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Tag: Sam
Until Dawn (2015) Review
September 26, 2022 ragglefragglereviewsLeave a comment
Until Dawn is the first of many choose your own adventure games from Supermassive Games, the game relies on player choices determining who will survive this horror story on the mountains of the Wendigo. The game takes inspiration from the Butterfly Effect a chaos theory where different choices and events will lead to vastly differentiating outcomes.
The game is considered an interactive drama series where players take control of eight playable characters and make decisions which will in turn effect their survival chances and relationships with other characters in the story.
After a horrible prank gone wrong two twin sisters Hannah and Beth go missing during a snow storm on the mountains and are presumed dead after search and rescues teams fail to find them.
One year later the teenage pranksters return to the mountain in remembrance of the girls but soon realise that something dark and sinister is afoot, they are not alone on this mountain and they start to wonder what really happened to their friends who perished on that terrible night!.
The game takes place primarily in four locations the Lodge, the Sanitorium, an old Hotel and the Mines and where each character ends up depends on player choices.
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In my personal opinion none of the games locations are all too memorable, nothing about them really stands out although I would make the argument that this does work much more in the games favor than it may seem.
The areas of the game are basic but are all very dark helping to build upon the atmosphere and increase the players fear levels, throughout the entire journey you will be on the edge of your seat not sure if your next decision will end kindly, the Wendigo's are absolutely terrifying and give you very little chance to escape if they manage to catch you, a shot with a gun will help you knock them back temporarily but the most common and difficult way to survive is to keep absolutely still.
The Wendigo's are blind and track players by sound, a very clever mechanic in the game uses the dual shock controllers motion sensors to enhance realism during segments where you mustn't move, players literally need to keep the controller as still as possible and one slight movement can easily lead to death so be careful.
The game is full to the brim with quick time events, I normally hate these in games but they work quite well in this, you don't get much warning when they appear and if you miss them it can end very badly.
Throughout the adventure there are plenty of collectibles to find most of these are clues to discovering the three in game mysteries, those being what happened to the twins, who is the psychopath and the history of the mountain. You need to find all of the twins clues to save Josh at the end of the game so I would recommend trying to get everything.
Totems are also hidden across the mountain, finding these will show you clues on possible outcomes later on in the game, it can really help you make decisions depending on whether you want to save or kill certain characters.
There are many different way to finish the game, you can choose who lives and who dies leading the multiple outcomes, I had two issues with the game and both were a problem with its replay value, don't get me wrong the game has plenty of reasons to replay but not being able to skip over cutscenes a second or third time around will get you sick of the story pretty fast and the biggest problem of all is that there is only one ending.
The end of the game is a helicopter shot of your survivors followed by police interviews in the credits, nothing else gets added here and the reason that is a problem is because apart from trophies if there is no additional cutscene or reward why would we want to replay this over and over again?
The game is fun but it is also very slow paced and is a bit of a drag to replay at times, I did this four times in a row to try and get all the trophies and after that I had no intention to put my self through it again and I completely understand that this is a different type of game to what I'm used too but I cant lie about how it made me feel after multiple playthroughs.
Visually the game is terrifying and graphically it holds up really well for a mid life span PS4 game, the dark atmosphere really helps to give you an uneasy feeling from beginning to end and the designers put a lot of effort into graphics helping to again build on realism with the excellent and powdery snow effects, and the slimy and meaty skin of the Wendigos.
The games soundtrack composed by Jason Graves and while very basic it works well for the game, they used an orchestra but remained very quiet only getting louder the closer characters got to a threat, the quietness makes the game feel empty and does help to put players more on edge and when the music does get louder due to it being unexpected it really set me into a panic not quite knowing what was around the corner.
Until Dawn is a game that I have wanted to play for a very long time but have waiting for the right opportunity, thankfully with this being part of the PS Plus game catalogue I finally got the chance and I really enjoyed it, I liked most of the characters and wanted to see them all succeed and the story is so well written, the twist of who the psychopath was really caught me off guard and I had even found all of the clues. The game controlled fine and was a lot of fun my only issue was with my distaste for choices with the replay value but overall I can highly recommend this one to fans of horror and gamers alike 7/10
The Lord of the Rings – The Christmas Classics nobody ever expected
December 18, 2020 December 18, 2020 ragglefragglereviews2 Comments
I want to start by saying that this is not a review, it is a discussion about what these movies mean to me, my history with them and why they remind of Christmas and are Holiday Classics for myself. I am only discussing the Peter Jackson Lord of Rings movies and not the books nor the animated version by Ralph Bakshi.
I don't have photographs of my childhood with these films so I am using images from google, if anyone has an issue with an image I use please email me at my contact email address in the contact me section of this website and I will change it for another.
Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Fellowship of the Ring was released in December of 2001 and I was eight years old, my grandmother had come to visit the day after her and my Grandad went to the cinema to watch a film called The Lord of the Rings.
I remember asking her to tell me about it and she told me it was load of rubbish and was so boring and stupid that she fell asleep not long into the movie, this may be surprising but keep in mind that when she was younger she grew up with the books and while I haven't read them myself yet I am sure they are quite different to the film adaptations.
After hearing about this boring movie eight year old me left the room to play and knowing myself it was probably Crash Bandicoot on the PS1 although I cant be too sure.
One year later on Christmas day 2002 I opened up one of my presents and it was that boring movie my grandmother told me about, I left it alone for a while as I was more interested in my new toys but on Christmas it has always been tradition for my family to watch a movie together and that year my mother wanted us to watch Lord of the Rings.
I quickly became obsessed with this movie and would play the tape almost daily, I'm not sure what really got me into the films but I do know that I had recently became interested in Wizardry thanks to Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone which was released in theatres around a year prior to when I was gifted Fellowship.
Gandalf the wizard became a favourite character of mine and even my friends, we all began quoting the famous "YOU SHALL NOT PASS" line while playing games in the garden and I we used to love re-watching his battle with the Balrog time and time again.
Another Scene I remember watching vigorously as a child was the fight with the Cave Troll, definitely one of the most intense parts of the movie and for an eight year old it was very memorable as a battle, again this may be due to Harry Potter which also had a troll fight, I dont like comparing the two but in my childhood this makes a lot of sense now that I look back almost 20 years later.
The movie ended on a fairly un-conclusive note so while young, I was still aware that there was more of the story to be told but at that age I was fairly distracted with school, video games and other hobbies so I never gave this much thought until the second movie ended up in my hands.
The Two Towers (2002)
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers released in theatres December 2002 I remember seeing posters for the movie but I was too young to be allowed to see the movie in the cinema, instead I would have to wait until the following Christmas before the tape was finally added to my collection.
I don't remember the Christmas that I received this very well but I do have some very fond memories of this film and this is probably the video tape out of the entire trilogy which I played the most growing up.
It was the first interaction that the hobbits had with the creature Gollum here played by Andy Serkis who voiced the character and did live action work before the animation. Gollum is easily the best part of the film, he is very funny especially when he starts arguing with his other personality Sméagol.
I always wanted a Treebeard action figure when I was younger thanks to his scenes in the Two Towers, as a nine year old I was very jealous of Merry and Pippin getting to ride in his arms, I think he was a really lovable character and to this day he is still one of my favourite parts of the film.
I could never understand the whole Gandalf the Grey turned Gandalf the White when I was a child, It's not that I didn't like the character It was just a little bit too complicated for me to grasp back then, re-watching the film recently I must say it is really impressive how the cinematography, clever use of lighting and editing makes it seem like its Saruman before the big reveal.
The battle scene for Helms Deep was replayed so many times on the video tape that this section began to wear out before the rest of the video did, me and friends would often rewind this part and re-watch it, it is generally a very intense and fun battle scene, the fellowship only manages to get a 300 man army to take on 10'000 orcs so your really on the edge of your seat watching this.
There is also the competition between Legolas and Ghimli which adds some comedy to the scene and of course how can you forget Legolas riding the shield down the stairs while shooting orcs.
Again the film ends on a cliff hanger leaving me only desperate to get part three with me not realising that it would be the final chapter of this story.
The Return of the King (2003)
December 2003 saw the Return of the King hitting theatres but as per usual I wouldnt see the movie until a year later.
2004 was a tough year for my family, money was running low, savings were non existent and due to the stress of making enough money to feed the family my father had to take up a job abroad. One of the most difficult losses especially for my parents was the loss of our house, we couldn't afford the upkeep so we were forced to move to an old flat in the city.
Its fair to say that I wasn't expecting Lord of the Rings that year so I was very happy when it was gifted to me by my Auntie on Boxing Day when we did our usual Christmas greetings of the extended family.
Return of the King is easily in my opinion the best film in the trilogy, I have a lot of memories of this movie and they start from the very beginning, the movie opens with two brothers Sméagol and Deagol fishing on a boat, Deagol falls into the water and finds the One Ring, he refuses to give it to Sméagol for his birthday so he gets strangled to death and this starts the rings corruption of Sméagol and the creation of the Gollum.
I used to hate the scene with Denethor eating as it is really gross, I had a weak stomach when I was a kid so I used to close my eyes at this part, I suppose that's why it always stuck with me.
The army of the undead was unbelievably cool for ten year old me, I used to love the big fight in this film, it had orcs, trolls, elephants and yes even the ghosts!, even Legolas and Ghimli's competition was continued in the film and most prominently in this scene, it was tons of fun and both my favourite part of the movie and the videogame adaptation that was released.
There is a part of the film after Frodo leaves Sam he gets tricked into entering the cave of the Spider Shelob where he gets injected with a numbing liquid and wrapped in web, this part used to scare me and is really disturbing, when Sam removes the web from Frodo's face he looks pale and dead and it isn't revealed until later on that he is still alive.
For many fans the scene where Sam carried Frodo up Mount Doom is one of the most beautiful and memorable and if I ever review these films I will likely fully analyse this moment.
For me one of the most memorable parts of Return of the King was when Frodo refuses to drop the ring into Mount Doom, the entire trilogy had been building up to this moment so it is difficult to see Frodo be so corrupted that he doesn't want to let go, of course Gollum jumps on top of an invisible Frodo and bits his finger off, this moment snaps Frodo out of his control and he pushes Gollum to his death in turn destroying the ring and saving Middle Earth.
The ending where Frodo, Bilbo and Gandalf go off on the boat I didn't fully understand when I was younger, I assumed they were going on more adventures, and while this is kind of the case I now realise that they were going to the undying lands where they would settle down until the end of time.
And that's it, that is all of my fondest childhood memories of Lord of the Rings, as I stated this was not a review but more of my experiences with the films growing up and why I watch them every Christmas, of course they are not Christmas movies but for me they do remind of the holiday and were some of the most memorable gifts I ever received, I know I skipped over a lot of moments in the films and if I ever review them I will do them full justice in a proper review but for now it was nice for me to look back at these epics and why they mean so much to me.
Happy Holidays everybody, I know my Christmas offerings have been less than usual this year, I may try to squeeze one more review out if I am feeling up for it but if not.
Have a great holiday season and I will see you all in 2021 !!
Rocket Power Review
June 8, 2019 June 1, 2019 ragglefragglereviewsLeave a comment
Rocket Power was an animated series that came from Klasky Csupo who gave us Rugrats, Rocket Power was aired on Nickelodeon between 1999 until 2004 and it lasted for four seasons.
Great opening credits and a catchy theme song for Rocket Power, its one of my favorite theme songs for the older nickelodeon cartoons.
Rocket Power is about the gnarly adventures of four children, the two rocket children Otto and Regina as well as their friends Sam and Twister.
The four protagonists live in a fictional town called Ocean Shore where extreme sports including surfing, skateboarding, roller blading etc is very popular for the locals who live there.
Every Episode has one of the characters from the show learning a lesson which normally has something to do with sports, one of my favorite episodes is from season 1 when Otto Rocket ditches his dads snowboarding equipment to promote his competitions equipment after he is manipulated by the douche bag in image above.
And after accepting to represent the competitions brand he learns the lesson that the other brand does not care for him and only wants him for profit, its a hard lesson to learn but its a real issue that a lot of celebs go through when they agree to promote certain brands.
I like most of the characters on the show but my absolute favourites are the Rocket family (Reggie, Otto and their dad Raymundo) as well as Raymundo's business partner Tito.
I never really liked Sam or Twister as much, I feel that the Rocket Kids have more personality and are genuinely more fleshed out characters.
Rocket Power was a really cool show that I have found more enjoyment from as an adult than I did when it first came out, it has pretty good animation, a fantastic voice cast, memorable characters and a lot of good morals as well as moments from the show that are hard to forget.
I wouldn't say this is one of my favourite shows as I couldn't get completely into it, I found the episodes seemed a little repetitive and there wasn't much character growth in the series but apart from that Rocket Power is well worth a watch to see if you like it.
Normally with these cartoons I would like to talk about the theatrical films as well although Rocket Power didn't have theatrical a movie (not including the made for TV films) so my opinion is purely based on the show.
I hope you enjoyed this review of Rocket Power
Sam and Max Hit the Road (1993) PC Review
May 18, 2017 ragglefragglereviewsLeave a comment
Sam and Max Hit the Road is the first release of the popular point and click adventure series which follow two anthropomorphic animal detectives as they try to solve various wacky crimes, the games are based on the original comic book series Sam and Max: Freelance Police which was created by Steve Purcell in 1987.
The game is based on a 1989 comic book release where Sam and Max need to travel to various tourist locations spread across America in order to find a Bigfoot that has gone missing from a local carnival.
The game play is similar to any-other game of the genre you will need to collect random objects throughout the game and then either give those objects to those who may desire them or they can be used to solve puzzles, the game does add the ability to question suspects in order to gain clues about where the player should head next or how the player can get past some of the more difficult challenges the game has to offer.
For me although the game was a lot of fun like most point and click adventure games, the best part was the characters and dialogue, the game is filled to the brim with dry humour which coincidentally is one of the only types of humour I genuinely find funny and let me just say that I was laughing my ass off throughout the majority of this game, I know a lot of people really like max for his psychotic personality and genuinely random moments but I have to admit that it was actually Sams character that I enjoyed the most, I found that Sam provided the majority of that witty dry humour that I love and although Max did this occasionally as well I just found it was funnier coming from Sam, I don't think it really helped that for the most part Max was fairy useless in this game, some of the puzzles require you to use Max in order to solve them but honestly this hardly ever happened and for the rest of the game play you take control of Sam which is a shame because I feel that Max would have been useful for a lot more puzzles that he actually was.
The Dialogue actually uses voice acting which really surprised me and the best part of this is that it was actually quite impressive, of course Sam and Max sound great Max has a more energetic voice which really suits his character and Sam has a more calm and serious voice which really works for him, everyone you speak too also has a unique voice and not one single character sounds the same as another.
Apart from pausing and a few other commands the game completely uses the mouse and I had no issues at all with the general game-play however I did not like the few keyboard keys that were chosen for smaller things, for some reason you need to press F5 to go to the save menu and if I didn't look up the manual I never would have figured this out, another key that I hated was pressing full stop to skip dialogue, its a really random choice when the developers could have easily chosen a much easier key that wasn't in use, this wouldn't be such an issue but when you keep having to speak to characters over and over again it can really get annoying having to keep listening to them repeat the same sentences.
The art style and visual choices in the game are absolutely outstanding, the colours are bright, the art is smooth and the many smaller details such as the use of shadows, creases in clothes and the density of different materials such as fur really help bring the game to life, not the mention the constant animations that run in the background of the game, the game has a few still image cut-scenes with some basic animation and if you weren't actually playing the game you might think they were from a cartoon due to how much effort the game designers put into the visuals.
Sam and Max Hit the Road is a very good game which I think most people would really appreciate if they put aside some time to play it, It's not perfect but its an innocent title that provides a lot of laughs and will leave you with some fond memories, I cant say I enjoyed it as much as I do Sierra Games but Lucas Art did a great job with this before the series got taken over by Travellers Tales 7/10
I hope you enjoyed my review of Sam and Max Hit the Road for Microsoft Windows and MS DOS.
By the way you can get yourself a copy of this game for fairly cheap via GOG.com
If you respect my opinion, I will respect yours
By Padawan
You can find me on Miiverse by searching for draskafer
Tomb Raider 2013 (PC, 360,PS3) Review
July 7, 2014 April 27, 2015 ragglefragglereviews2 Comments
I have wanted a really dark, action filled and serious Tomb Raider game for quite some time now, little did I know that in the year of 2013 my dream Tomb Raider game would become a reality.
A lot of people were sceptical when this game got announced and I am not going to lie I was as well, but can you blame us for being sceptical over a Tomb Raider game with an age rating of 18. The idea of a Tomb Raider game having such a high age recommendation is un-heard of, so how was this new Tomb Raider? lets take a look
You play as Treasure Hunter Lara Croft
Lara and her crew are on a Research Vessel called the Endurance, Lara and the crew are looking for the Lost Fleet of Kublai Khan. When Lara notices an island in the distance she tells her crew that she wants a closer look, upon approaching the Island the Research Vessel is split in half separating Lara from the rest of the crew. Lara goes searching for the rest of her crew and she eventually finds her friend Sam who is sharing the heat of a fire with a man called Mathias.
Lara falls asleep and awakens to find both Sam and Mathias missing. Later on Lara discovers that Mathias and a bunch of other men have Sam captive and plan to use her as a sacrifice to Himiko the sun queen. Himiko's soul is transferred to different females generation to generation, when one Himiko gets old or dies her soul is then transferred to the last chosen Himiko, Sam is the female chosen to be part of the soul transfer ceremony.
Also some mysterious force is preventing Lara or anyone else from leaving the island. Lara's new mission is to find the rest of her crew, rescue Sam and to discover the curse preventing them from leaving the Island.
Tomb raider has such awesome game play, Lara will find multiple tools and weapons through out her adventure such as pickaxe which will allow her climb mountains, rope which she can shoot from her bow to bring down doors and to help her get to hard to reach areas.
As well as useful tools Lara is also carries a pretty kickass arsenal of weapons this includes a Bow and Arrow, Hand Gun, Shotgun, Assault Rifle and a Grenade Launcher. Each weapon has its own uses the shot gun can be used to destroy wooden barriers that may be blocking your path, the grenade launcher can be used to blow up metal doors and the bow and arrow has multiple uses such as setting fire to wood and explosives and it also helps Lara to use the rope to more of an advantage.
By far the most useful weapon is the bow and arrow not just because it has multiple uses but it can also be used to take out enemies quietly, if there is a group of enemies Lara can shoot an arrow at a near by wall, this will cause some of the enemies to search away from that area leaving just one poor guy to be killed without anyone else noticing.
When your not sneaking around and killing bad guys, Lara will stumble across some unfortunate environmental hazards these can include Lara falling into a fast flowing river and having to avoid any obstacles in order to survive, or she may be running across a bridge which is quickly falling to pieces beneath her feet. One of my favourite parts of the game is about half way through Lara is using a parachute and has too avoid trees so that she doesn't get injured.
So what happens if you aren't able to avoid these obstacles? oh dear
As well as this the game controls perfectly, I played on keyboard and mouse and found no difficulty getting use to the controls what so ever, I even played a bit using an Xbox 360 controller and again the game controlled perfectly so no complaints for that. I do however have one complaint about the game play, There are way too many quick time events in this game, I don't mind a couple but at least 50 percent of the game play requires them and it really gets annoying after having to use the same quick time events for the same things over and over again through out the game.
Now as it is a Tomb Raider game you will be pleased to know that there are loads of hidden tombs that Lara can raid, when in these tombs you will usually be faced with a puzzle or two before you are able to reach any treasure that hidden within the tomb.
As well some awesome game play, tomb raider also has a really awesome soundtrack, the music is all orchestrated and it sounds beautiful a lot of the time the music made me wonder if it was composed by John Williams because the music really sounds like something out of an Indiana Jones film, as you can tell this suited the game quite nicely.
Tomb Raider a Survivor is Born
A beautiful soundtrack needs some beautiful visuals to go with it and let me just say you wont be let down with the way the game looks. Everything in the game looks amazing and you can tell that the developers really went a long way to make this game as breathtaking to look at as it is to play.
First of all Lara's new character model is so freaking cool, she has this really awesome roughened up look to her that just says "stand in my way, I dare you" but she also doesn't look like a complete killing machine which allows the player to sympathise with her character.
Here are a few pictures of the Island
Seriously the graphics and visuals in Tomb Raider are amazing, the game would often play a cut scene and when it returned to game play I wouldn't move for a minute because I thought the cut scene was still playing, yeah the visuals are that good.
Tomb Raider was an incredible game, this is by far my favourite Tomb Raider game ever and it's also the only Tomb Raider game I have enjoyed enough to actually finish, It has flawless controls, really awesome game play, breathtaking visuals and a beautiful soundtrack, the only problem is the constant quick time events and I really hope they work on those for the sequel.
Tomb Raider was one awesome adventure 9/10
I hope you enjoyed this review of Tomb Raider
If you respect my opinion I will respect yours


