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14 Pepperdine Students Safe in Paris
November 13, 2015 by Madison Harwell
At least 14 Pepperdine students are safe in Paris Friday night after a series of terrorist attacks took place in Paris around 10:30 p.m. local time, the Graphic has confirmed. France is under martial law and all borders have been closed.
Emails were sent to IP participants, staff, parents and emergency contacts regarding the situation in Paris. The emails confirmed that all students are accounted for and safe. The message sent to students encouraged them to call loved ones and keep IP up-to-date through Travel Logs. IP administrators are currently reaching out to the American consulate in Paris.
The Graphic has confirmed that 11 of the students are staying in central Paris, between the 9th and 2nd arrondissements. The location of the other three students is not known to the Graphic at this time.
Four separate attacks, including a hostage situation, have led to the reported deaths of more than 118 people, according to CNN. At this time, French police believe that all attackers are dead as a result of suicide bombs as police approached.
Police stormed the Bataclan concert venue, where 100-plus hostages were being held in a stand-off with six to eight men. The stand-off has come to a close and up to five of the attackers have been killed and four police officers, according to The New York Times.
According to a witness, one of the attackers in the stand-off at the Bataclan mentioned France's military involvement in Syria as a possible cause of the attacks.
The terrorists set off explosives at Stade de France, the national stadium, which was filled with spectators for a France-Germany soccer game. One of the spectators included French President François Hollande, who was reported as on his way to the scene of the hostage situation. He has addressed the attacks by closing the borders and declaring a state of emergency and subsequently a state of war, for the country.
A Calais migrant camp, known as the Jungle, had been set on fire, possibly in retaliation for the terrorist attacks. It has now been put out and no injuries were reported.
In response to the days events, security has been heightened in cities across the United States in light of the attacks. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti released a statement regarding possible terrorist attacks in Los Angeles on Twitter: "There are no confirmed credible threats here in Los Angeles but we're taking all necessary precautions for heightened attention in our city."
President Barack Obama released a statement regarding the attack. In his address, he pledged to help the people of Paris. "This is an attack not just on Paris, it's an attack not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values that we share," Obama said.
Parisians are using #PorteOuverte to help stranded tourists find places to stay. Use #prayforparis to stay up-to-date on Twitter.
The Graphic will be updating on the situation in regard to students studying abroad as information becomes available.
Filed Under: News Tagged With: abroad, breaking news, France, Hostage, international programs, IP, Obama, paris, pepperdine, Pepperdine University, PrayforParis, Ryan Opton, Terror Attacks


Back by Popular Demand! If Southerners know one thing, it's how to create the ultimate inviting space for friends and family. For this special issue of The Cottage Journal, we gathered a collection of our most cherished abodes from the South, including popular past stories and new favorites. Don't miss blogger Lauren Shaver's house tour, complete with a gloriously redesigned back porch. Step inside a farmhouse-chic lake home along the banks of Alabama's Smith Lake. Bring charm to your cottage through our tips to create the most welcoming home, from the entrance to the back porch, with inspiration from this issue.


Join us at the Mini Maker Faire – a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. It's a place where people share what they are making and learning. Pixel Arts will be present with interactive youth- and adult-created game projects and their makers at the Portland Indie Game Squad booth!
September 14-15, 2013, 10am-5pm each day.
$12 for adults; $8 for youth (3-17) and seniors.
To showcase your game or game-related project, fill out our Game Expo Registration form!


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


You might be asking your self how a lot time does it take to start out a straightforward residence based mostly business? four) Community With New Folks: This is among the most productive methods to build up your community & this opens up the chance so that you can focus on the advantages of your organization.
With a purpose to get probably the most out of dealings with shoppers and colleagues, professionals need more than just technical expertise of job abilities. They'll provide appointment setting services, monitor the activities of your prospects and seize all relevant info akin to the online occasions that they show curiosity in or the web sites that they continuously visit. It truly is individuals such as you that make my job fun.
It is fairly a easy course of and might be easy to get began. The marketing workforce should interact them in a digital conversation and alert the sales team when the lead shows extra curiosity. – Search for a unsolicited mail service that does not require a contract. One in all my favorite points of web marketing is unquestionably the quite a few opportunities for advertising and promoting, along with the large and ever-growing viewers.
2. Develop Glowing Communication Skills.
Lastly, register your business title collectively along with your city's chamber of commerce and take steerage from an accountant to find out what tax returns it's a must to file and when. It is advisable ask your mortgage providers to predetermine the date of reimbursement near your next paycheck. In this manner you will be higher put together to pay your debts in time and in full amount.
Get involved within the contests. Show them it's essential to assist them when you'll be able to and as well as don't count on one thing in return. One must additionally evaluate what sort of characteristics the envelope is desired to have, whether an automated insertion system goes for use and what quantity it's going to retailer. Right here comes the function of employment businesses or recruitment companies that provide these services to your business.
Nonetheless, it is very true that these courier services have also gained the guts and confidence of the individuals of Eire and Poland. – Golf equipment. To have a further information on how to take Chinese language corporations public in US, use the facility of internet by visiting associated websites.
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text:
PATASKALA STANDARD SPORTS
Licking Heights softball making pitchers pay
Kurt Snyder
PATASKALA - Two at-bats over the course of a long softball game certainly can get lost.
Licking Heights, however, put a gold star beside back-to-back trips to the plate during the first inning of its 18-7 loss to Watkins Memorial on April 19. Julianna Fetter and Makenzie Storts each won long battles with Watkins left-handed Brooke Schindler to record RBI hits.
"Everyone in our lineup can hit the ball," Heights coach Bo Ramsey said. "Obviously, we have a couple people who are hitting better than everybody else, but we have people who are getting hits. Julianna came through with an RBI single early in the game, and (Caitlin Aitken) gets on base for us. It's by errors a few times, but they are hard-hit balls and you can't discount them."
With the bases loaded and two outs, Fetter fell behind 0-2 before working it to 3-2 with two foul balls mixed in. On the eighth pitch, Fetter grounded a single up the middle to score Abi Pack.
Storts immediately followed and also fell behind 0-2 before working her count to 2-2. On her 11th pitch, she dropped a two-run single into shallow right-center. It gave the Hornets an early 3-1 lead.
Pack, Heights' hot-hitting third baseman, set the table in the first inning and cleaned it off in the second. Jessica Gunter led off with a walk, and Madison Bridger followed with a single. After Carrie Aitken reached on a bunt, Pack hit a two-run triple.
"We scored seven runs," Ramsey said. "That's not a bad game. We had tons of hits. ... Our top five hitters are hitting over .300. If you get on base one out of three times, you are helping your team quite a bit."
Pack was in the midst of a stretch of reaching base in 20 of 21 plate appearances. She is among the Licking County League leaders, hitting over .500 and in runs scored and RBIs.
Pack's big hit gave Heights a 6-2 lead, but the Hornets then experienced a bit of deja vu. Much like in a 2015 meeting, Watkins rallied for the victory, highlighted by a nine-run fifth inning.
"You have to bury (Watkins). They are not going to go away," Ramsey said. "They are the scrappiest team in the league.
"You start getting into a situation where you are freaking out a little. Runs are piling on one after another, and what could have been a two-run inning turned into a nine-run inning."
The second time through the LCL-Buckeye schedule is a nice measuring stick for Heights. The Hornets were shut down by Lakewood ace Courtney Vierstra this past Friday, but they played competitively in a 5-0 loss. They then lost 13-9 to Granville on Monday after slipping into a deep hole.
Heights' rematch with Watkins comes Thursday.
Many of the Hornets' talented young players have competed in high-level travel games, but they are experiencing an adjustment period at the varsity level.
"If you are a freshman, you might be playing some good competitive travel ball, but you are playing against kids your age," Ramsey said. "Here, you are playing against 18-year-olds. It's the experience those girls have. Those older pitchers have a little bit of savvy of knowing where to put the ball and maybe figure you out quicker than another freshman might.
"It's a tough road, but we are fighting through it."
ksnyder@gannett.com
Twitter: @newarkurt

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


How Second-movers Can Identify When a Failing Business Venture Merits Investment?
- Did management make mistakes?
- Was the product faulty or not live up to its promise?
- Was the problem that was to be solved insignificant, or not really a problem at all?
- Merchandising, marketing and pricing? Was the product affordable and marketed to the right audience via the right medium?
- Did the company not have access to requisite capital or simply run out of money?
In ZINK's case, the company's technology was ahead of its time. Instagram's record-breaking user activity is a hallmark of today's selfie generation, which, coupled with enhancements in mobile phone cameras and wireless technology, are just two examples of why ZINK is thriving in 2018, despite previous struggles.
Second-mover advantage allows for data analysis that the pioneer, or first-mover couldnot.
Enhancing one's business at the expense of another may seem unfair. But for the savvy business person, the ability to innovate and expedite growth for pennies on the dollar is a rare opportunity that even the most compassionate executives cannot pass up.
Chaim Pikarski is CEO of ZINK® Holdings, LLC, the inventor of ZINK Zero Ink® printing technology, and the manufacturer of the award-winning ZINK Paper®, the first fundamentally disruptive printing technology in nearly 30 years. ZINK®, which stands for Zero Ink®, is a full-color printing system that eliminates the need for ink cartridges or ribbons; all the color required for printing an image or text is embedded in the ZINK Paper® itself. Pikarski is also Co-Founder and CEO of C&A Global, an online retailer headquartered in Edison, New Jersey, with offices in London, China, and other locations around the world. As one of Amazon's largest retailers, the company offers one of the industry's most extensive and diverse inventories of products, ranging from innovative electronics, to intelligent housewares to fun gadgets. C+A Global is also the exclusive licensee for Polaroid instant digital cameras and action video cameras, IP home security cameras, and camera accessories.


