, if you take those same colors and give it just a tad deeper in overall shade, they make a gorgeous rustic Christmas palette.
I just love that snowflake from SU!'s Berry Merry set. And all of the inked edges on this card just make it feel so cozy. And that felt ribbon...I just can't get enough of it!
Thanks for looking and I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! BTW, I will work on putting together that tutorial this week on the ribbon flowers. Thanks so much for all of the kind comments!


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India's government is killing two birds with one stone by hiring youth to plant two billion trees along highways throughout the country. The plan to put as many as 300,000 youth to work planting trees will help quell the country's 10.2 percent unemployment rate amongst youth aged 15-24, while helping to combat climate change and beautify the country's roadways at the same time.
"The length of National highways in the country is one lakh kilometer [about 62,137 miles]. I have asked officials to come out with a plan to plant 200 crore [2 billion] trees along these stretches, which in turn would create jobs for the unemployed on one hand and protect the environment on the other," India's Shipping and Rural Development Minister, Jairam Gadkari told The Hindu.
Related:7 Plants That May Save the World
This is big news for the country, which has six cities on the top 10 list of the world's worst for air quality. Treehugger cites a recent study that shows tree leaves have the capability to capture large amounts of particulate matter – the cause of poor air quality and smog. In the study, UK scientists measured air pollution in the form of iron-bearing particles in one UK city, then placed in front of them a screen of 30 young silver birch trees in planters. They then took measurements for the next 13 days that showed houses with the tree screens showed up to 65 percent lower concentrations of metallic particles.
Planting trees itself is nothing new in India, where one man planted a total of 1,360 acres of trees by himself, to create a refuge for wildlife in northern India.
Via The Hindu, Treehugger
Lead image via Shutterstock, Flickr Creative Commons images by Rohit Patwardhan and ToGa Wanderings


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Dynamic Matrix of Timoshenko Beam Columnsby Franklin Y. Cheng, (A.M.ASCE), Assoc. Prof. of Civ. Engrg.; Univ. of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO,
Wu-Hsiung Tseng, Grad. Asst.; Univ. of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO,
Serial Information: Journal of the Structural Division, 1973, Vol. 99, Issue 3, Pg. 527-549
Document Type: Journal Paper
This paper describes the dynamic behavior of general structural frameworks subjected to lateral time-dependent excitations and static axial loads. Different static axial loads may be applied to various members which are simultaneously subjected to lateral harmonic excitations applied as nodal forces, uniform and nonuniform loads, or foundation movements. All the matrix equations are expressed in nondimensional parameters representing various effects of rotary inertia, axial load, and shear and bending deformations. The individual parameter may be dropped when the appropriate effect is not considered. Consequently, the formulation and the computer program developed may be applied to various cases of dynamic response as bending deformation only; bending deformation and axial load; rotatory inertia, bending and shear deformations; rotatory inertia, bending and shear deformations, and axial loads; etc.
Subject Headings: Axial loads | Shear deformation | Beam columns | Bending (structural) | Lateral loads | Inertia | Matrix (mathematics) | Structural behavior
Services: Buy this book/Buy this article
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Has it been a month already? Well I guess it has. Welcome back for another of my posts on Authors Speak.
Last month I rambled on a bit about why I write what I write. This month I've chosen a broader topic: Why I write.
I probably should have led with that, sorry.
So, let's delve into what drives a person (me) to spend a part of everyday working on creating a story, the type of story doesn't matter, it's the act of writing that matters. There are a number of reasons people begin writing. Some write as a hobby or as a stress reliever. Therapists recommend writing as part of recovery for many people. It's a way to get feelings out of your head. Once I read of a method that advocated writing down what's bothering you on paper and then burn the paper to clear away negative emotions.
Others (me) begin as children, making up stories about the world around them. It's a way of correcting something gone wrong or to further explore a favorite book or television show. I didn't learn until decades later that's called fanfiction—more on that next month.
The great thing about writing is you don't have to be good at it, you simply have to do it. I write because it's something I love doing. These days I write with the goal of publishing, but that wasn't always my motivation. Having your work published isn't what makes one a writer.
What makes someone a writer is the drive to write.
There are people who keep what they write private for a number of reasons. You know what? That's okay. We're not required to share every little detail about ourselves with the world. I kept much of what I wrote very private for a long time. During school, before college, I was the girl who walked around with a notebook hidden in with my other books. I wrote down all sorts of stories and tried out different styles. When I wasn't reading books to escape into a little fantasy world I was writing them.
