text:
A List of Allowed Violations in Truck Driver Jobs
by Cindy Quarters
A truck driver can get some violations and still keep his license.
Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images
1 Tow Truck Driver Safety
2 Can I Get in the Army National Guard With a Gross Misdemeanor Charge?
3 Log Book Rules for Truck Drivers
4 FAA Regulations for Pilot's License & Felonies
Truck drivers spend their days on the road, so most drivers are going to have at least a few violations over time. In some cases a driver may lose his commercial driver's license or it may be suspended temporarily. Each company sets its own rules regarding violations and may refuse to hire drivers with certain types of violations, or who have had too many infractions within a certain period of time.
Points on a License
Points are added to a person's driving record for various types of driving infractions; too many points and the driver will lose his license. Each state varies in its handling of license points, but it normally takes more than one offense to build up enough points to have a license revoked or suspended. A speeding violation can add anywhere from two to 10 or more points. Other offenses that can add points but by themselves don't usually result in a loss of driving privileges include failure to stop, reckless driving and driving too close to another vehicle.
Speeding Violation Basics
A driver who is caught speeding typically will not have his license suspended for a first offense. If he's ticketed again for the same offense within three years of the first ticket, the U.S. Department of Transportation requires that his license be suspended for 60 days, and if caught speeding a third time in three years he'll lose his license for 120 days, but eventually he can get it back. Some trucking companies will not hire a driver with three or more speeding violations in a three year period, even though his license is valid.
Moving Violation Penalties
Moving violations include erratic or improper lane changes, failure to follow traffic controls that results in a fatal accident, texting while driving or using a cellphone while driving if it's prohibited locally. A trucker can keep his commercial driver's license even if convicted of such actions, but he will face penalties. The U.S. DOT requires that these and other moving violations result in the suspension of his CDL for a minimum of 60 days for the second violation and 120 days for each violation after that.
Major Driving Violations
A truck driver can commit some very serious infractions and still keep his license, but he will end up losing it for at least a year the first time he's caught committing some offenses. Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is one such infraction; drivers who refuse to be tested face the same penalty. If he's transporting hazardous materials the penalty is a three-year suspension for the first conviction or refusal. A driver who commits the same violation again will lose his commercial driver's license permanently.
Ask the Trucker: Driving Record – Understanding the Point System
U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: Driver Disqualification of Drivers
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers
State of Oregon: Motor Carrier Transportation: Oregon Truck Safety
Quarters, Cindy. "A List of Allowed Violations in Truck Driver Jobs." Work - Chron.com, http://work.chron.com/list-allowed-violations-truck-driver-jobs-27456.html. Accessed 19 July 2019.
Quarters, Cindy. (n.d.). A List of Allowed Violations in Truck Driver Jobs. Work - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/list-allowed-violations-truck-driver-jobs-27456.html
Quarters, Cindy. "A List of Allowed Violations in Truck Driver Jobs" accessed July 19, 2019. http://work.chron.com/list-allowed-violations-truck-driver-jobs-27456.html
Can a Border Patrol Applicant Have a DUI on His Record?
How Can a Notary Lose His License?
What Are the Consequences of a Bartender Serving a Minor?
About a Career as a Highway Patrol Officer
Can You Become a US Navy Seal With a Felony?
Truck Driver Income Tax Deductions
Do I Need a CDL to Drive a Car Hauler Trailer?
The Salary for a Truck Driver per Year
Do You Need a License to Restore and Sell Cars?
Become a Deck Officer
Annual Salary for a Limousine Driver


Bharat Mishra. Reading the Ramayana in that very bench for over 20yrs.
With a balloon in his hands and a big smile on his face.
One of those better days.
The only Japani temple I have ever seen.
How i wish i could go back home right now.