"I can't make it to church, I've got a sudden, killer, headache." "I feel very queasy, I better skip that church meeting." "I was feeling intense pain, so I skipped that event. Once it was over, I felt better." So often we've heard those words said, or even spoken them ourselves. Such things happen, but it is important to correctly identify the source of such things.
God is all-powerful, able to do all things, but is a God of love, compassion, and grace. He does not force us to do anything-- heavy-handed methods can not be done in love. God gently guides us to a point where we see that he is right, On the other hand, Satan is the master of every dirty trick in the book (you could call him the author of that book) to hurt us, keep us from God, and keep us from relationship with others. Pain and suffering is what Satan is good at; as a bumper sticker says "Satan hates you, and has a horrible plan for your life."
As the title of this writing goes, God has a style, a pattern, that he uses to guide us. Satan has a rather different style. If you are feeling attacked before, or on the way to a church event, resist the temptation to think that God doesn't want us there. Intense pain while doing God's will is almost certainly not from God. That is Satan's preferred style to hit us with pain. Yes, Satan may come in with far more subtle approaches, but in his most natural form, he's the most identifiable.
So far, what I've said has been fairly black and white: pain is from Satan, and God doesn't do that. Please, note, however, that this started from a discussion of pain before/during church events. I am reasonably certain that 99.9% of the time, God wants us to go to church each week, to be in fellowship, and to be in prayer. The early church was commended for doing just that: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." [Acts 2:42] It's Satan that doesn't want us doing such things, and any pain associated with such things is almost certainly from him.
If God doesn't want us at church or a church event, he's usually got something else going on for his kingdom. Jesus himself said that there are things more than sacrificing at the altar: "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." [Matthew 5:23-24] God wants us to come to him with a pure, clean, heart, and loves our repentance and restoration to each other more than a burnt offering.
Satan, on the other hand, wants us to be miserable and separated from church. There's no healing, no restoration, no Christian growth if we're sick for a few minutes or hours. Once again, look to see the signature styles involved-- God wants us to grow as Christians, and Satan wants us useless for God.
All of the above being said, there are times when God does hit people fairly hard. In the days of Noah, God drowned all of the world except for 8 people. Jonah most likely didn't feel very good sitting in the belly of a huge fish. The Israelites were invaded, lost their capital city Jerusalem, and exiled to Babylon. [2 Kings 25, etc] God certainly allowed all of these to happen. But, what they have in common is that the punishment came after people disobeyed.
God does let us play with fire (or sin) long enough to get burnt and hurt in the process. In fact, Paul recommends this for some of the most unrepentant sinners, saying "hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord." [1 Corinthians 5:5, the nature of the sins that caused such a judgment are in 5:1-4] If we disobey God, we're lucky that God doesn't let us get hurt any worse. But, as above, heading to Church is almost certainly not disobedience for Christians.
There is also another category of suffering that God allows: persecution for doing right. Jesus was the ultimate example of that: he was sinless [2 Corinthians 6:21], yet suffered a humiliating, degrading death on the cross. Jesus didn't deserve any of what he suffered, but he did so to take away the sins off all Christians so we can have a right relationship with God.
God's got a purpose when he allows us to suffer-- in fact such things are promised by Jesus: "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." [Matthew 10:37-39] On the other hand, Satan would rather us suffer for no purpose other than to suffer and feel miserable.
God's style is to gently guide us into relationship with him, and continually steer us on to being more and more like him. [2 Corinthians 3:18] Satan's style is to try and hurt us, distract us, make us ineffective for God, and make us blame God for all the hurt. In the midst of pain, don't let your judgment be clouded; recognize their signature styles.
If you're unsure, ask yourself this question: "If this takes place, who's getting the glory? Is God exalted by this, or am I being pulled out of relationship with God and other believers?" If the answer to that is that it's Satan, do what Peter recommends as quoted above in 1 Peter 5:9 "Resist him, standing firm in the faith." As Christians, Satan is no longer our master, but God is-- and God is far more powerful. Armed with God's power and strength, we have the ability to resist Satan, and go ahead with God's plans for our lives. It may not be easy, it may not be pleasant, but God is teaching us to rely on his strength more and more.


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At Sound & District Primary School we're pleased to be able to offer pupils the opportunity to learn classical guitar during the school day.
Mr Pettitt is an external professional classical guitarist specialising in classical music and offers private lessons, teaching guitar from foundation level to performance level. Children that learn from Mr Pettitt often have the opportunity to perform at school concerts.


What were you doing in your spare time as an 18 year old? Most likely preparing the adoption of feigned adulthood as you packed in your A-levels for a brighter future. Mateusz Mach is 18 years old, a CEO and invented the first messaging app for deaf people.
His app, titled Five, has been pumped with a generous $150,000 of funding toward his project. The app started as a fun way to send custom hand signals and messages similar to Sup.
Thanks to massive funding this self-made entrepreneur is taking his product to the next level as: "The world's first messenger for deaf people".
Mach initially anticipated the app to take off in the iWatch community for people to send simple pictures and inside-jokes to one another but it unexpectedly transformed into something far more exciting and helpful.
Soon after it was released, Mach was showered in thanks from deaf people using the Five app to communicate in International Sign Language (ISL) which, up until now, no other app could fully support.
When this buzz hit, Mach emailed every start-up funder and venture capital firm in his home country of Poland until he had what he needed to bring Five to a global scale – it's due for a US release in time, Mateusz told Business Insider.
Amazingly, Mach will continue his studies as well as his position as CEO. With a team of developers and ISL experts in tow, Mach can take a backseat while studying economics in New York City. Again, what were you doing when you were 18?


Following on from the fascinating conversation sparked by Sukh Pabial, continued by Myles Runham and most recently by Anthony Williams, I want to make a couple of further points.
Last week, Sukh and I enjoyed a rich conversation about the current purpose of L&D, but a key point that has been slightly lost is that my contention was that, I believe, L&D needs to move beyond 'learning' to focus on 'performance' outcomes. For this to happen, a Performance Consulting conversation at the outset, rather than a Training / Learning Needs Analysis, will start us on a better footing but the key to it is recognising our purpose before engaging in the conversation – and well before we apply a 'solution'.
Those at the top of organisations large enough to have a Learning & Development function generally have something about them (understatement). Usually very smart, commercial, not afraid to make tough decision, and yet good with people… and they don't suffer fools gladly.
If your CEO asked you "what do you do then?" what would you say?
I think this is a useful way of considering why your function exists in your organisation because L&D is introduced – and then run – to meet specific needs, in the context in which the organisation – and its people – operates.
I recommend this exercise because, in my experience (too often), L&D do 'stuff' – and talk about 'stuff' – that limits our potential. For example, running programmes because there wouldn't be any programmes otherwise, is not a good enough reason to exist. Again, too often, programmes are designed and delivered because it's what L&D can and want to do. Imagine saying that to your CEO: "I run programmes." Fair enough. If you're fairly low down in the hierarchy, your CEO might nod and tell you to crack on. As Ben Betts said in a recent Mindchimp podcast (a brilliant series of podcasts, by the way), "the reason everything matters in e-learning, is because the stakes are so low…" and I think that could be the case for L&D more generally.
I don't know about you but I don't like that what we do may be considered 'low stakes'. Perhaps, it's because I see the potential of our function in helping everybody to be better at their jobs, to overcome challenges in their work and careers, and develop the capability the organisation really needs. And that's what I'd tell my CEO I do.
I think these soft and abstract descriptions of our value diminish our true potential – and our credibility.
I might be wrong and your CEO might be happy with one of these descriptions of why your L&D function exists but as the profession continues it's shift from 'learning' to 'performance' outcomes it could be worthwhile to reassess and ensure that your raison d'etre and subsequent activities speak to what your CEO and their board values and not just what is expected from a traditional L&D function.


El Cantil combines luxury oceanfront accommodations with an excellent location. It's perfect if you want to be right at the water's edge but within a few minutes' stroll of downtown Cozumel. With stunning views from every condo and great amenities, El Cantil delivers the vacation of your dreams! Snorkel and SCUBA dive all day and then enjoy the sunset from your private terrace or unwind in the Jacuzzi. Whatever you're looking for, it's all right here.


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Anthony is a city in and the county seat of Harper County, Kansas, United States.  As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,108.