I love to read and eventually discovered a sure fire way to find exactly the types of stories I want to read was to write them. It's a simple concept, really. Now it's a bonus to me that others seem to enjoy reading what I write as well.
When I was very young I lived with my grandparents. Today that's not such an uncommon thing, but in the sixties being a child of divorced parents who lived with her grandparents was unique to say the least. My grandmother was very sick and I often had to stay home from school to care for her. She was mostly bedridden and slept a lot, so the dog and I were on our own. All my friends were in school and I never cared for game shows or soap operas.
There was no Netflix or digital books. Our house was filled with books, but more of them were for adults than a little girl. I had my own collection, but I'd read through them and often getting to a library to find other books wasn't an option. Some days I really wasn't in the mood to re-read, so I began to write. I wanted stories about adventure and space travel and horses, so I created them. Sometimes all in one story! That simple act allowed me to express myself and explore with my imagination. When I didn't write, I went back and read my stories.
It was fun.
Eventually I learned what it was to be a published author and those were the people who created the books stored in our family room. I wanted to be one of those people. To me writing has never hard work, but something that seemed as natural as breathing. It's my happy place after a day of dealing with the world.
So, to answer the question why I write? The answer is simple. I can't not write.
Lou Hoffman has a RaffleCopter Give Away be sure to check it out!


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I hope you're all well and had a wonderful week!
It's Friday so that means it's time for another fun challenge brought to you by Annabelle Stamps Blog and this week we have a super cool challenge for you, it's...
That's right you get to choose the sketch you want to use from our sketches that can be found HERE on our Pinterest page! While you're there why don't you follow Annabelle Stamps Pinterest Page?
The sketch I have used is one of my favourites, we used it back in February of this year:
I flipped the sketch and used one of the super cute Lil' Belles Stamps...'Lil Michelle Swinging By' and I'm still trying to improve my colouring skills but I think I'm on a sinking ship when it comes to colouring roflol!
So here's my card:
I couldn't help using Pink and Brown and I added a bit of Lemon into the mix lol and I placed a 3mm Toffee Sprinkle for the little bear's nose!
Supplies Used:
Annabelle Stamps:
~Lil' Michelle Swinging By Stamp Set
~Kraft Cardstock
~Lemon Satin Ribbon
~3mm Toffee Sprinkles
~Blossom Buttons
~White Twine
~White, Brown and Pink Cardstock
~Black Ink
~Embossing Folders
~Spellbinders Dies
~Oval Punch
Would you like to play along with our sketch challenge for your chance at winning a $15.00 Gift Voucher to the AnnaBelle Stamps Store?
Check out the details HERE on how to play, I can't wait to see your take on our Sketch Challenge using your favourite ABS Sketch this week!
Don't forget to head on over to AnnaBelle's Stamps Ning Site~Stamp Embellish Create and grab your free digi image(from the freebie section)or ABS Blog to use in your creation!
Please stop by my fellow 'Belles' blogs to see their wonderful creations using their favourite ABS sketch!
Thanks so much for stopping by and till next time, have a wonderful weekend! Take Care and Keep Smiling,


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If you would have come up to me a year ago and said, "One day you will be fascinated by science," I would have laughed out loud. But here I am, looking as science websites, and thinking I might even guy a science kit. Except, this isn't just science; its food science! (Make more sense now?)
Molecular gastronomy is the study of food and how it reacts to different elements. For example, you can cook eggs at different temperatures with different techniques to get an altogether different end product.
Wierd right? Here are more edible-looking pictures of this fatastic thing:
What I want to try -so badly!- is spherification. You can take any liquid and make it into juice-filled spheres. A lot like caviar. I have a feeling you could do a lot more with these things than you could with the caviar we are all familiar with.
Here are some grapefruit noodles: (Noodles! imagine the possibilities of a fruit salad!)
Here is a website I found with a fantastic video tutorial for spherification.
I'm going to try it, I promise you!


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Review: Spec Ops: The Line
Do you feel like a hero yet? It's a question that Spec Ops: The Line asks in its attempts to do what few shooters ever try by giving death meaning. With a sandswept Dubai as your backdrop, you're in for one hell of a ride.