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Snow and Pearl (2016)
In the longest night of the year, 21st of December, we witness a ballroom where a farewell party is held to honour the retirement of an old, renowned composer, Prof. Deniz İlter from the academy, at a palace by the Bosphorus. Whilst we see the event through the eyes of his son, Kaya, a woman called Gece -meaning "night" in Turkish- enters the ballroom and the scope of the event changes entirely. Gece, portrayed as an unusual, bold woman, is also unlike anyone or anything in the party now. She confidently walks into the ballroom in a simple black dress and flat black shoes, wearing one pearl on a necklace. She is the only woman without heels and make-up and the only woman dressed casually in this glorious palace party. The people and the party become a decor around Gece in Kaya's eyes the moment he notices her; he tells us about her, her peculiar ways, every step she takes in the ballroom even if he doesn't look at her and they don't exchange a glance.
It is not long until we sense that the composer's family has a secret that Gece is somehow related to. Even if he is the narrator, Kaya is totally ignorant of the secret the reader senses, in the same way that he has no idea why Gece suddenly left him years ago in the midst of their passionate romance.
A precious antique necklace owned by the composer's wife, originally belonging to the composer's well-known family and given to brides from one generation to the next, gets lost, and after an announcement, the music and dance stops with the intervention of the guards who are searching for the invaluable heirloom.
The next chapter, narrated by a different person (Aydın), opens with a young woman in her early twenties, in a white night-gown, in a white hospital room in a small seashore town. She was found in the sea and can't remember anything regarding her past, except that she feels sure a small female infant has been murdered or that she is now in the sea and in danger. The area the young woman was found -both inside the sea and around the seashore- is thoroughly searched, but no trace about the identity of the young woman or of an infant can be found. They name the amnesic woman Nehir.
The narrator, Aydın, who we don't know whether a p. or a p. (whether a "policeman" or a "psychoanalyst"), tries to unravel the case, and behaves as a p. although he is a p. The story is read differently in each case. Even after several decades, Aydın has an extreme, almost obsessive curiosity about Nehir and a mysterious rich lady who at times visits the hospital and leaves things for Nehir although she never meets her in person. Aydın knows that the lady is lying in her claim to have no idea about the identity of Nehir, and due to a passion he shares about music, figures out who the lady was in her youth: A talented pianist who left her career after marriage and children.
As the story progresses, the mystery behind Gece's story is also revealed. Leyla and Nehir turn out to be different parts of Gece's past and symbolize the different stages as Gece's strange character takes shape. The reason why Gece left Kaya without an explanation is clear to none of the narrators but the reader and Aydın: Long before she met Kaya, Gece had an affair with the composer who was her university professor when she was studying cello at the conservatory. Whether Gece was really pregnant by the composer or the fetus in the amniotic fluid -the water, as claimed by Nehir- was actually her own symbolic self remains unclear. But we learn that the composer, fearing there might be a listener, claimed to have not touched her when Gece told him that she was pregnant, and failed to support when she was dismissed both from the university and from her family home.
The mysterious lady, Dolunay, who was the composer's wife, is one of the female voices silenced in the novel by the male power, embodied in the invaluable necklace that represents the power and patriarchy of the well-known family of the composer. İnci -Pearl- is the name Nehir/Gece calls the lost girl; and it is not till the end when we learn that İnci is also the name -the last name- lost by Dolunay to the composer through marriage. Aydın, who is also at the ball, approaches Dolunay at the end of the novel and tells her that he thinks she threw the necklace into the sea and she felt relieved to do so.
The story is haunted by a ten year old girl with wet hair and bare feet, always dressed in a white night gown, who only the composer can see, and who the girl follows everywhere for years; and a famous song by the composer, "Kar" (Snow), which the composer made for the memory of his deceased daughter from Dolunay, Kar. There are several interpretations of who the phantom girl might be.
The novel is centred around a feeling of loss for each character and each chapter is narrated by a different person, but the music and the rhythm of the story interwoven with the chain of events is also a background character. Kaya is a violinist himself and meets Gece when they are playing in an orchestra together. They quickly distinguish each other's playing in an orchestra; and it is not coincidental that Prof. Deniz İlter's helping Gece with cello at conservatory evolves into a romantic relationship. The composer's remarks about why Gece's overly passionate cello playing prevents her from actualizing her best, how and why she is nearly there but can't overcome the threshold, and almost all other points in regards to music in some way intertwine with sexuality throughout the novel and there are many passages in which we can't be sure whether it is music or sex or emotional life or all being referred to.
Like music, there is also a strong metaphor of water throughout the novel in different forms; seas, oceans, lakes, frozen ponds, rapid rivers, rain, snow and pearls. Besides the various meanings it represents, water also stands for emotional life, and, -at times- flow of (emotional) life; and learning to swim is likened to learning to survive emotionally in the subtext of the novel. Along with the statement "One does not drown because s/he gets into water; one drowns because s/he cannot get out of the water.", learning to swim is also about coming to terms with water rather than fighting and trying to overcome water -or, whatever we may call problems or obstacles. To give an example from the novel, water becomes hostile and pulls you down, if you see it as something to overcome, but it holds you up and its force becomes a support for your movement by learning to get along with water and swim. Gece's resistance to learning to swim or even getting into the water as a passive defense against her father's preference to spend time with his new family and other children rather than Gece, is also a symbolic relationship with water (as for all characters) in the subtext of the novel and it is not coincidental that Gece chooses to drown herself over any other method when she decides to commit suicide. In the parts she talks about an alive being in the water, after she walks into the water submissively, it is unclear if the person referred to is a possible fetus in her womb at the time or her own symbolic self/child or her bodily self in the sea, or all of them at once.
The central character of the novel is Gece, even if she is not one of the narrators directly and we don't get to hear her adult voice speak from first person. Different parts of her life are narrated to us from different people and it is only the reader who has a somewhat fuller sense of her fragmented reality. Yet, we are still left with a curiosity rather than a feeling of knowing her at the end of the novel. Continous change in the reader's perspective to reality is a characteristic common to all Nihan Kaya books; and in this novel, reality differs with the narration of each character.
Like light and darkness, colours, especially white, black, red and blue are stressed in the novel.
"Gece", meaning "night", is also the name given to "ball" in Turkish, as balls are held at night-time. At the end of the first chapter, Kaya approaches Gece who is watching the dark sea at the terrace by herself and asks her why she left him about twenty years ago. Whilst Kaya repeats his question and Gece remains silent, music coming from the ball stops and an announcement about the lost necklace is made. Gece never looks at Kaya or utters a word.
At the end of the novel, we go back to the opening scene of the ball in which the music and dance was stopped and Gece keeps looking at the sea without saying a word to Kaya. Then a new announcement is made and the music starts again. The last sentence of the novel, "Gece devam ediyor" (Gece/Night goes on) can be understood in two ways. At the very last chapter of the novel, which is composed of few sentences, Gece turns his eyes to Kaya and says that she will not speak. Since the beginning of the novel, this is the first time Gece looks at Kaya and these are the first words she utters, and Kaya says he doesn't know whether it is hope or hopelessness he feels as a reaction to these words, as he has been desperate to hear a word from Gece for more than two decades now. Music is heard from the ball downstairs; and "Gece/Night goes on", which may either mean that the party (gece) is going on downstairs, or that Gece is now continuing to speak, or, both.
Nihan Kaya @ Tüm Hakları Saklıdır