text:
ArtBook - Georgia O'Keeffe: Watercolors
Georgia O'Keeffe's turn toward abstraction: luscious watercolors of the Texan landscape and her own body
Georgia O'Keeffe: Watercolors catalogues the first major exhibition of the nearly 50 watercolors created by O'Keeffe between 1916 and 1918, while she lived in Canyon, Texas. These years mark a period of radical innovation for the artist, during which she firmly established her commitment to abstraction. While her work in Texas is often understood as merely a prelude to her career in New York City, these watercolors and drawings mark a seminal stage in O'Keeffe's artistic formation, representing the pivotal intersection of her disciplined art practice and her allegiance to the revolutionary techniques of her mentor, Arthur Wesley Dow.
O'Keeffe's watercolors explore the texture and landscape of the Texas desert and the artist's own body in an exceptionally fragile and sensitive medium, representing a substantial achievement in their own right. These early works also relate to O'Keeffe's large-scale oil paintings, which in their handling of color and texture in some ways seem to aspire to the condition of watercolor. Designed to emphasize direct contact with these beautiful works, Watercolors features full-scale color reproductions of the paintings, most of which are approximately 8x12 inches in scale, offering a powerful testament to the significance of the watercolors in O'Keeffe's creative evolution. Also included (in a wallet at the rear of the book) is a lengthy essay by Amy Von Lintel featuring archival photographs of O'Keeffe from these years.
Georgia O'Keeffe (1887–1986) is best known for her distinctive paintings of flowers and landscapes which applied a precise, often hard-edged abstract language to evocative natural forms. Dubbed the "mother of American modernism," O'Keeffe produced more than 1,000 artworks in a career of more than 60 years.
Collections: $50 - $100.00 Best Seller Books Books Books on Artists Coffee Table Books Music & Books New Arrivals Books

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How to remove merge commits while keeping merged changes? I have our commit log from my repo. You can see the "Merge branch...into..." commits. After these commits, the branch was merged.
I need to delete the merge commits, but not discard the changes.
Default rebasing doesn't show merge commits.

A: If you want to apply the changes of the commits without including the merge commit (which as Roland Smith pointed out is generally considered bad practice) you can use git rebase with the following workflow:

*

*Checkout the branch you want the changes to be on (let's say master): git checkout master

*Reset master to the commit before the merge you want to undo: git reset --hard <hash of prior commit>. Make sure there are no uncommitted changes on the branch you were working on or this command will wipe them out.

*Checkout the branch containing the updates you want to "merge" to master without actually merging it (let's call it dev): git checkout dev.

*Rebase dev onto master. This will put the HEAD commit of dev to be upstream to the most recent commit that master points to: git rebase master (see the docs for more information).

*Fix any merge conflicts that result during the rebase (they would have happened in a normal merge too).

*The rebased branch should now have all of its commits following the latest commit on master. To port this over to master, check out master (git checkout master) and merge the new branch git merge dev. This will pull the changes onto master without adding a merge commit.

*Once you're sure the updated master branch looks okay, you'll have to update the branch on any remote repositories too. Because you're undoing prior history, when you push the branch you'll have to use the --force (or -f) flag for the remote repo to accept the changes i.e.: git push origin master --force.

That's all there is to it. After you do this, the commits on dev that were branched off of master should now be upstream to the pre-merge commit above.
NOTE: Running rebase will permanently update the commit history for the changed branches. For safety, I recommend taking 1 of 2 methods:

*

*Per @Dacav's suggestion, keep track of the commit hashes for each branch before you update anything. If things go pear shaped, then just run git reset --hard <original_commit_hash> to put the branch back on the original commit.

*Make backup copies of both branches before you rebase that are pointing at the original commit:
git checkout -b master_bk
git checkout -b dev_bk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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The Staff–Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) is a forum, where matters of student interest (such as those concerning coursework, technical needs and social events) are discussed and resolutions of action are proposed to the School Board.
Full details can be found in the SSLC Pages in the MTH Student Zone on Blackboard. Note that the link above will only work if you are a current SCI student and are already logged in to Blackboard. If you get an error message, visit this link to Blackboard first, make sure you are logged in, and then try again.


text:
{-# LANGUAGE PatternGuards #-}
{-# LANGUAGE RecordWildCards #-}
{-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses #-}
{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances, UndecidableInstances #-}
module Narradar.Processor.ExtraVariables where

import Data.Foldable (Foldable)

import Narradar.Framework
import Narradar.Framework.Ppr
import Narradar.Types
--import Narradar.Types.ArgumentFiltering (bestHeu, mkHeu)
import Narradar.Types.Problem.Relative

data ExtraVarsP  = ExtraVarsP
--data ExtraVarsAF tag =  ExtraVarsAF (MkHeu tag)
data ExtraVarsProof = EVFail | EVAFFail deriving (Eq, Ord, Show)