Quick Rating
- Worth The Time?A shooter that offers such a harrowing and unique experience is a rarity worth its short 7 hour duration
- Things LovedThe beautiful realisation of a desolate and damned Dubai makes for a great environment and the liberal use of colour sets this apart from your typical brown shooter. Excellent voice acting combined with interesting characater development and a compelling narrative make for a gripping tale. The group dynamic between the Delta force operators is something special. The way in which you will question your actions is a truly unqiue experience.
- Things HatedTypical, bland cover-based shooting dominates most of the gameplay. Bolt-on multiplayer is a disappointment and the game suffers from a few graphical and gameplay issues. Cutscenes should look better than they do. AI can be dim at times and sand mechanic could've been put to better use.
- RecommendationAnyone who is looking for a shooter that offers a fresh and uniquely gripping narrative experience should check this out. If you can look past the bland gameplay that is.
- Name: Spec Ops: The Line
- Genre: Shooter
- Players: 1-8
- Multiplayer: 2-8
- Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
- Developer: Yager Development
- Publisher: 2K Games
- Price: PS3/Xbox 360 - R515, PC - R345 (BT Games)
- Reviewed On: PS3
Spec Ops: The Line first appeared in 2009 and shortly fell off the face of the earth only to be resurrected last year and now it's finally here. I've followed it from the debut trailer and was always intrigued by the game's unique take on war and the consequences of killing. Despite carrying the name of the Spec Ops series that some may be familiar with from the 90's, that's where the similarities end because this is a fresh beast with its own traits and certainly a very unique character.
Dubai is best described as a hollow city; one of immense opulence and blinding wealth but ultimately there's next to no substance there and the city's soul is as rich as the arid desert surrounding it. Spec Ops: The Line takes the shining symbol of opportunistic capitalism and aggressive expansion that is Dubai and turns it into a desolate place of damnation of darkness. Dubai is laid to waste by ravaging sandstorms and while many were evacuated, those that remain trapped within the city are fighting for survival.
Enter a three man Delta Force squad led by Captain Martin Walker. They are sent in for a recon mission to assess the situation but Walker quickly reassigns their mission directive to search & rescue after a disturbing radio transmission from Colonel John Konrad. He and his 33rd Infantry were sent in to assist with mass evacuation of the city but stayed on and Konrad was in fact presumed dead prior to the radio transmission. Walker happens to have a history with Konrad as they served together in Kuwait.
The game starts very ho-hum with players having to eliminate a wave of scarf-wearing enemies who shout at you in Farsi and the environment is predictably dull, just like any military shooter but this all changes rapidly. The Deltas find themselves thrown into the midst of a civil war that rages between several factions including the CIA and Konrad's Damned 33rd. The rich and colourful buildings of Dubai make a starkly contrasting backdrop for the violent conflict and it works to great effect. The Deltas are met with the darkest side of humanity and they see first-hand what people will do to survive. They also witness just how quickly society degenerates when cut-off from the outside world.
In order to stay alive, Walker and his team must resort to aggressive self-defence that sees them doing many regrettable things and even gunning down their own countrymen – rogue US soldiers. Almost every extended gunfight ends with Adams or Lugo, your teammates, questioning the squad's actions and legitimately debating the morality of those actions. Very little of what you do can in fact be justified as right or morally acceptable. Everything is blanketed in grey and Walker's justifications become increasingly hollow and routine.
The group dynamic between the three Deltas is something rather intriguing to watch develop. It starts off pretty standard with usual jokes and quips thrown back and forth but as the situation becomes more desperate and they descend further into the darkness that has consumed Dubai, each character undergoes his own transformation and as they argue and lock horns regarding their growing mountain of regrettable actions, a tension manifests within the group. Each skirmish or battle adds to this and it's something very tangible and real that the game pulls off. You begin to feel for these characters and you can sympathise with them on many levels.
The greatest progression of all though, is perhaps that of Capt. Martin Walker. He starts out as a generic, run-of-the-mill military shooter protagonist complete with the light stubble, chiselled features and voice of Nolan North. As the game progresses you grow to sympathise with him and by the end of the game it's a different story entirely. Also, if you thought that Batman took some serious battle damage in the two Arkham games, what happens to Walker through the course of the game is in a different league entirely. As military shooter protagonists go, Martin Walker is perhaps one of the deepest, most human characters you'll follow and his trappings make him all the more relatable. His manic obsession with Konrad ultimately drives him further into the heart of darkness than anyone else and that crazed drive is ultimately what leads to his ruin.