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This Sunday after Koodhosh Eetho is called Hoodhosh Eetho (Dedication of Church) Sunday.
This Sunday is what is referred to in Syriac as Hoodosh Eetho, the day set apart for the dedication of the Church. Last Sunday, Koodosh Eatho, we were called upon for purification. On this Sunday, the Church along with each and every one of us is called upon for dedication.
The first line in today's gospel reads, "Then came the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem. It was winter." For the Jews at that time, the Feast of Dedication commemorated how the Jerusalem Temple, the most holy and revered place of worship, had been dedicated to the God of Israel after having been desecrated by the pagans as recorded in the First Book of Maccabees.
For a thousand years the glorious Jerusalem temple, built by King Solomon, stood as the central focal point of the Jewish world, dedicated each year to make their offerings to God fresh. Even though the Temple was glorious and beautiful, the sacrifices offered there was incomplete. It was incomplete for the reason that the blood of animals did not cleanse the people's hearts.
The Temple is perceived as a foreshadow of the Church that Jesus built. As people began to turn away their hearts from what God has prized more than any sacrifices, that their sacrifices became a broken spirit. But the mysterious body of the Church that Jesus built would never perish as Jesus promised, "The gates of hell shall never prevail against it."
All that was incomplete in the Old Testament became filled by Jesus in the New Covenant. Christ offered his own blood for the atonement and renewal of man. Thus the blood offerings made in the Temple were no longer necessary as they had been the shadow of things to come. In the Old Testament, forefathers celebrated the Feast of Dedication to commit the Temple to God. In remembering that dedication, the Holy Church of Jesus Christ considers the death and resurrection of Christ fulfilled and completed all that was being anticipated in the Temple. The one true offering for our sins was offered up on the cross at Calvary. When that is completed, the Church becomes complete, but the people in the church still remains incomplete.
The Church, like the Temple, is filled with fallen people. We dedicate ourselves to God as we come together to worship on this Sunday. In dedicating ourselves to God, we offer up to Jesus as we were commanded with the Cross in our hearts and submit to the Church that Jesus established. Let's listen to today's gospel passage. Jesus says (in versus. 27-28), "My sheep, hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
Let's give ourselves completely to Jesus as sheep to a shepherd. That's Hoodosh Eetho.