History
The Anthony townsite was laid out in 1878. The city was named after the 7th governor of Kansas, George T. Anthony who was in office at the time. Following the reorganization of Harper County in 1878 following the original fraudulent organization in 1873, Anthony was designated the temporary county seat, as Bluff City, designated county seat of the fraudulent county organization, did not exist at the time. In 1879, a county seat election was held, and Anthony won over Harper City even though 2,960 ballots were cast with 800 legal voters in the county.

Anthony existed at the intersection of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad and the Missouri Pacific Railway since at least 1891.  Three additional railroads came through town by 1912: the Choctaw Northern Railroad (by then owned by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad), the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad and the Kansas Southwestern Railway (the latter two becoming part of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.  However, rail abandonments began around 1986, leaving Anthony without any rail service by 2000.

Geography
Anthony is located at  (37.153902, -98.029396). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which,  is land and  is water.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Anthony has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,269 people, 977 households, and 631 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,217 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.0% White, 0.5% African American, 1.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population.

There were 977 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.79.

The median age in the city was 43.1 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 22.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,440 people, 1,059 households, and 659 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,215 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.19% White, 0.29% African American, 0.98% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.53% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.

There were 1,059 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,730, and the median income for a family was $37,321. Males had a median income of $27,042 versus $17,604 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,540. About 12.8% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.8% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The community is served by Chaparral USD 361 public school district. USD 361 was created through school unification that consolidated Anthony and Harper schools.

Both Anthony and Harper have elementary schools. The district high school, Chaparral High School, is located halfway between the two towns. The Chaparral High School mascot is Roadrunners.

Anthony High School was closed through school unification. The Anthony High School mascot was Pirates.

Notable people
 Dennis Moore, Congressman, 3rd District Kansas 1999–2011, born in Anthony.
 Virgil A. Richard, United States Army general, was born in Anthony.
Neal Patterson, American businessman who was CEO of Cerner Corporation (medical software company) and owner of the Sporting Kansas City soccer team

References

Further reading

External links

 City of Anthony
 Attica - Directory of Public Officials
 Anthony Chamber of Commerce
 Anthony city map, KDOT

Cities in Kansas
County seats in Kansas
Cities in Harper County, Kansas
1878 establishments in Kansas
Populated places established in 1878

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


In a bid to strengthen the post-retirement financial capability of all working Nigerians (across all sectors of the economy), the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has finalised plans to launch the micro pension plan (MPP) on Thursday, 28 March 2019.
The MPP will allow employees of organizations with less than three staff as well as self-employed individuals to participate in the contributory pension scheme. The move to expand the scope of coverage of the contributory pension scheme will potentially mean more people will have their retirement catered for, as the informal sector of the economy accounts for about 88% of workers without pension, according to PenCom.
Micro pension contributors (MPCs) will be required to register by completing a retirement savings account (RSA) form.
There will be flexibility around frequency of contribution � daily, weekly, monthly etc., as may be convenient for the MPC.
Contributions will be split in two � 40% contingent portion will be available for withdrawal before retirement, and 60% will be retained and managed exclusively for retirement benefits. The 60% will only be accessible by MPCs upon retirement and attaining the age of 50 years or on health grounds, in accordance with the Regulation for the Administration of Retirement and Terminal Benefits. MPCs will be able to access the contingent portion of their contribution, three months after making the initial contribution. However, withdrawal can only be made once a week.
An MPC may convert from MPP to mandatory pension contribution. However, conversion from mandatory contribution to MPP is not allowed.
This is a laudable initiative as we move away from an era when workers retire from the informal sector of the economy, with nothing to fall back on, after they have lived an active life.
Please click here to access the Guidelines for the micro pension plan. Meanwhile, we will continue to watch the space and revert on any update, if necessary.
Over the past 10 years, employers in the private sector where thrust into conducting a precautionary suspension hearing to avoid a claim of an unfair labour practice (public sector employers already played in that arena).
The minimum obligatory annual increase is set at no less than 7% of the basic salary which is the basis for calculation of social insurance.