The voice-work is solid and adds a layer of believability to the entire experience. The rest of the sound is similarly put to good use; starting out with typical rock tunes but as the game becomes more sombre and morose so does the music with melancholic strains to accompany the mounting weight of your actions. The visuals do it somewhat differently. Things start out relatively drab and regular before giving way to the shear opulence of Dubai, realised in a way that is surprisingly colourful and vibrant for a grim military shooter.
As I said before, the contrast is jarring in a way that you are constantly mindful of. It is marred however, by some less than excellent use of the Unreal Engine 3. The Line suffers from wholesale texture loading issues on both characters and environments. The character models look good though and, for the most part, so does the environment around you but some of the interior levels do look a little shabby and bland in contrast to everything else and they don't always capture that grandiose and glamorous appearance that Dubai is so synonymous with. For the most part, level design is rather good and creative with many unique environments that you wouldn't expect to be holding a firefight in. There's a great attention to detail and the lighting effects simply add to the spectacle of the ruined wealth that surrounds you.
I've been avoiding talking about the gameplay but it was inevitable so no time like the present, right? Spec Ops tries so very hard to still be a typical cover-based shooter while also trying very hard to be a very different, thoughtful shooter where the story is concerned. It never results in any sort of gaming bipolarity but the gameplay certainly doesn't compliment the narrative because while that is compelling and rather bold in what it attempts to do, the gameplay is sadly too content with being nothing more than mediocre.
It's everything you'd expect from a third-person shooter and it's not even done very well. That's not to say that the gameplay is bad but it's adequate – good enough is what it is. There's a good use of multi-level combat and you have to manage your ammo just a little bit but there's not much to set this humdrum gameplay apart from your typical shooter. You've seen it all before, various types of enemies, having to eliminate turrets, blind-firing, chuck a grenade or two, protect this convoy, pick up that sniper rifle; it's all things we're used to and barring the terrible stealth which shouldn't even exist, it's all done well enough but nothing special really. The stealth is mainly ridiculous for the reason that you are going to be seen anyway within less than a minute so why bother?
You do get something interesting out of the squad commands and while you can't tactically position your teammates as in games such as Mass Effect, you can order them to focus fire on a particular target or get them to suppress enemy fire with a flashbang. They're largely not needed and really just give you something to bide the time while you wait to regenerate health. It also comes in handy when you're out of ammo or are pinned down.
The controls are also not as finely-tuned as you might like with Walker occasionally doing the wrong thing because of the button designations. The button to go into cover is the same as that to sprint and the button assigned to melee happens to be the same as that for vaulting over cover. Normally you just expect these context-sensitive controls to work and that's that but in Spec Ops they only work about ¾ of the time. So you won't always see your character run or slide into cover when it's necessary and this usually results in a cheap death. Less fatal but equally annoying is when you try to vault over cover but instead jab aimlessly at the air like a present-day Muhammad Ali.
There is some variety to all these rather standard firefights as you will sometimes be hit by a sandstorm mid-battle and you might even have to fight in blinding sunlight as the sun reflects off the abundance of glass. Sand is supposed to be a major mechanic but it rarely moves past being an environment-changing gimmick whereby you can shoot out glass ceilings or walls to shower a group of enemies with a deadly wall of sand. It amounts to little more than 'shoot glass to win level.'
I'm glad Yager didn't take every opportunity to show off the sand physics but at least make regular use of it. There was only one, maybe two, occasions where the sand actually shifted and drastically affected the environment and combat. I feel as if the sand mechanic is an opportunity missed and that it could've made for a far more dynamic game rather than just using sand for scripted events. The AI isn't too sharp either. Enemy AI is as dull as you've come to expect of modern shooters but when you aren't telling your squad-mates what to do, they have the potential to be a pain in the ass. They generally don't do much to help you and on a few occasions a teammate did something stupid like throwing a grenade at an enemy who was literally right in front of me instead of melee-ing him like a sane human being.
It's painful to see that for everything the narrative and scripting of the game does to be unique and special, the gameplay doesn't even make an effort. It's a classic example of over-investment in only certain parts of a game, in this case narrative and visuals, while the gameplay is done almost as an afterthought and really, the gameplay in The Line does nothing to stand out. It merely exists to facilitate the story.