Toshiba back in July released information about their new SSD, the TR200, and as we all understood the TR200 SSD would be replacing the OCZ Trion 150 as a value for money SSD, but this was not the exciting part of the press release. The part that got us all excited was the fact that Toshiba will now be using their brand new 64 layer BiCS TLC NAND. Move on to today and the time has come for Toshiba to release the TR200. Toshiba was kind enough to send me the TR200 480GB SSD to review.
So let's start this review by looking at the packaging and its contents.
As always I will start by taking a look at the package and the contents that are included with the Toshiba TR200 480GB SSD.
We'll start with the package.
Here is a look at the front of the box.
Also the rear of the Toshiba TR200 SSD box. Inside the box we find the installation manual and information on the warranty.
The front of the Toshiba TR200 480GB SSD.
Here is the rear of the Toshiba TR200 480GB SSD.
Here is a look inside the of the Toshiba TR200 SSD, and when I opened the drive I was welcomed with four Toshiba 3D TLC NAND, also there is no RAM on this side of the PCB.
On the other side of the PCB we find another set of four Toshiba 3D TLC NAND and the Toshiba controller, again no DRAM, so we have DRAM-less drive.
The Toshiba TR200 SSD uses 3D TLC NAND and it can reach read and write speeds of up to 550MB/s for read and 525MB/s for the write speed. It also offers a three year warranty. Pricing starts from $89.90 for the 240GB drive, $149.90 for the 480GB drive (that I will be testing), and the 960GB drive will cost $289.90.
At the time of writing this review all pricing was provided by Toshiba.
In the above screenshot we can see all the available info. for the Toshiba TR200 480GB SSD.
Let's head to the next page where we take a look at our testing methods and the review PC.


Your company has a corporate Google account (G Suite).
You can centrally manage Gmail email signatures.
Follow the steps below and learn how to get the signatures from Xink to Gmail.
You need to grant Xink service account access to your users' mail settings.
Once configured, users will see the email signature when they click New Email.
Note: 'No signature' setting in Gmail will not be overwritten and will have to be changed by the user.
For more information please also read our FAQ about G Suite and Gmail.
The email signature selected as default in Xink signature tab.
How often are Gmail email signatures updated?
Xink updates the Gmail signatures every 20 minutes.
You need to wait at least 20 minutes before you can see the signatures.
Which users' signatures are updated in Gmail?
Users with default email signature set will get their Gmail updated.
New users must be added/imported to Xink - Learn how to read users from Google Directory..
Xink only updates signatures for users who belong to the same domain as your super Admin email.
So if the Super Admin email is superadmin@company.com, it will only update email signature for users with email addresses ending with @company.com.
We can split licensing across Xink accounts for companies with more than one domain.
With the credentials used to administer your Google accounts, sign in to the Google Admin console from https://admin.google.com.
Click "show more" link at the bottom of Security page. This reveals the Advanced settings option.
In the Authentication section of the popup window click the "Manage API client access" link. Here we will configure Google to recognize our connection.
Click the "Authorize" button. You will now see this entry added to the list.
Wait for one hour and login to your Gmail account and click new email to test and see if you now have Xink signature applied.