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Kris Johnson's Blog…sort of.
Tag Archives: PC games
Gamestuff: Left 4 Dead
June 18, 2009 Kris Johnson	Leave a comment
When I first heard about Left 4 Dead I didn't think it would be a game for me. Zombie survival? Please! I want to shoot Nazis and aliens! ((Notable exception: Arcade shooters. Especially House of the Dead. It's different when my involvement in the game is limited strictly to shooting stuff with a big gun and the whole "moving around" business is conveniently handled by the game.)) I'm the guy who loved all of the "realistic" missions in Return to Castle Wolfenstein but turned on "God mode" as soon as the lightning-launching Frankensteinien horrors showed up. Sure, I've played plenty of Half-Life in my day, but those things shambling toward Gordon Freeman aren't zombies, they're alien-infested humans that just happen to act a heck of a lot like zombies. That distinction makes a big difference, right? ((Yes, the resistance fighters in Half-Life 2 refer to humans controlled by headhumpers as "zombies", but they're wrong. Wrong, I tell you!))
Enter Left 4 Dead. Sure, I'd heard about it on The Video Game Show, but I only listen to that podcast because I work with one of the hosts; I don't actually care about their opinions! ((I kid. It's a good show. In fact, it's the only video-game-related podcast I listen to.)) But then P.G. Holyfiend started hinting (subtle fellow he is) that the Olde Fartz try a little zombie survival some Thursday night. Hey, we might like it! I gently rebuffed P.G., because Left 4 Dead is one of them new-fangled games ((With graphics and everything!)) and the whole point of Olde Fartz is to provide an opportunity for those of us who can't afford a new gaming rig every six months to get together on a regular basis and play some of those not-so-new-and-shiny games we love. ((Like WarCraft III and Neverwinter Nights.))
Never mind that I rebuilt my PC last summer and it kinda-sorta meets the requirements to play some of these new-fangled games.
The final nail in the coffin was driven by my fellow Evil Overlord, Chris Miller, ((He has a special hammer just for driving final nails into coffins.)) who—out of what passes for some sick, twisted facsimile of "kindness" that lives in the sick, twisted flesh-pump that passes for his "heart"—gave me a copy of the game on Steam. ((When the man wants to be entertained, he will be entertained. Money is no object.)) And so it came to pass that one Saturday night I was drawn into the world of zombie survival with Overlord Miller and Air Commandant Moore, and we—along with an array of projectile weapons and no small number of improvised explosives—battled our way through a shambling (and often not-so-shambling) horde of the restless undead.
And we did the same the next night; at least until Miller said something about having to get up for work in about as many hours as there are fingers on one of his hands. ((Hint: less than six. Well, on the right, anyway.)) Our merry band…well, disbanded, ((Temporarily.)) but I'd not had enough of the zombie-killin', so I played through the first mission in the single-player campaign, which turned out to be nearly another two hours and no, we don't need to discuss what time I went to bed that night and that will be quite enough out of you, say please and thank you.
The game was a lot of fun, but it ran a bit slow on my PC. I attributed the less-than-stellar performance to my on-board video adapter. ((An nVIDIA 7100 to which I'd allocated 512MB of system RAM.)) So, the first thing I did after we finished playing that Saturday night was get on NewEgg.com and order a new EVGA GeForce 9400 GT PCI-express video card w/1 GigaBoogle of RAM. Hey! It was on sale! Don't you judge me!
As I predicted, ((I'm an amateur technomancer.)) game performance increased dramatically with the introduction of the new video card, and I decided to put these new, fancier pixels through their paces by playing through a couple of the single-player campaigns. What I learned is that Left 4 Dead is a different game when I'm not following in the wake of an experienced player.
For one thing, it takes me about twice as long to complete a mission. I tend to proceed with caution, exploring every nook and cranny of the level, using the echoes of my shotgun blasts to build a complete, three-dimensional sonar image of my surroundings in my head, like a 12-gauge Man Without Fear who never went to law school and isn't acquainted with anyone named Foggy.
The cooperative multiplayer mode in Left 4 Dead is the Campaign. Each Campaign is broken down into five stages; each stage consists of making your way from one safe room to another, fighting off wave after wave of undead horrors until you find someone to get you the hell out of Dodge. ((In other words, it's exactly like Senior Prom.)) Between safe rooms, you may be running through a railyard or the main street of a small town or ducking in and out of the various buildings that make up a typical urban landscape. The goal for the first four stages is always the same: survive until the next safe room.
Safe rooms bring only a brief respite from the zombie apocalypse; a few minutes to gather your wits about you, heal your fellow Survivors (always four, there are: Bill, Francis, Louis and Zoey) and stock up on ammo. In some cases, there may be better weapons stored in the safe rooms, too, but they are all alike in one respect: none of them have a rocket launcher.
Once all of your boo-boos are bandaged and your guns reloaded, it's time for another mad dash to the next safe room. Along the way you may find pipe bombs and molotov cocktails, both of which make satisfying kabooms that don't quite make up for the total lack of rocket launchers. There are also opportunities for improvised explosions from gas cans as well as propane and oxygen tanks. These can all be picked up and moved around, so as to lay traps for the feckless undead. Simply drop a gas can in a doorway and when the next wave barges through, one well-place pistol shot will set the whole gang aflame.
In some areas, the only way to move on is to trigger an event (lower a bridge, raise a platform, open a door, etc.) that will unleash a multi-pronged zombie attack. There is ample warning that the trigger will unleash the horde, so the Survivors have an opportunity to find the best vantage points from which to see (and shoot) the incoming zombies, lay traps, and stock up on deadly, deadly bullets (there's almost always an ammo dump near the trigger point).
To make things more difficult for our heroes, there are special zombies. Yes, there are seemingly endless waves of your standard moaning, shambling, and sometimes sprinting undead, but there are also Boomers, whose vomit is a potent zombie aphrodisiac; get any on you and every zombie in the area will jump your brains. Then there are Smokers—so called because they hack and wheeze constantly and explode in a puff of noxious smoke when killed—who snare Survivors with their long, frog-like tongues, dragging them kicking and screaming to a gruesome end. Hunters are hooded hooligan zombies who skitter around on all fours and then pounce, pinning unlucky Survivors to the ground and wailing away at them until someone comes to the rescue. The Tank is a huge, grotesque zombie that throws chunks of concrete, plows through parked cars and has a wicked, wicked backhand. Then there is the Witch. When you hear her crying, don't try to console her—she is emo, and for her, undeath is filled with pain that you could not possibly understand—just turn off your flashlight and tiptoe around her. Do not startle the Witch. She will, given the slightest provocation, seek to deliver her pain unto you tenfold. ((I know what you're thinking, but it's a fool's errand. No boombox or portable MP3 player can deliver enough of The Cure to soothe the Witch once she is startled.))
Survivors who are pinned by Hunters, snared by Smokers or just generally incapacitated can be assisted by their fellow players. Shove the Hunter, Shoot those Smoker (or even just his long tongue, though this means he'll live to lick again), or simply give your buddy a hand up. You can also dole out pills (which provided a temporary health boost) or administer first aid (though someone will have to watch your back, as this takes a few seconds).
All of this—shooting and running and healing and shooting and ducking into safe rooms and shooting some more—leads up to the fifth stage: the final showdown, which usually involves contacting a rescue vehicle (helicopter, boat, ATV, etc.) and then having to hold off a tsunami of zombies while the Survivors wait for the vehicle to arrive. If you're lucky, you'll live to fight another day. If you're not so lucky…well, maybe you'll wind up on the receiving end of a shotgun blast in Versus mode.
Ah, Versus mode. It's all well and good to cooperate with three of your friends as you battle waves of zombies that gently lap at your brains, but there are times when cooperation just doesn't cut it. ((Not something you'll likely hear David or Susan admit on Sesame Street.)) Sometimes, you just gotta shoot your friends in the face or eat their brains. Versus mode separates your foursome into two groups of two: ((Just like God intended.)) a pair of Survivors versus a pair of special zombies. [EDIT: I've been informed by sources of dubious reliability that Versus mode can be played four-on-four. I'm going to blindly accept it as fact and report it here.] The Survivors attempt to make it to the safe room while the zombies use their dirty tricks to stop them. With the exception of the Tank, the special zombies can be killed without much trouble—the Witch, whose hardiness is rivalled only by that of the Tank, is not playable in Versus mode—so the zombie players can respawn in a location of their choosing as a random special zombie a few seconds after they've been killed. Once all of the Survivors have either died or made it into the safe room (or a combination of both), the game resets and the roles are reversed. After both teams have played the Survivor role, each team receives a score based on how well they performed as the Survivors and a winner is declared.
The final game mode is Survival, which—as of this writing—I have yet to play. My understanding is that Survival mode replaces the "get to the safe room" objective with "just survive as long as you can against an unceasing flood of zombies". I'll update this post once I've had a chance to play.
The game I envisioned when people talked about Left 4 Dead and the game I wound up playing are pretty much two different beasts. The latter is much, much better. Which means that other people suck at describing awesome things. Heck, I probably do, too. It's a fun game. Not for the kids. There are gallons upon gallons of blood and the language is pretty rough, so if that's not your bag you probably want to avoid Left 4 Dead.
But if that is your bag, you may be able to find us on Steam, and we may need a fourth gun some evening, and we'd love to have you. Because, quite frankly, I am sick to death of being consistently one-upped by an AI player. Honestly, it needs to stop.
We've got a group on Steam: The Secret Lair Fragfest. If you've got a Steam account, join us. Even if you don't have Left 4 Dead, 'cause we might play something else. ((Like Half-Life 2: Deathmatch.)) There's always a chance. It could happen.
Portions of this post originally appeared on The Secret Lair forums.
Half-LifeLeft 4 DeadPC gamesSteam
Video Game Roundup – Summer 2008 Edition
August 12, 2008 Kris Johnson	11 Comments
It's been a while since I've blogged about video games, largely because I was going through a bit of a dry spell in that arena. That all changed about a month ago when, after about three years of nagging from a friend, I reinstalled City of Heroes. ((This is not an exaggeration. I had characters that were inactive for well over 1200 days.)) Well, technically, I installed City of Villains, but the fine folks at NCSoft bundle the subscriptions to both, so "upgrading" to City of Villains got me 30 days of free play on both games.
Now that I've got my game on again, I've taken a belly flop into the pool of pixelated entertainment. Here are the games I've been playing over the past couple of weeks:
City of Heroes/Villains (PC) I've only played three Massively Multiplayer Online Games, ((The other two: Earth & Beyond and the original iteration of Star Wars Galaxies.)) but City of Heroes is by far my favorite. A friend at work has been trying to get me to join the cult of World of Warcraft for several months, but elves and orcs don't appeal to me as much as capes and cowls. I meant to create a few villains during my 30-day "trial" period, but was having so much fun with my cadre of heroes that I never bothered.
Destroy All Humans 2: Make War Not Love (Xbox). Long-time readers of this blog will undoubtedly know that I'm not especially good at completing video games. I once lost a bet because I couldn't finish two games in a year. Every once in a while, though, a game grabs hold of me much in the same way a crocodile siezes a wildebeest, its jaws clamping down on the unwary ungulate's throat until the final twitch is twutch. Destroy All Humans 2 had all the elements necessary to be that game, plus I began playing just when Laura and Kyle fled to Florida for a week, leaving me free to play and play and play some more with no one wanting to watch The Wonder Pets! or (worse)The Closer. ((Seriously, Kyra Sedgwick's accent drives me up the wall. I'd much rather hear Ming Ming duckling say "this is sewious" than listen to Mrs. Kevin Bacon drawl her way through another interrogation. That's why she's so good at what she does: five minutes in a room with her is enough to make even the most hardened criminal confess to anything as long as she will just shut up, fer crissakes!)) The story takes place in 1969 and follows Cryptosporidium-138, an alien invader who (in the first game) managed to infiltrate the White House. Now, however, the Russians have destroyed his mothership and he's out for revenge, uncovering a vast conspiracy (and meeting a dangerously enchanting female KGB agent) along the way. The dialog is amusing (rife with innuendo and not at all appropriate for young kids), the missions are challenging but almost never frustrating, and the variety of weapons that Crypto acquires for himself and his flying saucer as the game progresses make destroying humanity fun for the whole family. Except the kids. And probably wife.
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC). I own this roleplaying game for both the PC and the Xbox, ((But not the Game of the Year edition that includes both the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions. No, that would be too convenient.)) but I've never really taken a character beyond Seyda Neen (the village in which the hero begins the game). Once upon a yesterday I named Morrowind as my "Island Game", the single title I'd take with me if I were stranded alone on an island and somehow miraculously had both a computer and the electricity necessary to play games all day (instead of building a raft or a signal fire, I guess, which seems very typical of me). I've heard so many good things about this game (and even better things about Oblivion, its successor) that I'm determined to play it through, come hell or high water.
LEGO Indiana Jones (PC). Having enjoyed both LEGO Star Wars games immensely on the Xbox, I was disappointed to learn that LEGO Indiana Jones would only be available for "next generation" consoles. ((Please, for the love of Adam Sessler's anime-inspired hair, stop calling the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii "next generation consoles"! They're here, for cryin' out loud! They're current generation! Just…knock it off…really.)) So, when I was wandering through Best Buy and found myself reading the system requirements for the PC version, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my aging desktop computer met those requirements. Alas, the recommended system specs were considerably higher than the minimum specs, so the game ran rather poorly, at least until I upgraded my PC. Even so, the keyboard-based control scheme in the PC version is sadly inferior to the Xbox controller setup; so much so that I may put this game aside until I can buy an Xbox 360 controller. ((For those who may not know, wired Xbox 360 controllers are USB devices and compatible with Windows.))
Homeworld (PC). I blame Sam Chupp for this one. He casually mentioned that he couldn't stop playing Homeworld and I suddenly developed a nervous tic that wouldn't go away until I dug out the install CDs for not only Homeworld, but Homeworld: Cataclysm and Homeworld 2. This 3-D realtime space simulator has everything: beautiful graphics, compelling story, intuitive interface, engaging gameplay, and some of the best sound effects and music I've ever heard in a video game. Very few games have been able to pull me so completely into their universe, but Homeworld is definitely one of them.
Command & Conquer Generals (PC). Ah, the alphabet. Because I have my games arranged alphabetically, I stumbled across the Command & Conquer Generals discs in my hunt for Homeworld and then next thing I knew I was installing the game. Generals never really ran well on my PC, but it's beautiful now that I've upgraded. I have never finished an RTS (though I came close with StarCraft and Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos), but there's a first time for everything, or so I've heard.
Freedom Force (PC). Now here's a game I have finished. In fact, I finished the sequel (Freedom Force vs. The 3rd Reich) in about a week, which was (at the time) entirely unprecedented. I need to scratch my superhero gaming itch, and this is definitely the game that'll do so. The first time I played through I was only concerned with completing the story, but if there's one thing I've learned from Destroy All Humans 2 it's that completing one hundred percent of the game—leaving no stone unturned, no objective unaccomplished and no shiny ungrabbed—is immensely satisfying. My goal with Freedom Force is to complete every secondary objective of every mission; no mean feat, as usually the secondary objectives are only revealed after the mission is complete.
City of HeroesCity of VillainsCommand & ConquerDestroy All HumansElder ScrollsFreedom ForceHomeworldLEGO Indiana JonesMorrowindPCPC gamesXbox
Gamestuff: No One Lives Forever 2
September 21, 2007 Kris Johnson	4 Comments
Now that my office is 80% clean (pictures to follow soonish) and I actually feel comfortable spending time in it, I've been playing No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s WayNo One Lives Forever 2 borrows a bit from the Rambo and Dark Forces school of title generation. The full title of the first game is The Operative: No One Lives Forever, but everything pre-colon has been dropped for the sequel (much like Jedi Knight 2, which dropped the original Dark Forces name from the first two games in that series, or Rambo III which did away with First Blood).. Last night, I wrapped up the final two "chapters" of the game.
No One Lives Forever 2 and its predecessor (both developed by Monolith Productions) are first-person shooters that take place in the late 1960's and feature Scottish superspy Cate "The Fox" Archer as an operative for the international anti-terrorism organization, UNITY. Thematically, the games are a cross between the FlintOur Man Flint (1966) and In Like Flint (1967), both starring James Coburn as freelance superspy, Derek Flint. and Austin Powers movies, spoofing the superspy genre made popular by Ian Fleming's James Bond. The humor is brilliant, but doesn't in any way detract from the core sneak-and-shoot mechanic of the game.
The "sneak" part of the mechanic isn't quite up to the standards set by games like Ubisoft's Splinter Cell and Looking Glass Studios' Thief, but it's certainly no slouch. In fact, the stealth implementation in NOLF 2 is considerably improved over its predecessor. That said, there are still occasions in which Cate should be hidden from her opponents and can still be spotted, which proves to be rather annoying.
The "shoot" aspect, on the other hand, is very satisfying. Throughout the game, Cate wields melee weapons (Japanese katanas, Indian tulwars and a stun gun disguised as a mascara kit) a variety of handguns, rifles, machine guns and shotguns, a crossbow (my personal favorite ranged weapon, featuring four different flavors of ammunition) and a host of superspy gadgets (most of which are disguised as items Cate might keep in her purse: lipstick, compact, perfume, etc.) and improvised weapons. The array of weapons available is dependent upon the mission but, apart from one or two stealth-heavy missions, The Fox is almost always well-armed and NOLF 2 is a very satisfying FPS.
The locations and opponents are nearly as varied as the weapons; H.A.R.M. (an evil organization whose acronym is never explained) operates around the globe and Cate is sent to Japan, Russia, India, a secret undersea submarine base and even Akron, Ohio to thwart their nefarious schemes. Along the way, the intrepid operative battles countless tommy-gun-toting mimes, female ninjas, H.A.R.M. thugsIn the original NOLF, the Indian H.A.R.M. thugs had some of the funniest dialog, often shouting "Do not be apprehensive about this apprehension!" when pursuing Cate and "Hard rain is falling!" when she shot at them. The thugs (Indian and otherwise) in NOLF 2 say things like "Oh, man! Now I'm bleeding!" when shot or "I'm not taking the blame for this" when they find one of their comrades dead or unconscious. and a few genetically-engineered super-soldiers (shades of Captain America!).
As varied as the locations are, they have one thing in common: they are all very, very pretty. Every stage of No One Lives Forever 2 is a work of art, both visually and aurally. The graphics are crisp and clean, the ambient noise subtle, and the background musicA special edition of The Operative: No One Lives Forever shipped with two CDs: the first contained the game and the second was a soundtrack disc. The soundtrack has a wonderful 1960s "feel", much like the music from the Austin Powers movies. The soundtracks for NOLF and Homeworld (a real-time space sim) are tied at the top of my list of best video game music (with Medal of Honor: Allied Assault coming in second). sets the mood perfectly (especially the eerie theremin that plays when Cate is in H.A.R.M.'s underwater base).
Beautiful locations, fantastic soundtrack, engaging story and exciting gameplay all combine to make No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way an excellent gaming experience. Among single-player first-person shooters, I rank it behind only the original Deus Ex for bringing the fun.
No One Lives Forever 2PC gamesreviews
Gamestuff: The Lost Gentleman
The 18th of August slipped quietly by over a month ago and I failed to mention that I lost my gentleman's bet with Miscellaneous G™. Longtime readers will no doubt recall that Miscellaneous G™ felt I would be unable to complete two PC games in twelve months' time; his feelings were strong enough to warrant a wager on the matter.
"You are such a gadabout, sir," proclaimed he, "that it is entirely outside the realms of your capacity to complete both Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast and Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption in the time it takes the very Earth upon which we tread to complete a single revolution around yon source of light and life!" At which point he gestured to the noonday sun, for we were in the parking lot of the Chipotle Mexican Grill and that brightest of stars was indeed high above our heads.
"Sir, you are a scoundrel!" said I. "Your words cut me to the quick! I'll not have such aspersions cast upon my character, even though there be none but you and I to hear them! This is an affront to decency and honour ((Under normal circumstances I would have said "honor", but the manner of speech had inexplicably ascended to and beyond high-falutin', so I felt the extra vowel was necessary.)) and I have little recourse but to prove you mistaken!" Had the weather been cooler, I would most certainly have been wearing gloves and the outrageous nature of his claim would surely have compelled me to remove one of those gloves and strike him soundly across the cheek with the supple leather.
Thus was our wager struck, and I set about to demonstrate to Miscellaneous G™ the cut of my jib. In short order ((Four months later, actually. Not a very short order at all.)) I had installed and conquered Jedi Outcast, much to my esteemed friend's dismay. Shortly thereafter, I installed Vampire the Masquerade and was making considerable progress through its blood-sucking story; by all appearances, I seemed poised to successfully restore my impugned honor.
I don't recall the precise nature of that which diverted my attention; whether it was a shiny bauble or a calamitous catastrophe, I know not. Certainly, it could have been either. Whatever the particulars, my unwavering resolve was tested and found lacking. Or, at the very least, wavering. As I have previously stated, the 18th of August has come and gone, and it was precisely one year previous to that date when my attention span was deemed suspect. The wager is lost, for Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption is unfinished; Christoff is cursed to walk forever in shadow and the fair and virtuous Anezka remains lost to him.
As for me, I am shamed and broken, my honor besmirched and sullied. Miscellaneous G™ has quietly triumphed, and though he does not crow like the cock at dawn, I see the glint of victory in his eye and hear the lilting song of conquest in his voice, ever a reminder that he has beaten me. I am no stranger to bitter defeat, but I feel the icy grip of this failure upon my heart and I despair, for it is as though I will never know warmth again. At least, not until I finish No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way.
Books, Television
Geekstuff: Superheroes in the News
June 7, 2007 Kris Johnson	8 Comments
My finger is, as always, on the pulse of entertainment newsTechnically, my RSS feed reader is on the pulse., especially where it pertains to all things superheroic. A couple of things have recently caught my eye:
Stan Lee has signed on to create superheroes for Disney. I love Stan Lee as much as the next guySo long as the next guy is a huge superhero geek., but I'm wondering if Disney has taken a good look at some of Stan's more recent creations. Mosaic was decent, but Lightspeed (starring Jason Connery) was positively abysmal. I haven't seen The Condor yet, but the trailers prominently feature a half-pipe and Tony Hawkish skateboarding sounds, all of which reminds me of Night Thrasher from the New Warriors, and that's not a good thing (sorry Night Thrasher).
Tom DeSanto (producer of the upcoming Transformers movie) is reportedly working on a live-action City of Heroes movie. City of Heroes is the MMORPG that sucked up massive quantities of my time a couple of years ago until upgrades to the game surpassed the capabilities of my computer and puny dial-up Internet connectionI've switched to a cable Internet connection, but my computer is still only barely capable of running the game.. One of the things I really liked about the game was the massive backstory NCSoft built around Paragon City and the surrounding area. Quotes from DeSanto lead me to believe that the movie will cover the alien invasion that takes place before the game begins. Color me interested.
Soon I Will Be Invincible is Austin Grossman's first novel, and there are already rumors that it is being adapted to film. Grossman is a game design consultant who has worked on two of my favorite video game franchises: Thief and Deus Ex. According to the official site, Invincible is "[a] wildly entertaining first novel, brimming with attitude and humor, featuring a cast of dozens of super-heroes and super-villains…" The buzz I'm hearing is very good, perhaps even good enough to make me break my "no hardcovers" rule.
Austin GrossmanCity of HeroesPC gamesStan LeesuperheroesTom DeSanto
Gamestuff: Jedi Outcast (Complete)
February 19, 2007 Kris Johnson	11 Comments
I derive an inordinate amount of satisfaction from the completion of video games, and Jedi Outcast is no exception. In fact, this particular triumph is especially sweet because it fulfills half of my gentleman's wager with Miscellaneous G™. Now all that remains is finish Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption before mid-August and the victory will be mine!
The following is an account of the last four chapters in the saga of Kyle Katarn's journey in Jedi Outcast. If you've not played the game, you should be aware that the landscape ahead is riddled with spoilers, lying in wait like so many laser trip mines.
Continue reading Gamestuff: Jedi Outcast (Complete) →
PC gamesStar Wars
Gamestuff: Jedi Outcast (Part 1)
January 26, 2007 Kris Johnson	6 Comments
Jedi Knight II: Jedi OutcastAlso known as Dark Forces 3: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast in my circle of friends. is probably my favorite non-MMO multiplayer PC game of all time. In the days of once upon a time when I attended or hosted LAN parties, everyone else was hot and heavy on Counter Strike or Day of DefeatIn the FPS wargame genre, I preferred Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. but I longed for four-on-four capture the flag on the streets of Nar Shaddaa. The combination of lightsabers, "conventional" weapons and Force powers was fantastic, and Nar Shaddaa's perilous walkways suspended above bottomless pits made every mis-step a potential disaster. Whether you preferred to snipe your enemies from halfway across the map or get up close and personal so you could use Force Grip or Force Push to send your opponents plummeting to their death (or just cut them down with your lightsaber), the Nar Shaddaa maps could accomodate your play style.
As much as I enjoyed the multiplayer mode, I never finished the single player campaign. If memory serves me correctly, I stopped playing shortly after the hero, Kyle Katarn, gained the Jedi Mind Trick ability. When the sequel, Jedi AcademyAKA Dark Forces 4: Jedi Knight III: Jedi Outcast II: Jedi Academy. was released, I tore through the single-player campaign in about a week, but never played the multiplayer and never went back to Jedi Outcast. Well, never until now.
Continue reading Gamestuff: Jedi Outcast (Part 1) →
Jedi OutcastPC gamesStar Wars
Gamestuff: The Gentleman's Wager
Perhaps one of the truly annoying things about Miscellaneous G™ is that he writes things down. During lunch, we'll be having a conversation about video games and how I rarely seem to finish them, and I'll say something like, "I'll bet I can finish at least two games in the next year." The conversation will continue and eventually I'll forget that my mouth has written a check that my skillz may or may not be able to cash.
Then, four months later we'll be having another conversation about video games and I'll be reminded that I've got less than eight months to finish Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption and Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast. When we return from lunch, Miscellaneous G™ will produce a Post-It Note date 16 August 2006 indicating our "gentleman's wager".
And so, honor is at stake. I shall have to install both games on my computer again, and hopefully I'll be able to locate my Vampire save games. Alas, I fear that whatever progress I made in Jedi Outcast is gone forever, so I'll have to start that one anew.
Now I'm wishing I hadn't spent thirteen hours over the past four days playing Final Fantasy I on my Game Boy Advance SP.
GameBoy AdvancePC games
GameDrool: Star Wars: Empire at War
February 13, 2006 Kris Johnson	2 Comments
Star Wars: Empire at War (PC)
Remember the Star Wars RTS game Rebellion? Probably not. I think I was one of maybe eight people who actually bought and/or enjoyed that one. Rebellion hewed closer to the Civilization model of gameplay more than the Age of Empires model, which is probably why it wasn't a terribly popular game. Instead of concentrating on how individual units move on the battlefield, Rebellion tasked the player with coordinating the production and movement of entire fleets across the galaxy. Though there was a mode that allowed skirmish-level interaction in space battles, there was no such option for ground battles. In other words, the player wasn't pitting snowspeeders against AT-ATs and Rebel foot soldiers against Imperial stormtroopers; the player simply ensured that ground-based defenses were built and troops deployed, then the computer determined the outcome the battles.
Galactic Battlegrounds and Force Commander, on the other hand, were both solely concerned with playing out those ground battles. Unfortunately, Galactic Battlegrounds is merely Age of Empires II with a thin Star Wars patina slapped on the game engine. The facade wore especially thin in the areas of resource collecting and utilization of key Star Wars characters. The resource collection mechanics from Age of Empires (food, ore, gold) do not translate well into the Star Wars universe, even when gold is replaced with "nova crystals." Likewise, the special abilities of the monk unit in Age of Empires are mapped almost directly to Darth Vader in Galactic Battlegrounds. To make matters worse, the sight of Darth Vader hacking away at a building with his lightsaber is enough to totally dissipate any remaining sense that the game is taking place in the Star Wars universe.
Then there's Force Commander, which is a prime example of how not to implement a video game: it won't even run on my system, despite my best efforts to find patches and workarounds to the various technical issues I've encountered.
Enter Empire at War, which was either released last Friday (10 February 2006) or will be released this Thursday (16 February 2006); GameStop says the 10th, Amazon.com says the 16th. Empire at War combines the galaxy-wide strategy of Rebellion with the skirmish-level combat of Galactic Battlegrounds, and it appears to do a very good job with both.
A few months ago, Miscellaneous G™ and I were discussing the various shortcomings of Galactic Battlegrounds and I put forth an "if I ran the zoo" scenario describing in particular how resources ought to be handled in games that take place in the Star Wars universe. My primary assertion was that the Imperials would, like most governments, acquire resources through taxation. The rebels, on the other hand, would have to use less overt means. While a certain percentage might come from wealthy members of the Rebellion, a significant portion would be gained by smuggling and/or stealing directly from the Imperials. To simplify things, available resources should be measured in currency (rather than carbon, ore, nova crystals, etc.) and the ability to build or acquire different units would be dependent upon the amount of available currency.
This is pretty much how Empire at War handles resources, but the concept is taken a step further: the Empire spends currency to develop new technologies, while the Rebellion must spend currency to recruit spies who will steal those technologies. Additionally, the Rebels hire smugglers (such as Han Solo and Chewbacca) to siphon resources from the Empire. Should Imperial bean counters discover an accounting discrepancy, they can hire bounty hunters to eliminate the smugglers.
The resource management mechanics I just described are largely a part of the galactic-level scope of Empire at War, as are planetary defenses, mining (which can supplement income), fleet and infantry production, and military deployment. When actions taken on the galactic level result in combat, however, the game switches to what I call "skirmish mode." In this mode, the game operates like Galactic Battlegrounds, but without all the unfortunate artifacts from Age of Empires II. These skirmishes, which can actually be quite involved and large, take place on the surface of the planet or in space. In the heat of battle, it is possible to switch to a "cinematic view," which strips out all control interfaces and displays the battle in a manner that resembles a movie.
I have not played the full Empire at War game yet; everything I've gleaned about the gameplay thus far is from playing the five tutorials and single mission included in the downloadable demo. It's pretty safe to assume that I liked what I saw, since the game has been added to my Amazon Wish List. I'm not going to run out and buy it right away, though. I'm going to try to finish several games I currently own, including the crop that I recently acquired. Call it a test of resolve, to see if I can keep Mr. Instant Gratification under control.
Empire at WarPC gamespreviewsStar Wars
New Games: Demon Stone and Dungeon Siege II
February 2, 2006 Kris Johnson	4 Comments
Demon Stone (Xbox)
Demon Stone is a Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms adventure. The story was written by popular D&D novelist R.A. Salvatore, and the game features the voice talent of Patrick Stewart and Michael Clarke Duncan. The game was designed by the same folks who did the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers game, and it shows; the control scheme and combat systems in the two games are nearly identical.
I'm normally not one to buy an Xbox game unless I've had an opportunity to play it first, but my decision to purchase Demon Stone untested was driven by three factors:
It's a Dungeons & Dragons game. This is nowhere near a guarantee of quality (see Eye of the Beholder for the GameBoy Advance), but I've had very good luck in the past with D&D titles for the Xbox (Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes, for example).
I ran out of free game rental coupons for Blockbuster. Now that Blockbuster has brought about "the end of late fees," they've also brought about exorbitant rental prices for video games. Eight bucks to rent a video game? I'll pass.
It was cheap. Thirteen bucks cheap.
I would have added "Patrick Stewart" to the list, but I didn't learn that he was involved until I started reading the manual.
Demon Stone follows three heroes (a fighter, a mage and a Drow elf rouge) in their quest to defeat two warring bad guys who have escaped from the demon stone in which Professor Charles Xavier imprisoned them n hundred years ago (where n is either 1 or 4, I can't remember which). When these two bad guys (they have names, but I don't remember those, either) first appeared, Jean-Luc Picard realized that if either of them triumphed over the other it would mean the doom of Faerûn, so he imprisoned them in the aforementioned demon stone. I guess he was a pretty badass wizard back in the day. How the two bad guys managed to escape has yet to be revealed, but I'm guessing that Superman destroyed the demon stone in deep space, unaware of the danger imprisoned within. We'll see.
I've only played Demon Stone for about twenty minutes, but in that time I've gotten a pretty good idea of each character's strength. The fighter, obviously, is good at melee combat, while the mage is better at range, firing a sort of mystical projectile (or "magic missile," if you will) from his staff. The rogue has the ability to hide in the shadows, and when she is successfully doing so she appears to be transparent. She is then able to sneak up behind enemies and dispatch them very quickly with her twin scimitars. Snicker-snack!
As with Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, each character has upgradeable combat and/or magical abilities. There doesn't seem to be any sort of inventory management mechanism, so I'm guessing that their effectiveness in combat is based solely upon purchasing upgrades to those abilities, and not at all on acquiring the legendary +4 Broadsword of Killing the Living Hell out of Your Enemies.
Demon Stone looks like it could be promising, though it would have been nice if the developers had included a multiplayer mode. I'm not sure whether The Two Towers has such a mode, but I know Return of the King does, and it's pretty enjoyable when it's not making you want to launch your copy of the game into geosynchronous orbit.
Dungeon Siege II (PC)
The original Dungeon Siege (which I have finished) and its expansion, Legends of Aranna (which I have not), have provided me with many, many hours of enjoyable gameplay. With that in mind, I jumped at the chance to snag the sequel for thirty bucks. Yeah, it'll be twenty bucks come August, but I'm Señor Gratificación Instantánea, and I've already held off purchasing it for a couple of months.
Dungeon Siege II is a four-CD install, which is fairly significant. One of these days I'm going to have to get me one of them fancy DVD-ROM drives for my computer so I can go back to single-disc installs (though I have no idea whether DSII is even available on DVD-ROM). I'd love to elaborate on the story and gameplay of Dungeon Siege II, particularly how the latter compares to that of the original Dungeon Siege, but I can't; not yet.
See, it's a four-CD install, and by the time I finished I was too tired to actually play the game, so I just went to bed.
PC gamesXbox
Carycomic on Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep (2006)
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Jonathan Fritsch on Spider on My Head: Day 1
Hannah on Moviestuff: Shatner's Last Gasp
John Cmar on How-To: Provide Poor Customer Service (GDS Remix)