Speaking of cheap after-thoughts, look no further than the games bolt-on multiplayer which has the same bland gameplay as the singleplayer but none of the narrative allure that kept me going through it. There's not much variety and everything is basically an 8 player deathmatch with a severe lack of incentive to stay online. The prizes for winning matches and advancing through the multiplayer are new skins and upgraded guns with minimal improvements over the gun you already have. Maps are large but cluttered which makes them almost claustrophobic. Perhaps the only redeeming qualities of the multiplayer are that you can be hit by sandstorms midway through a match which makes things a little more dynamic and Buried Mode is quite good. Teams of 4 must sabotage the enemy HQ and it requires some skill and planning that anybody with half a brain would relish.
What Spec Ops does very well is examining the psychological and emotional deterioration of a man when surrounded by humanity at its darkest and most vile. The Delta operators begin the game with the discipline and moral compass of any honest soldiers but as they descend further into the darkness of Dubai, their morality becomes blurred and it becomes difficult to tell whether their actions are good or not anymore. In fact, Spec Ops deals primarily in gray with nothing being as black and white as military shooters like to have it. Each new encounter has you, as the player, and your squad mates questioning just how justifiable those actions were and trust me when I say that you will do some things in this game that you genuinely regret. This is a game that finally brings meaning and weight to all the death that you bring and in a genre that goes giddy for bloodshed, this is something not only refreshing but deeply chilling.
The approach is so different from other shooters that the experience is like no other. You will often be presented with moral decisions but unlike inFamous where the decisions are clearly right or wrong, The Line makes you choose between two equally questionable choices and it's more fluid than the aforementioned games' approach of 'press X to take the good option'. You will be offered an option from each of your squad members and you simply choose to carry it out. That said, the moral decisions you make don't have any effect on the world around you nor on the ending. There are still 4 possible endings but one of them is simply determined by your actions in the final chapter of the game and the other three are based purely on what you choose to do in the game's after-credits epilogue.
You can replay the epilogue after completing the game so you can find out three of the endings without even replaying the game. The endings do offer closure to the story though and the final twists in the story actually give your moral decisions earlier in the game more meaning and weight rather than it being the reverse. Thus, no matter which ending you get, the game begs a second playthrough just to view all those moral decisions with fresh and far more disturbing perspective.
The Line takes great inspiration from the movies Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now, both of which deal with the darker aspects of human nature and the blurring of what is right and wrong. Thus, while there are no real consequences to your actions, the narrative and the way the characters feel the weight of their actions makes you project that significance onto the game. At least, the game manages to do that most of the time. Sometimes it tries to illicit an emotional response but comes up dry.
The rawness of war that the game often depicts is harrowing and in disparate contrast to the opulence of Dubai. It also puts so-called realistic military shooters such as Battlefield 3 and Modern warfare 3 to shame with its depiction of death and the effect that killing has on a man's psyche. Enemies will often still flail and convulse violently after going down, corpses hang from lampposts and you often come face to death with decaying remains of civilians and soldiers alike. Make no mistake; this game does not celebrate death like other shooters. It shows it for the grim, bleak endpoint that it is.
You will do so many truly regrettable things that even before the ending you will really begin to wonder whether you actually are a hero. Never before have I questioned my actions so much in a shooter. There is even a 'No Russian' moment but it isn't simply mindless shooting used as a shock tactic as in Modern Warfare 2, it is there to show the hostile threat that civilians pose and consciously deciding to open fire on civilians to get out of that situation was actually a very tough decision to make.
The story is complete with its own twists and deceits and mysteries and for once, the intel you pick-up in-game has a real purpose in explaining some of the unknowns about the story and filling you in without the narrative losing momentum. Occasionally it rings of lazy storytelling to just leave it in a note on a desk and the game could certainly have benefitted from certain details being explained in cutscenes rather than audio tapes but it is no less captivating. To watch Walker's obsession with Konrad drive him ever deeper into ruin is unnerving but oh so compelling.
You know a game has gripped you when you sit there while the credits are rolling, trying to piece together the meaning of everything and fathoming the ramifications of that mindfuck ending. As the credits rolled I just sat there thinking back to all the moral decisions I'd had to make in the game, seeing them in a new light, far more disturbing light. I must have been completely zoned out because my brother, who was sitting next to me, actually asked why I hadn't skipped the credits after about a minute or so. Testament to how wrapped up in the narrative I was.
Spec Ops: The Line is not the best shooter I've ever played but with some attention paid to the gameplay it damn near could have been. The gameplay is lacklustre and the multiplayer less than that but the narrative is just so unique, so haunting and fresh for its genre that this game is surely one to remember and definitely one worth playing.