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Let It Burn
Alex McKnight Series: Book #10
By: Steve Hamilton
Narrated by: Dan John Miller
Even though Alex McKnight swore to serve and protect Detroit as a police officer, a trip to Motown these days is a trip to a past he'd just as soon forget. The city will forever remind him of his partner's death and of the bullet still lodged in his own chest. So he's more than happy to stay in the little town of Paradise, three hundred miles and half a lifetime away.
Then he gets a call from his old sergeant. It turns out that a young man Alex helped put away will be getting out of prison. That one big case marked the highlight of his career, before his partner was killed, before his marriage fell apart, before he left Detroit, forever. Now that man is about to walk free.
When the sergeant invites Alex downstate to have a drink for old times' sake, it's an offer he would normally refuse. However, there's a certain female FBI agent he can't stop thinking about, so he gets in his truck and goes back to Detroit. While there, he's reminded of something about that last case, a seemingly small piece of the puzzle that he never got to share. It's not something anyone wants to hear, but Alex can't let go of this gut feeling that they arrested the wrong man.
And that the real killer not only got away, but went on to kill again.
Alex McKnight Series Series
A Cold Day in Paradise
Narrated by: Nick Sullivan
Other than the bullet lodged less than a centimeter from his heart, former Detroit police officer Alex McKnight thought he had put the nightmare of his partner's death and his own near-fatal injury behind him. After all, Maximilian Rose, convicted of the crimes, has been locked in the state pen for years. But in the small town of Paradise,... Read more »
Other than the bullet lodged less than a centimeter from his heart, former Detroit police officer Alex McKnight thought he had put the nightmare of his partner's death and his own near-fatal injury behind him. After all, Maximilian Rose, convicted of the crimes has been locked in the state pen for years. But in the small town of Paradise,... Read more »
Winter of the Wolf Moon
Ex-cop and sometime-P.I. Alex McKnight endures the bitter winter of Michigan's Upper Peninsula in his log cabin with warm fires and cold Molsons. When Dorothy Parrish, a young Ojibwa woman, asks him for shelter from her violent boyfriend, McKnight agrees. But after secreting her in one of his cabins, he finds her gone the next morning. McKnight... Read more »
The Hunting Wind
In an unprecedented literary feat, Steve Hamilton's debut novel, A Cold Day in Paradise, captured both the prestigious Edgar and Shamus awards. Now the bestselling author presents the third installment in his critically acclaimed mystery series: a complex, atmospheric tale that will plunge listeners back into icy, unpredictable Alex McKnight... Read more »
North of Nowhere
Lying face down on the floor with agun to the back of his head is where Alex McKnight finds himself after a gameof cards turns into a professional heist at the home of local developer WinVargas. When the dust settles, McKnight is one of Police Chief Roy Maven's leadsuspects. Worse, Vargas' own sense of vigilante justice has targeted the... Read more »
Lying face down on the floor with a gun to the back of his head is where Alex McKnight finds himself after a game of cards turns into a professional heist at the home of local developer Win Vargas. When the dust settles, McKnight is one of police chief Roy Maven's lead suspects. Worse, Vargas's own sense of vigilante justice has targeted the... Read more »
Blood Is the Sky
Narrated by: Jim Bond
When a fire is done, what's left is only half-destroyed. It is charred and brittle. It is obscene. There is nothing so ugly in all the world as what a fire leaves behind, covered in ashes and smoke and a smell you'll think about every day for the rest of your life. Reluctant investigator Alex McKnight finds himself drawn by friendship into a... Read more »
Alex McKnight is in love. Even though he met Natalie Reynaud, an officer from the Ontario Provincial Police, under difficult circumstances, they share a common bond of solitude, as well as the same nightmare - they're both cops who buried their partners. It's Alex's first real relationship in years, which in some ways is terrifying. But Natalie... Read more »
A Stolen Season
On a cold, miserable night in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a night that wouldn't feel so unusual if it wasn't the Fourth of July, an antique wooden boat runs full-speed into a line of old railroad pilings in the shallow waters of Waishkey Bay. When Alex McKnight helps rescue the passengers, he finds three men. The driver is out cold, the other... Read more »
Misery Bay
On a frozen January night, a young man loops one end of a long rope over the branch of a tree. The other end he ties around his neck. A snowmobiler will find him thirty-six hours later, his lifeless eyes staring out at the endless cold water of Lake Superior. It happens in a lonely corner of the Upper Peninsula, in a place they call Misery... Read more »
Die a Stranger
Late one night, a plane lands on a deserted airstrip. Five dead bodies are found there the next morning. And now Vinnie LeBlanc is missing. Vinnie is an Ojibwa tribal member, a blackjack dealer at the Bay Mills Casino, and he just might be Alex McKnight's best friend. He's come through for Alex more than once in the past, and he never ever... Read more »
Even though Alex McKnight swore to serve and protect Detroit as a police officer, a trip to Motown these days is a trip to a past he'd just as soon forget. The city will forever remind him of his partner's death and of the bullet still lodged in his own chest. So he's more than happy to stay in the little town of Paradise, three hundred miles... Read more »
Riddle Island
Length: 1 hour
On the afternoon of July 30, 1975, former Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa left the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox Restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, never to be seen again. Over two hundred FBI agents have been working the case in the forty-four years since that day—digging up end zones, driveways, hay fields, and horse farms—and yet... Read more »
Author Steve Hamilton
Narrator Dan John Miller
Publication date July 2, 2013
Genre rank #12,149 in Mystery & Thriller


This series is a great piece of work. Really nails the whole situation. I hope decision-makers in the industry are reading it.
I hope you will soon post a piece that frames for your freelancing readers your scenario of how we can begin to band together.
Do you know if this topic is being discussed on any copyediting forums? if so–where?
Another thought-provoking post – thank you.
I am also interested in investigating ways editors can band together effectively and look forward to reading more about that here in future.


Home/Design/Jewelry/"Wedding Headbands" The Best Choice for Brides, Why?!
Because the bride is the most important one on the wedding day and the star of this event and because there is a lot of money which is spent for making this day unique and unforgettable, we bring to every bride this topic to help her to know what to choose for getting a fascinating and dazzling look at her wedding. There are many things that are simple and cheap but really effective and can change the overall look of the bride to be impressive and stunning. Bridal hair accessories are among these simple things that do not cost you a lot of money but have the ability to change your look in an unbelievable way. Wedding headbands are considered to be the best bridal hair accessories if they are compared to other types of bridal hair accessories that are usually worn by brides and can be found in accessory shops, bridal boutiques or online retailers. The question here is why should you choose wedding headbands instead of other bridal hair accessories?
► The ability to be used more than once: Wedding headbands can be used for several times after your wedding instead of being kept or thrown without being used. Wedding headbands can be paired with your casual clothes and evening gowns without being obliged to style your hair in a specific way like other hair accessories including combs, grips, pins and more.
► The Easiest to be used: Most of the hair accessories are difficult to be worn and they require styling your hair in a particular and sophisticated way that is appropriate for positioning your accessories properly, but this does not happen with headbands. Wedding headbands can be easily positioned in your hair and you can also slip them off easily without affecting your hairstyle and turning it into a mess like other hair accessories.
► Appropriate for any hairstyle & hair length: It does not matter whether you have a short hair or long one and want to choose a modern or traditional hairstyle for your hair because in all of these cases you will find the wedding headband that suits you without being forced to choose something that you do not like for your wedding. Wedding headbands are also the best choice when you find that it is difficult to decide the best hairstyle for you and how to accessorize it.
► Are not limited to brides only: Wearing wedding headbands is not limited to brides like tiaras as bridesmaids can also wear this type of hair accessories and it will be a perfect idea to make the headbands of your bridesmaids match yours.
► Cheap & more affordable than other types of hair accessories: Wedding headbands are like tiaras in the way they are worn and appear but the main difference is that wedding headbands are cheaper than tiaras which makes headbands good for you if you are on a budget.
► One of the hottest trends for brides: Wedding headbands are among the hottest trends for brides nowadays and this is why wearing them will make you fashionable and trendy at your wedding.
Note: It is recommended to try your headband on before being purchased in order to decide whether it matches your face, suits your head and makes you comfortable or not. You can also purchase your headband from online stores as there is a wide diversity of headbands that are offered at competitive prices if compared to offline stores.
How to find your stolen laptop!


The Australian Bird Feeding & Watering Study is supported by Mars Birdcare.
We are currently looking for additional sponsors to support this study. If you are interested, please contact Dr Grainne Cleary at g.cleary@deakin.edu.au.


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Anna Jessica Schiefauer, född 20 augusti 1978 i Kungälv, är en svensk författare. 2011 och 2015 fick hon Augustpriset i kategorin barn- och ungdomsbok, och 2015 tilldelades hon även Spårhunden.

Biografi
Jessica Schiefauer är utbildad folkhögskolelärare i svenska och engelska, och håller språk- och skrivarkurser vid sidan om författandet. Hon arbetar även som lektör och bor i Göteborg.

Författarskap
Schiefauers första bok, Om du var jag, kom ut på Bonnier Carlsens förlag 2009, samma år som hon blev färdig lärare. Hon hann därmed aldrig arbeta som lärare i svenska och engelska utan lever istället på inkomster från sitt författande och att lära ut skrivande.

2011 tilldelades Schiefauer Augustpriset i kategorin barn- och ungdomsbok för Pojkarna med motiveringen "Med vass och avslöjande flickblick infiltreras Pojklandet. En idéroman som strävar efter att upplösa språkets, växandets och verklighetens gränser. Om kroppen som slagfält och manligheten som drog." Pojkarna har dramatiserats av Ninna Tersman och satts upp i en samproduktion av Riksteatern och Uppsala Stadsteater. Boken har även filmatiserats, av Alexandra-Therese Keining, och visades på den internationella filmfestivalen i Toronto i september 2015, och hade svensk biopremiär i februari 2016.

Schiefauer arbetade i 17 år med sin tredje bok, När hundarna kommer. Boken handlar om ungdomarna Ester och Isak som blir kära i varandra, och hur de påverkas av att Isaks lillebror Anton misshandlar en pojke till döds. Boken är delvis inspirerad av mordet på John Hron samt dokumentärfilmen Nio scener om våld och belönades med Augustpriset 2015.

Schiefauer nominerades till Sveriges radios novellpris 2018.

Alla Schiefauers böcker finns även som talböcker.