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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 19F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..
Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 19F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Parking garage security cameras being installed to combat vandalism
By WES SWIETEK wswietek@bgdailynews.com
Wes Swietek
Forty-four security cameras are being installed in the downtown Bowling Green parking garage to combat vandalism in the facility.
Last week, the Warren County Downtown Economic Development Authority approved accepting a $31,000 bid from RMC Products of Smiths Grove for the cameras.
"We have had a rash of vandalism (in the garage). This will eliminate that," Authority Chairman Doug Gorman said.
The cameras will be Wi-Fi connected, monitored by the Warren County Sheriff's Office and will offer full video coverage of the facility.
RMC is also installing security cameras at the adjacent community kitchen and event center being built at the former Taylor Chapel AME Church and the SoKy Marketplace space behind the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center.
Since the five-story garage between Seventh and Eighth avenues opened in 2012, there have been periodic issues with vandalism, such as lights and fire extinguisher boxes being smashed. The concrete barriers on the top floor of the garage are also largely covered with graffiti.
There have also been issues with people – primarily juveniles – getting through barriers and accessing the roof of the building wrapping around the garage, where they ride bikes and skateboards, potentially damaging the roof, officials said.
In 2015, Warren County Fiscal Court approved building a $20,000 security fence on the perimeter of the fifth floor of the parking garage. At the time, Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon said the remnants of what looked like a campfire was once found on the roof.
"They could've burned the place down," he said. "They could've caused a problem that had the roof cave in on them. They could fall off the edge. They could do most anything."
In total, the county has spent about $160,000 on security upgrades, Gorman said. New, brighter LED lighting was previously installed throughout the structure, which has parking spots for about 800 vehicles.
Gorman noted that the county invested $12 million to build the garage, so the upgraded security costs are "relatively inexpensive."
Warren County Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Tim Robinson said details on how the cameras will be monitored by the WCSO are still being worked out.
– Follow News Director Wes Swietek on Twitter @BGDNgovtbeat or visit bgdailynews.com.
The Wrap: Developing commercial space around the downtown parking structure
Plans for a parking garage and commercial wrap in Block 6 of the downtown Bowling Green Tax Increment Financing district have been a subject o…
Wes Swietek is the Bowling Green Daily News News Director.
Follow Wes Swietek