instance Pretty ExtraVarsProof where
    pPrint EVFail   = text "The TRS contains extra variables."
    pPrint EVAFFail = text "Failed to find an argument filtering which filters out the extra variables"

instance (ExtraVars v trs, Ord v, Info info ExtraVarsProof) =>
          Processor info ExtraVarsP (Problem Rewriting trs) (Problem Rewriting trs)
  where
    apply _ p
       | null (extraVars p) = return p
       | otherwise  = refuted EVFail p

instance (ExtraVars v trs, Ord v, Info info ExtraVarsProof) =>
          Processor info ExtraVarsP (Problem IRewriting trs) (Problem IRewriting trs)
  where
    apply _ p
       | null (extraVars p) = return p
       | otherwise  = refuted EVFail p

instance ( Processor info ExtraVarsP (Problem base trs) (Problem base' trs)
         , Info info ExtraVarsProof
         , Info info (Problem base  trs)
         , Info info (Problem base' trs)
         ) =>
          Processor info ExtraVarsP (Problem (InitialGoal t base) trs) (Problem (InitialGoal t base') trs)
  where
    apply ExtraVarsP p@InitialGoalProblem{..} = updateInitialGoalProblem p `fmap` apply ExtraVarsP baseProblem

instance ( Processor info ExtraVarsP (Problem base trs) (Problem base' trs)
         , Info info ExtraVarsProof
         , Info info (Problem base  trs)
         , Info info (Problem base' trs)
         ) =>
          Processor info ExtraVarsP (Problem (Relative trs base) trs) (Problem (Relative trs base') trs)
  where
    apply ExtraVarsP p@RelativeProblem{..} = (\p0' -> p{baseProblem=p0'}) `fmap` apply ExtraVarsP baseProblem

-- In this case we don't need to do anything since Narrowing can terminate with extra variables
instance Info info ExtraVarsProof
       => Processor info ExtraVarsP (Problem (MkNarrowingGoal id p) trs) (Problem (MkNarrowingGoal id p) trs)
  where
    apply ExtraVarsP = return

instance (ExtraVars v trs, Ord v, Info info ExtraVarsProof) =>
         Processor info ExtraVarsP (Problem (MkNarrowing a) trs) (Problem (MkNarrowing a) trs) where
    apply ExtraVarsP = return

{-
instance Processor (ExtraVarsAF tag) (NarrowingGoal id p) (NarrowingGoal id p)
    applySearch (ExtraVarsAF mkH) p
       | null vv = return p
       | null orProblems    = failP EVAFFail p
       | otherwise          = orProblems
     where
       vv  = extraVars p
       heu = mkHeu mkH p
-}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Migration options for preloaded sqlite database in iphone app My app uses a preloaded SQLLite database with coredata bindings. I create the preloaded database file with a secondary app that has the core data bindings/model etc. I put the preloaded db into my app's resources folder and copy that to the writable documents folder when the app is first run.
My question is about migration. Since my app released, my users have been creating data and in my next release I want to change the data model and migrate some of the data to the new model. I'm just not sure the best way to do this. I've read about core data migration methods but they seem to require my app to be a core data project, which it isn't (though my secondary database-creating app is). Will I have to do this migration manually by issuing direct SQL statements against the db? And what about the core data bindings, will I have to manually update them?
I'm really just looking for pointers in the right/best direction. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

A: SQLLite doesn't really have any data migration tools like Core Data.   Unless you count "ALTER TABLE".   If the migration is very complex, or you think you will have more complex migrations in the future you could make a Core Data model that more or less lines up with the old SQLite model and import to it, and then migrate to a newer Core Data model, and then stick with it.
This is likely slower then ALTER TABLE though, or at the very least "not faster".