Bibliografi
Om du var jag, Bonnier Carlsen, 2009
Pojkarna, Bonnier Carlsen, 2011
Pose: en novell ur samlingen Het (e-bok), Gilla Böcker, 2014  (tidigare publicerad i antologin Het)
När hundarna kommer, Bonnier Carlsen, 2015
Bärarna, Romanus & Selling, 2020

Priser och utmärkelser
 Augustpriset för Pojkarna, kategori Barn- och ungdomsbok, 2011.
 Spårhunden för När hundarna kommer, 2015.
 Augustpriset för När hundarna kommer, kategori Barn- och ungdomsbok, 2015.

Referenser
Författarförmedlingens webbplats, läst 2011-11-21
Beskrivning av Schiefauer på förlagets webbplats
Författarpresentation på LitteraturMagazinets webbplats

Noter

Externa länkar
Officiell webbplats

Svenska författare av barn- och ungdomslitteratur
Svenska lärare under 2000-talet
Vinnare av Augustpriset
Personer från Kungälv
Födda 1978
Levande personer
Kvinnor
Projekt Kvinnliga huvudpersoner

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Mike Harrity, associate athletics director for community relations and outreach at the University of Kansas, has been named associate athletics director for student-athlete development and community programming at the University of Notre Dame.
Harrity will oversee all student-athlete welfare and development programs for Notre Dame athletics and also will oversee all youth community outreach and summer camp programming. He replaces Charmelle Green, who resigned last summer to become associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at Penn State University. Harrity will begin his duties Dec. 1.
"I am honored and humbled to join the Notre Dame athletics department," Harrity said. "I am excited to work under the visionary leadership of Jack Swarbrick and Missy Conboy and to collaborate with the entire athletics department staff to help make a positive, meaningful impact on our student-athletes, campus and the surrounding community."
At Kansas, Harrity most recently was responsible for developing, coordinating and executing the Kansas athletics staff's community involvement, outreach and relationship-building at the local and regional level. Additionally, he led the effort of relationship-building and outreach to former student-athletes who have achieved success in professional athletics and business.
Prior to that role, Harrity served as the Kansas associate athletics director for marketing, revenue development and game-day experience, where his duties included administering the sales, marketing, promotions and game-day experience departments. In his previous position, Harrity served as the Kansas assistant athletic director for student-athlete development and community relations from 2004-10. In that role, Harrity's responsibilities included designing and implementing all personal development educational programming, serving as the advisor for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and directing the community outreach plan for the athletics department.
Additionally, Harrity developed and led the Jayhawk Leadership Program. The mission of the leadership program is to prepare student-athletes for leadership positions and empower them to enact positive change within their individual teams, within the department and across the entire campus.
In addition to his responsibilities at Kansas, Harrity served as a facilitator at NCAA Leadership Conferences and directed the curriculum and planning for the inaugural Big 12 Conference Leadership Summit in July 2010.
Before coming to Kansas in 2004, Harrity served as coordinator of student services, life skills and academic counseling for the University of Minnesota athletics program. He previously worked as a graduate assistant from 2000-02 at Kansas with the Jayhawk Job Network and served as an academic advisor for walk-on freshman football student-athletes.
A 1999 graduate of the University of Kansas with a degree in journalism, Harrity went on to earn a master's degree in education from Kansas in 2002.
Harrity and his wife Megan are parents of a daughter Grace.
General Notre Dame Announces Student-Athlete Support Event
General Notre Dame Announces Winter Sports Attendance Policy
General Irish Once Again Top NCAA Academic Ratings


With over 54 years of experience, Alvin is one of the primary sources for drafting supplies and drawing equipment in the country. Together with this core group of products, we continue to meet the needs our customers with our expanding range of fine art, hobby and craft supplies, our large selection of drawing room furniture, and our wide assortment of exclusively-designed products. TSUKINEKO-Memento Dew Drop Ink Pad. This ink is made of pigment ink that dries naturally on vellum and glossy paper. Works great on leather; polymer clay; mica; acetate and more. Perfect for embossing too! Pad measures 1-1/2x1in. Non-toxic; archival safe and acid-free. Imported.
I ordered Tsukineko MD-900 Memento Dew Drop Dye Inkpad and looks better than on images.


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The Truth About the Dispensary Raids in Seattle
July 25, 2013 at 3:16 pm / Cannabis Events, Cannabis News, Cannabis Politics, Cannabis Reviews, Marijuana Decriminalization, Marijuana Legalization, Medical Marijuana
UPDATE: A source in the U.S. Attorney's Office tells KING 5 News that only four pot dispensaries were raided. The source says the raids were a continuation of an investigation that became public in 2011 when the DEA raided several pot dispensaries. The raids were not the federal government making a statement about pot use in Washington state, the source says. The raids involved people incriminated in 2011 who did not plead or go to trial. — Original story — [...]
Protesters in Germany Plant Thousands of Marijuana Seeds Around Gottingen
Cannabis plants are sprouting up all over a German town after pro-marijuana supporters planted tens of thousands of seeds last month. Supporters of the group A Few Autonomous Flower Children spread several kilograms of seeds around the university town of Gottingen last month. They say they are protesting its 'demonisation' in Germany's 'restrictive drug laws'. Scores of the plants have sprouted all over the town this week to the fury of the local police and council. A website shows dozens [...]
New Hampshire Legalizes Medical Marijuana
July 23, 2013 at 5:24 pm / Cannabis Events, Cannabis News, Cannabis Politics, Cannabis Reviews, Marijuana Legalization, Medical Marijuana
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Fulfilling a campaign promise, Gov. Maggie Hassan signed a law Tuesday making New Hampshire the 19th state to allow seriously ill residents to use marijuana to treat their illnesses. ''Allowing doctors to provide relief to patients through the use of appropriately regulated and dispensed medical marijuana is the compassionate and right policy for the state of New Hampshire, and this legislation ensures that we approach this policy in the right way with measures to prevent abuse,'' [...]
Maine Votes 141 to 1 in Favor of Required Labeling of GMO's
A bill that would require Maine food retailers to put labels on products that contain genetically modified ingredients is moving forward. The state senate recently gave approval approximately one week ago, which means it faces further votes in the House and Senate. The bill wouldn't go into effect until four other states pass similar laws, but it's still an encouraging step forward. The vote was a crushing 141 to 4 in favor of GMO labeling, another great support for the [...]
Support for Marijuana Legalization Perplexing Lawmakers
WASHINGTON — It took 50 years for American attitudes about marijuana to zigzag from the paranoia of "Reefer Madness" to the excesses of Woodstock back to the hard line of "Just Say No." The next 25 years took the nation from Bill Clinton, who famously "didn't inhale," to Barack Obama, who most emphatically did. And now, in just a few short years, public opinion has moved so dramatically toward general acceptance that even those who champion legalization are surprised at [...]
Medical Marijuana Causes Complete Remission of Crohn's Disease
Published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the study examined the effects of consistent marijuana use on Crohn's patients who suffered from severe cases of the disease. The results of the 21-subject study point toward the drug's anti-inflammatory properties as being responsible for quieting symptoms in many patients, and even reaching total remission in others. The Disease: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments Often mischaracterized as an autoimmune disease, Crohn's disease is in fact an immune deficiency state. Arising from a host [...]
NORML Joins Companies Filing Lawsuit Against NSA for Spying on Americans
July 17, 2013 at 12:30 pm / Cannabis Events, Cannabis News, Cannabis Politics, Cannabis Reviews, Marijuana Decriminalization, Marijuana Legalization, Medical Marijuana
A lawsuit filed against the National Security Agency by a coalition of 19 organizations illustrates how some Federal policies violate American rights, regardless of demographics, political affiliation or personal beliefs. The group, represented by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, includes a variety of organizations focused on everything from human rights abuses, gun rights and Islamic relations to the Unitarian church and marijuana reform advocates. At the heart of the case, First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles v. NSA, is the NSA's [...]
How Legalizing Marijuana Could Save the World
July 16, 2013 at 12:05 pm / Cannabis News, Cannabis Politics, Cannabis Reviews, Marijuana Decriminalization, Marijuana Legalization, Medical Marijuana
For his book "Too High to Fail," author Doug Fine took off to Mendocino, California, where growing marijuana is big business. A tolerant county sheriff sees pot as a source of much-needed revenue for his department and local government, even as the Obama administration sporadically swoops down on medical marijuana dispensaries. Entering the gray zone of the green revolution in northern California, Fine documents an entrepreneurial spirit that represents a key feature of the stereotype of the American dream: risk [...]
Why are the Feds REALLY Still Prosecuting for Marijuana?
To all appearances, Connecticut is well on the way to making medical marijuana available to people who are suffering from certain serious illnesses. Regulations have been drafted and will be voted on by a legislative committee next month. Physicians have thus far certified 660 patients as eligible for the palliative substance. Proposals for production facilities have surfaced in Watertown and Middletown, with others on the way. But there remains one nagging, unresolved issue: It is still a federal crime to [...]