Beloved zoos and gardens are celebrating Roald Dahl's love of nature and animals with magical programs throughout September.
This stunning, 96-acre botanic garden will take school children on an exploration of the plants that become candy, read a Roald Dahl book at StoryTime every Saturday, and host a public screening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Chiddlers have many squizzly activities to choose from each weekend, from a Roald Dahl Storytime reading in the mornings to testing their taste buds and learning about habitats in the afternoons in the internationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden.
100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, D.C.
Roald Dahl may have visited this very garden when he lived in D.C. in the 1940s. Celebrate one of his most well-loved books, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by learning all about the Garden's cacao tree and tasting samples from a local chocolatier.
The zoo's annual DreamNight, a special evening for children with chronic illnesses, will be Roald Dahl-themed, involving different books and activities for each enclosure along with readings from Peter Kujawinski (Nightfall, Dormia) and Wendy McClure (The Wilder Life, Wanderville).
Roald Dahl was personally and passionately dedicated to children's health; he helped to invent the Wade-Dahl-Till valve and the Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity was founded in his honor.
A serene garden oasis overlooking the Hudson River, this weekend will be devoted to James and the Giant Peach with an entomologist and bug guru presenting live and preserved insects, pop-up book crafts, and an interactive performance with a visiting artist.
Activities that will surely encourage chiddlers to tear themselves away from the telly-telly bunkum box!