text:
The Handbook series is a significant compendium of scales published in the most impacting marketing literature. I am a proud owner of the series and hope to be able to continue collecting the volumes in the years to come.
Dr. Emanuel Said
Lecturer in Marketing, University of Malta
Ease of Being Persuaded
This Likert scale measures a person's admission that he/she was easily influenced by the message in a particular ad and had difficulty resisting it. A seven- and a four-item version are discussed. Although the scale was made for use with ads, it can be easily modified for use with other types of presentations such as political speeches, religious sermons, educational lectures, movies, etc.
Persuasiveness of the Ad
This scale uses four items and a seven-point Likert-type response format to measure the degree to which a person believes an advertising message is compelling and convincing.
Realism of the Ad Scenario
The degree to which a person believes the information presented or described in an advertisement could actually happen in real life is measured with three items.
Creativity of the Sponsorship Promotion
With three, seven-point semantic differentials, the scale measures the novelty and interestingness of a sponsorship being promoted in an advertisement by a sponsoring entity for something such as an event, an organization, or a cause.
Attitude Toward the Food Product (GMO Content)
The scale uses three, seven-point items to measure a consumer's belief that a particular food product featured in an advertisement is likely to have genetically modified ingredients. (GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms.)
Effectiveness of the Smoking Warning
How effective a person believes a particular anti-smoking message to be in terms of changing attitudes and behaviors is measured with three items.
Attitude Toward the Slogan (General)
The scale is composed of three, five-point semantic differentials that measure the degree to which a person considers a particular slogan to be positive and valuable.
Attitude Toward the Ad (Joyful Nostalgia)
Five, seven-point items measure the degree to which an advertisement caused a person to think of happy events in his/her own life.
Fluency of the Ad
Six, seven-point Likert-type items are used to measure how well organized and easy to understand an ad is which a person has seen.
Targetedness of the Ad
With three, seven-point Likert-type items, the scale measures the degree to which a person believes that a particular advertisement has been aimed at him/her due to some behavior or characteristic inferred by the advertiser.


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Gandhinagar is een district van de Indiase staat Gujarat. Het district telt 1.334.731 inwoners (2001) en heeft een oppervlakte van 649 km².

District van Gujarat


By showing this halloween-exclusive coupon to our staff, you can get a beer after your first purchase. The coupon does not apply for customers in a Halloween costume.
You also probably have no idea what Shibuya's like on October 31st. It's chaos you can't even begin to imagine. It's crowded so badly that you can't move around. Just leaving Shibuya station and trying to go outside is a pain, let alone come to the Aldgate unharmed, but YOU could do it, right? Then get here and celebrate with a pint. And enjoy the madness of Shibuya.


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Legends of the Lake, by Philip Nork
Philip Nork has captured the nostalgic memories we all wish we could share. A multi-generational cabin maintained for generations in one family, with stories that become family legends. The good, the bad and the forlorn all make appearances in this story, told with perspective, compassion and empathy in the wings.
Philip Nork explores what many recognize as the American Dream, and does so with a sense of history, realism and truth. I would recommend his writings to history buffs, family accountants and wage earners past and present who struggled and continue to struggle to acquire the best for those they love. Love is a central theme in his writings, and Nork's stories resonate with its power.
Nork has many other books published, and a list of them can be seen at Goodreads here. You can also find them at Amazon here. Check them out - you won't be disappointed.


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The work of deputies behind the scenes to protect the public can sometimes go unnoticed. Avoiding that outcome was the impetus for the Deputy Sheriffs' Association of Pennsylvania (DSAP) Businesses Backing Blue program, designed to reward deputies for exemplary service.
On Monday, July 9, 2018, Deputy Collin Meisenhelter became the first Chester County beneficiary of the DSAP program. Meisenhelter received a gift certificate to P.J. Whelihan's Pub and Restaurant, a plaque, and temporary ownership of a large serpentine rock. The special specimen – native to Chester County – is mounted on a base that says: You rock! Chester County Sheriff's Office Employee Recognition Award.
Cpl. Brad DeSando explained that Meisenhelter conducts dozens of tours of the Justice Center and historic courthouse each year, groups that range from adults to kids. "I get constant compliments on the tours that he does," DeSando said.
Chester County Sheriff Carolyn Bunny Welsh said she was delighted to participate in a program that rewards deputies who go above and beyond. She said she has received much positive feedback from citizens about Meisenhelter's tours. Referencing the "traveling rock," Welsh explained that Meisenhelter would keep it until the next recognition ceremony, at which point it would go to the new recipient.
"It's always gratifying to recognize the work of the deputies, especially when they serve as such exemplary ambassadors of the CCSO," the Sheriff said.
The idea for the award began after discussions surfaced in Chester County about an employee incentive program. Chester County Lt. Harry McKinney, who also serves as DSAP president, said he thought the concept had merit and expanded into a statewide initiative.
⇐Previous Sheriff's K-9 team in Well-Traveled SpotlightNext⇒ Chester County Commissioners grant $7,500 to Volunteer English Program


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BBC News School Report 2013
Reports by 8 Green
Tigers being poisoned in Thailand
Poachers are killing tigers with poison for money in Thailand.
The poachers want to kill tigers because their teeth, skin and bones are worth a large amount of money. The poachers put chemicals into meat and leave it out as bait.
Students at Rooks Heath were very shocked by this news. Shreena said 'I feel sad and angry because they are killing the poor tigers'.
Nadia thought it was not nice to kill animals'.
It is believed that there are only 200 tigers left in Thailand.
By Aidsaya
Bowl bought for a few, sold for millions!!!
An ancient Chinese bowl bought for $3 in 2007 by a normal family at a garage sale in New York, America has sold at an auction for $2.2 million.
The family that lived in New York went to a garage sale and bought a bowl not knowing that it was priceless! They left it on their mantelpiece for many years until 2013, when they got curious about the bowl and got bargain hunters to estimate how much it would be worth. The bargain hunters then told them that it was worth $200,000- $300,000. After that, they decided to take it to Sotheby's Auction in New York for it to get auctioned. As soon as the auction was about to end Giuseppe Eskenazi destroyed the estimated value of the item and smashed down $2.2 million.
There were four bidders including Eskenazi. It was then revealed that the Bowl was actually 1,000 years old and from the 10th- 11th century. It is the Northern Song Dynasty Bowl it is also known as The Ding Bowl. There is only one other bowl in the whole world like this and it is in the British Museum in London. It was sold for seven times its estimated value.
When questioned Mrs Neal she said "Oh well, I hope I have a little item like that that's in my house." And Mr Bob said "They were so lucky and they deserve it and I'm happy for them."
The priceless bowl is said to be taken back to the British Museum in London and many art inspectors will estimate its value.
By Roubin
Diana's dresses bought for millions
An auction of Princess Diana's dresses at Kerry Taylor Auctions in London raised £800,000 for charity.
One of the dresses went for £240,000 to a man who wanted to make his wife happy. She wore this dress when she danced with John Travolta in 1985.
The dress was one of 10 of Diana's dresses on sale as part of the 'Fit For A Princess' collection at the vintage fashion auctioneers Kerry Taylor Auctions in London.
Mrs Neal said 'I think the dress is very beautiful and if it raises money for a good cause then it's good.'
By Ema
Sacked for a dance?
Calypso Nash, an Oxford librarian has been sacked after allowing students to film the Harlem Shake and post on YouTube .
Five students have also been fined between £30 to £60. The students danced in fancy dress on the library tables, chairs and in the aisles. One wore an American football helmet; another was dressed as a member of the Pussy Riot.
The dance took place at 11:30. It was said that Nash was in her library working but was not involved in the dance at all. The video which was publically shown on You Tube has now been removed. It had more than 500 views.
Swara, a student at Rooks Heath said, ' it was her fault for letting them upload and film this video but I also blame the students. They could have asked permission.'
However, Ellie said 'I don't think that she should get sacked. The students were only having a laugh and bit of fun. They should have let her off with a fine or something, being sacked is a harsh punishment'
Students are now petitioning to try and get her job back.
One Direction in Madame Tussauds
One Direction's wax figures will be released on 18th April at London Madame Tussauds.
It was announced on 11th March 2013 that the boys were soon to be immortalised as wax figures. The figures will be on show in New York from the 19th of July to the 11th of October, then to Sydney in Australia from 24th of October to the 28th of January.
The wax figures are in progress and the Madame Tussauds website is constantly updating the public about the progress of the boy's figures.
The boys Zayn, Harry, Liam, Louis and Niall have been interviewed over the wax figures. The boys were super excited to be given this honour.
The boys will continue with their 2013 tour and will be there for the first showing of the wax figures.
By Nabihah
One Direction realise their AMAZING movie "This is us"
Director Mr Morgan Spurlock has been assisting a well-known boy band "One Direction" to produce a new film named "This is us. "
The movie will be a similar documentary style used by Justin Bieber and Katy Perry. It will show their life on tour and we'll see the group perform some of their hits.
The British boy band has been working with Morgan Spurlock, famous for making 'Supersize Me.'
This news has excited many ID fans at Rooks Heath. Sagal, thinks that 1D lover's will be fascinated and want to go and Sarah thinks that the fact it will be in 3D will be very 'interesting.'
This film is going to be released on August 2013.
One Direction went to Africa
At the beginning of the year One Direction went to Africa for Comic Relief to learn about the trouble people face living in Africa.
One Direction went to Ghana in Africa, to learn about the tough times people had to face every day and all the terrible troubles that they had there. The One Direction boys were devastated at what they saw.
Louis Tomlinson dyed his hair red for charity and the boys also sold the clothes they wore to Africa on eBay and gave all proceeds to Comic Relief. They also made a cover song of 'One Way or Another' originally sang by Blondie and even recorded their own video. All the money they saved from making it themselves was also given to charity.
Rooks Heath is full of hardened 1D fans, including Arti who said "I think it was good that One Direction went to Africa because they found out how bad lives could be and they now realise how lucky they actually are."
One Direction have now learnt that they are lucky and there are lots of people less lucky than them. They will always remember their time in Africa and will always think of them and will try to keep on raising awareness for people that are less fortunate.
By Marina
Passing your driving test in Pinner is easier
You've just turned 17 and you think you're ready for your driving test. Well, in Pinner apparently it's easier.
It is said to be easier because of the easy roads in Pinner, the speed limit is only 50mph and there are no dual carriageways.
Statics show that more people passed in Pinner than in Borehamwood. 53 per cent also passed their test first time in Watford. Many people think this is unfair and not verysafe.
Mrs Pathmanathan said 'I don't think it is easier passing in Pinner because if you're a nervous driver your nerves aren't going to change even if you go on a different road.'
The percentage of first time passes in Pinner is fifty one per cent.
By Janusanth
It Has Been A Very Red Comic Relief!!!!!
On 15th March 2013, people all over the UK have been doing something funny for money. Celebrities, schools and just ordinary people have been raising money for people that aren't as fortunate as us.
Celebrities such as Lenny Henry, Jessie J, One Direction, Miranda Hart and even Simon Cowell have been helping to raise money. There have also been programmes such as Graham Norton's Big Chat, Hell and High Waters and Radio 1's Red Nose Challenge.
Varunica, a pupil at Rooks Heath said how fun the fundraising was. People are saying how amazing it is that schools have been taking part in such a great event. The Vicar of Dibley special, the Simon Cowell wedding and One Direction's Africa diaries were great .
This year they have raised £75, 107, 851! This is a record!
Sir Link a Lot rides to Rooks Heath College!!!!
Sir Link a Lot came to Rooks Heath on Tuesday 19th March to help students learn difficult spellings and commit them to memory.
During the day students in Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 went to a 'Think a Link' session for one hour to learn how to spell difficult words. Sir Link a Lot showed them how to remember key spellings through different methods such as rhymes, images and word association.
One participant Nadia said 'Sir Link a Lot helped us to spell difficult words and I really enjoyed it.'
Rooks Heath is hoping Sir link a lot will return next year.
By Shreena
Reports by 8 Blue
Reports by 8 Orange
Reports by 8 Indigo
Reports by 8 Violet
Reports by 8 Yellow