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Q: Disable/Enable powershell with reg key I want to disable/enable powershell with reg key (if it is possible) to execute in cmd
For example. If I want to disable/enable WSH, simply i run in cmd with privileged:
:: Disable WSH
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script Host\Settings" /v Enabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script Host\Settings" /v Enabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
:: Restore WSH
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script Host\Settings" /v Enabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script Host\Settings" /v Enabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

How do I do this to disable/enable Powershell? (in Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10 x86 x64)
Thanks

A: Unlike WSH there does not exist a single registry key to prevent running PowerShell. It's significantly more complicated since PowerShell is both a scripting language and a shell. Also Execution Policy is only for scripts.
AppLocker or Software Restriction Policies would be most of what you are looking for (if you are looking to stop the opening of powershell.exe or ISE in interactive mode)

A: If you wanted to disable script execution via GPO, this is the registry key that would be created on the workstation.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\PowerShell]
"EnableScripts"=dword:00000000

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Tim Burton to produce 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'
Posted Mar 3, 2010	by Andrew Moran
Producer and Director Tim Burton is set to reunite with Timur Bekmambetov to produce the film adaptation of the best-selling novel "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving"
Former United States President Abraham Lincoln was actually a vampire hunter whose mother was murdered by a group of vampires, at least in a novel by best-selling author Seth Grahame-Smith that was released on Tuesday. Grahame-Smith's previous novel was entitled "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies."
The novel will be adapted into a motion picture and to be produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov, according to Reuters. Grahame-Smith is set to write the screenplay, while the writer's prior book "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" is being produced by Natalie Portman, who is also starring in the picture, reports the Independent.
Entertainment Weekly reports that Jim Lemley, producer of "Tristan + Isolde" and "Wanted," is also slated to produce the picture.
Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" is set to be released on Friday.