The following poem is from his latest book, Kindest Regards: New and Selected Poems, ©2018 by the author, published by Cooper Canyon Press, p 205 and also featured on the jacket back.
Two days of an icy prairie fog and every blade of grass, and twig, and branch, and every stretch of wire, barb, post and staple, is a knot or a thread in a lace of the purest white. To walk is like finding your way through a wedding dress, the sky inside it cold and satiny; no past, no future, just the now all breathless. Then a red bird, like a pinprick, changes everything.
We didn't have a hoarfrost this morning, but I did see a red bird … a cardinal.


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Ricks hot shooting leads Abilene Christian men past Houston Baptist in basketball
Joey D. Richards
Payten Ricks scored a game-high 24 points as Abilene Christian beat Houston Baptist 82-68 in a Southland Conference men's basketball game Wednesday in Houston.
Ricks hit 9 of 16 shots from the field, including 6 of 12 3-point goals, to lead a Wildcat team that hit 9 of 22 treys overall. HBU converted just 2 of 10 3-pointers.
Clay Gayman followed with 11 points, while Joe Pleasant and San Angelo Central grad Kolton Kohl added 10 each – the latter off the bench for the Wildcats (16-10 overall, 11-4 Southland).
Ian Dubose led HBU (3-21, 3-12) with 18 points, and Benjamin Uloko had 16. Jalon Gates had 10.
Ricks hit consecutive 3-pointers to spark ACU to a 6-0 lead, and he hit four in the half, including his first three attempts, as the Wildcats led 44-38 at halftime.
It was a four-point game until Ricks' fifth trey put the Wildcats up 51-44 with 14:56 to go in the game to start an 11-4 run, and ACU pulled away for the victory.
ACU remained a half-game back of second-place Nicholls (17-8, 11-3) with the win. Nicholls beat Northwestern State 73-69 on Wednesday.
The Wildcats picked up a game on fourth-place Sam Houston State (17-10, 10-6), which lost to Lamar 77-65 on Wednesday.
Front-running Stephen F. Austin (23-3, 14-1) beat Central Arkansas 83-68 on Wednesday.
The Wildcats wrap up the three-game road trip at Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday. ACU begins a three-game homestand – its last home games – against Sam Houston State next Wednesday. The Wildcats play Central Arkansas (Feb. 29) and SFA (March 3) to close out their home schedule.


October 2d.– Major André is no more among the living. I have just witnessed his exit. It was a tragical scene of the deepest interest. During his confinement and trial, he exhibited those proud and elevated sensibilities which designate greatness and dignity of mind. Not a murmur or a sigh ever escaped him, and the civilities and attentions bestowed on him were politely acknowledged. Having left a mother and two sisters in England, he was heard to mention them in terms of the tenderest affection, and in his letter to Sir Henry Clinton, he recommended them to his particular attention. The principal guard officer, who was constantly in the room with the prisoner, relates that when the hour of execution was announced to him in the morning, he received it without emotion, and while all present were affected with silent gloom, he retained a firm countenance, with calmness and composure of mind. Observing his servant enter the room in tears, he exclaimed, "Leave me till you can show yourself more manly!" His breakfast being sent to him from the table of General Washington, which had been done every day of his confinement, he partook of it as usual, and having shaved and dressed himself, he placed his hat upon the table, and cheerfully said to the guard officers, "I am ready at any moment, gentlemen, to wait on you." The fatal hour having arrived, a large detachment of troops was paraded, and an immense concourse of people assembled; almost all our general and field officers, excepting his excellency and staff, were present on horseback; melancholy and gloom pervaded all ranks, and the scene was affectingly awful. I was so near during the solemn march to the fatal spot, as to observe every movement, and participate in every emotion which the melancholy scene was calculated to produce.


Job title: Dealer Sales Representative.
Be a phone based sales pro and to provide best in class customer service to our North American independent bicycle retailers.
The ASSOS USA Dealer Sales Representative is responsible for overseeing the sales vision and being an ambassador for all things ASSOS. This person needs to be a passionate driver of communication, brand education and go to guide for dealers and outside sales representatives. This individual must have a passion for cycling.
Be the point of contact to assigned retail partners and handles all phone calls from retailers for sales and warranty issues.
Support outside sales force with data analytics, not limited to; backorder management, available to sell, pre-book management.
Strong ability to sell in/fill in-order fulfillment via phone.
Outbound calls; using available inventory opportunities to create business and to drive the business.
Manage reporting communication to retailers on shipments status, pre-books, inventory.
Work with Sales Management to relate, communicate, and execute the annual sales plan.
Be an expert on all things ASSOS.
Provide product and sales knowledge to retailers.
Provide World Class Customer Service and build strong relationships with our customers.
Travel and participate in ASSOS events and service clinics as required.
Develop a trusted relationship with ASSOS dealers by providing exceptional sales training that delivers the what, when, and why of the brand and product line through exceptional written and verbal communication.
Work with management to find new sales leads and assist in onboarding new retailers.
Assist with daily office operations.
= Exceptional phone sales skill; order building, upselling, cross-selling.
= Strong customer service and administrative skills.
= Professional and calm demeanor.
= High level of organizational skills, attention to detail and planning.
= A strong work ethic and desire to win.
= Experience in working with enterprise software systems; NetSuite is preferred, but Oracle, SAP, etc.
= Good oral and written skills.
= 3+ years of bicycle or outdoor industry experience preferred.
= 4 year college degree or experience in lieu of education.
Located in Salt Lake City, ASSOS USA LLC is one of two North American offices for ASSOS of Switzerland.
Our mission is to provide innovative, technically outstanding cycling apparel with meticulous, lean design.
Founded in 1976 with the creation of the first ever Lycra® cycling shorts. Thanks to its continued investments in R&D, ASSOS has developed a number of innovations that have imposed the direction in which the bicycle industry has evolved.
Today, ASSOS proudly provides the road and mountain bike cycling gear to more than 30 countries around the world.