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Melissa Fumero Quotes
"I think comedy is so specific, so hard. I'd audition for comedies and think, 'I can't pull this off.'"
Melissa Fumero (née Gallo born August 19, 1982) is an American actress and director. She is known for portraying Amy Santiago on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and...
Name Melissa Fumero
"I am so behind on all TV, and I love TV, but I literally, I get home so late, and when I get some time, I'm trying to catch up on my DVR."
"I don't follow football, but I always watch the Superbowl."
"You know when you meet somebody and they're just good people? That's Andy Samberg."
"It's going to sound like brown-nosing, but I love 'Parks & Rec.'"
"Mindy Kaling is so smart and hilarious."
"I'm realizing I'm not hip enough to know for sure what would be considered pop-culture."
"I lie to myself every day when I tell myself, 'I can skip yoga.'"
Mena Suvari QuotesHedda Hopper QuotesLiv Tyler QuotesSonja Sohn QuotesLili Taylor QuotesKathryn Morris QuotesLaura Spencer QuotesGayle Rankin QuotesMaggie Siff QuotesRachael Taylor QuotesLauren Bacall QuotesLucy Liu QuotesJulie Warner QuotesLaura Dern Quotes


An iconic London institution, Richoux is the place to sip and be seen in central London. Perfect for posh pre-theatre bites, business breakfasts and afternoon tea, this renowned restaurant chain dates back to 1909 when it opened as a prestigious patisserie and confectioner in the capital. Needless to say, the puddings and cakes here are to die for, and the Knightsbridge branch of Richoux – located on Brompton Road – is across the road from Harrod's, and a short stroll from the V A and the Royal Albert Hall. The classic cafe menu at Richoux is filled with old-school favourites, and we adore the signature eggs Benedict with English ham, and the classic Richoux club sandwich.
Richoux has yet to supply us with with a public email address. You can telephone them on Not on file (please mention Fluid London when calling).
A link to Richoux on Fluid London has been sent.
Edit the information we hold on Richoux or learn about upgrading today.


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import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;

//********************************************************************
//Brokerage.java       Authors: Laura Kaye, Ted Pyne, Kiara Wahnschafft
//Represents a stock exchange. A StockExchange keeps a HashMap of stocks,
// keyed by a stock symbol.
// It has methods to list a new stock, request a quote for a given stock symbol,
// and to place a specified trade order.
//********************************************************************

public class StockExchange {

	Map<String, Stock> stockMap;

	public StockExchange() {
		stockMap = new HashMap<String, Stock>();
	}

	//Adds a new stock with given parameters to the listed stocks.
	public void listStock(String symbol, String name, double price){
		Stock stock = new Stock(symbol, name, price);
		stockMap.put(symbol, stock);
	}

	//Returns a quote for a given stock.
	public String getQuote(String symbol) {
		if(!stockMap.containsKey(symbol)) return "That stock doesn't exist";
		return stockMap.get(symbol).getQuote();
	}

	//Places a trade order by calling stock.placeOrder for
	//the stock specified by the stock symbol in the trade order.
	public void placeOrder(TradeOrder order){
		Stock stock = stockMap.get(order.getSymbol());
		stock.placeOrder(order);
	}
}


This letter to the editor ran in The Binghamton Press in New York on July 19, 1951. Note that the newspaper identified all correspondents by their initials only.
With the Iranian oil situation deadlocked and each side threatening the other, a solution to the problem seems very remote.
Why has no proposal been made to have the displaced British oil company operate the plant on a management contract basis?
The main concern of the Western World is access to Iran's oil and the exclusion of Russia from its control.
A management contract of benefit to both parties can be negotiated, so that both can save face. Iran will get added revenue and the Western World, including Britain, will get the oil.


"We see that the lira crisis and the economic situation in Turkey together with the sanctions in Iran and also weaker economics in countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt have dampened the growth in that region," CFO Prisca Havranek-Kosicek told Reuters.
The negative impact is expected to continue in the fourth quarter.
Shares in enzymes maker Novozymes fell more than 7 percent on Wednesday after the Danish company said full-year sales were likely to be at the low end of its forecast range due to weakness in Middle East markets.
Novozymes, whose clients include Procter and Gamble, is a world leader in enzymes that replace chemical agents in detergents and enzymes used in the production of food, animal feed and corn-based bioethanol fuel.
"We see that the lira crisis and the economic situation in Turkey together with the sanctions in Iran and also weaker economics in countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt have dampened the growth in that region," Chief Financial Officer Prisca Havranek-Kosicek told Reuters after the company reported third-quarter results.
The negative impact is expected to continue in the fourth quarter, she said.
The company maintained its 2018 outlook for organic sales growth of 4 to 6 percent, but said sales were "more likely" to end toward the lower part of the range.
It actually lifted its forecast for 2018 net profit growth to 1 to 3 percent from 0 percent previously, but that was mainly due to a lower tax rate than previous expected, said Havranek-Kosicek.
Europe, the Middle East and Africa accounted for 37 percent of group sales in the first nine month of this year.
Challenges in Middle East markets were expected to shave around 1 percentage point off full-year sales growth, the CFO later told analysts.
Novozymes reported a third-quarter operating profit of 1.04 billion crowns, in line with analysts' forecast.
Sales at the company's key household care unit, which sells enzymes to big companies like Procter and Gamble, rose 2 percent in the quarter while growth for the first nine months was flat.
"We had hoped for more for the full year," said Havranek-Kosicek.
A bright spot for the household division, which accounts for around a third of total revenues, was sales of enzymes for dishwasher detergents where recent launches include a product that targets oat fibres such as dried-in cereals.
Shares in Novozymes recovered some early losses and were down 4.9 percent at 0743 GMT.


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Work With Jeff
"Thompson is a practical visionary. He not only envisioned a broader healing mission for healthcare that encompassed his community and the planet but also created a powerful example of this vision through Gundersen Health that has become a beacon of hope for the country and the world."
— Gary Cohen, President
Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth
"Lead True will make you a better leader. If you are already leading, this is a must-read. If you are new to leadership, this is the definitive guide. Thompson's value-based leadership journey will take you on a magic carpet ride. Following Thompson's principled lessons, you will develop your leadership, your organization and its people will improve, and your community will flourish."
— David T. Feinberg, MD, CEO
Geisinger Health System
"We can lead from any seat in the organization as this wise, beautifully written book makes abundantly clear. Lead True gives a wonderfully authentic look into what it takes to lead a journey to excellence."
— Leonard Berry
Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor of Marketing, Mays Business School, Texas A&M University; and Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
"Jeff has been an advocate of doing the right things the right way for many years. As a health and business leader, he has led the way on responsibility and sustainability. I appreciate his insights and am challenged by his approach to put them in action."
— Walt Rosebrough, CEO
Steris Corporation
"Jeff Thompson has captured the essence of what excellence in lead- ership looks like. The riveting true stories in this book inspire and challenge us to reexamine our own core beliefs."
— John Toussaint, CEO, Catalysis
author of On the Mend
"It's one thing to write about values-based leadership. It's altogether another to live it. In Jeff Thompson's case, he has now done both in a truly thoughtful and inspiring way."
— Laura A. Jana, MD
Author, The Toddler Brain: Nurture the Skills Today that Will Shape Your Child's Tomorrow; Director of Innovation, UNMC College of Public Health
"This is an incredibly important book; it goes to the heart of achieving truly successful leadership. It is not about technique, manipulation, or cutthroat management; it is about combining competence in lead- ership with principled leadership that recognizes that helping others be successful is the responsibility of a true leader. Jeff uses real-life examples that illustrate the challenge of not only knowing what is the right thing to do but having the courage to do it. Demanding excel- lence from ourselves and others in a fair and just way may often be challenging but ultimately is essential to meeting our responsibilities and achieving real success. The examples he uses will spur wonderful and fruitful discussions especially in young leaders."
— Sister Carol Keehan, DC, President/CEO
"This book is inspiring, helpful, and important. The lessons and stories put you in the shoes of leaders facing the very challenges we all see in healthcare today and provide practical ways to look at leading. Every student of healthcare leadership can learn from this book, and even more importantly, every leadership team from healthcare orga- nizations and systems today can use the lessons from this book to build strong and moral principles for leading to the Triple Aim of better health for our populations, improved healthcare, and lower per capita costs for our communities."
— Maureen Bisognano, President Emerita and Senior Fellow
"Healthcare remains the number-one economic and social issue of our time. As such, it's an industry crying out for principled leadership based on strong vision, mission, and values. Lead True is a must-read for anyone trying to marry business principles for strong organiza- tional leadership with an obligation to deliver a societal good."
— Susan D. DeVore, President and CEO
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"The most important thing to know about Jeff Thompson is that he is for real; he lives and breathes the courageous, compassionate, values-based leadership of which he writes. It's no wonder that he led Gundersen Health to embody authentically patient-centered care— and his insight in how leaders can build healthy organizations and communities is a must-read for anyone seeking to effect meaningful change."
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All posts tagged "McDonalds"
Arctic Saved From Possible Fishing Destruction
A region in the Arctic will be protected from industrial fishing thanks to an investigation by Greenpeace. Research showed that previously untouched areas of the Arctic...
Public anger over Government's lack of action on Britain's litter epidemic
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FDF'S Sustainability Convention Highlights Collaborative Efforts To Tackle Climate Change
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Companies turning to social media to communicate sustainability
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McDonald's admits Chinese expired meat scandal is denting sales
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Chinese police detain five people in McDonald's and KFC meat scandal
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McDonald's commitment to 'sustainable beef' confuses commentators
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Apple, ExxonMobil and McDonalds among sustainability 'laggards' in new research
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Has CSR reached its sell-by date? Part 1
According to the textbooks, CSR – corporate social responsibility – is broadly defined as a voluntary commitment from business to embrace responsibility for its actions and...
How to be good in the ruthless world of advertising
Cutthroat, challenging, lucrative; just three words that can be used to describe the advertising industry. But there is one company striving to break the mould –...