text:
Iguazu Falls or bust
A word of caution when visiting Iguazu Falls: Whenever you take a border-crossing side trip, be sure to confirm that you can re-enter the country on whatever visa you're carrying.AFP - Getty Images file
March 11, 2008, 4:59 PM UTC / Source: Tripso.com
By James Wysong
Flight attendants love long layovers, especially new flight attendants, who are out to conquer the world, and single flight attendants, who don't need anyone's permission. The beauty of long layovers is that there's time to explore a destination in depth and sometimes even to travel to a different city. In my 20 years as a flight attendant, I've had some great layovers. I once went surfing in Hawaii during a layover in Los Angeles, and on a layover in New Delhi, I took a train to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Not to mention the many times I flew cross-country to be with my wife on her own layovers when we were starting a family.
Yes, long layovers are great, but there's a danger, too. If you misjudge the time or something unexpected happens, you might not make it back in time to work your return flight. That could very well mean your job — especially if the airline has to cancel the flight because it lacks a crew.
A while back, on a 60-hour layover in São Paulo, Brazil, I got the itch for adventure. I had been to this business capital many times before, and decided that this time I would explore outside the city. I made arrangements to visit Iguazu Falls, one of the world's greatest natural wonders, a series of breathtaking waterfalls situated on the border of Brazil and Argentina.
Working the flight down, I was pleased to discover that two nice young female flight attendants, Linda and Emily, were also going to the falls on the layover. After landing, we teamed up, waved goodbye to our crew mates and boarded a flight headed west. After a short nap, we awoke at our destination. The girls had booked a guide, and before long we were in mid-adventure, discovering a truly magnificent natural beauty. We took a boat under the rushing water, and then climbed along the cliff ledges, venturing a bit too close to the rim of the falls for my liking. Then it was on to the famed semicircular waterfall, "The Devil's Throat."
We were on the Brazil side, but on the advice of our guide, we decided to see the view from the Argentine side also. We crossed a rickety old bridge, showed our passports, had our visas stamped and took in yet more breathtaking views of the falls. About an hour later, we decided to return to our accommodations, so we crossed back over the bridge and presented ourselves to the same passport agent. He looked at our passports and informed us that we had no visas to enter Brazil. We laughed and showed him our visas, which were there in plain sight. Shaking his head, he pointed out what we had overlooked: Our visas were single entry/single exit crew visas; we could not use them for re-entry.
We pleaded but he said the situation was out of his hands, advising us that the only thing to do was to go to a town 30 minutes away and get a visa there. He added that we had better hurry because the office would close in about an hour. We paused for a moment to grasp the seriousness of our predicament, and then scrambled for the nearest taxi.
The town was small and reminded me of those old Western movies where tumbleweeds blow across the streets and nothing much happens. We ran inside the visa office and were greeted by a portly older Spanish-speaking man who could barely keep his eyes off of Linda's well-endowed chest.
We told him of our predicament in terrible Spanish, but the agent got the gist of it. He handed us application forms and we quickly filled them out. We paid the fee, got a receipt and were ready to roll — until he told us to come back in two or three days. In disbelief, we pleaded that we needed the visas immediately. He told us — or, more correctly, he told Linda's chest — that this was not possible.
After 10 minutes of begging, we gave up and retreated to a nearby bench to discuss our options. Our flight back to the States would be canceled if three flight attendants were no-shows. Our jobs were sure to be history. I suggested that we try to swim across. Emily, with tears in her eyes, suggested we try to bribe the agent. Suddenly Linda stood up and declared, "I'm going to take one for the team." She approached the agent, whispered something in his ear, and disappeared with him into the back office. Emily and I looked at each other in confusion.
Fifteen minutes later the office door opened and the two emerged. The agent exclaimed, "OK, you have your visas, but now I need a photo from each of you." Emily and I stood there dumbfounded, wondering what had gone on. When the agent informed us that the closest place to get an instant photograph was another 30-minute taxi ride, we cut out the photos from our crew ID badges and handed them over.
We got in a taxi and sped back toward the falls. We were all silent for the first 10 minutes, then Linda said calmly, "I don't want to discuss what went on in that room, ever."
When Emily started to cry, Linda relented.
"Oh, relax," she said. "All I had to do was to take off my top — well, that and pose for a couple of humiliating pictures."
It was then that all three of us started to chuckle. Soon we were all in hysterics. For 20 minutes straight we were in the grip of uncontrollable laughter, along with plentiful tears. It was hysteria, I suppose.
We made it through passport control at the border, got into a taxi on the Brazilian side and headed straight for the airport. No more thoughts of sightseeing or spending the night near the falls. Our nerves were shot and we needed to get back to São Paulo as soon as possible. Luckily, there was a flight to São Paulo with plenty of empty seats.
But our little adventure wasn't over. Now the Brazilian ticket agent, who was also taken with Linda's chest, wanted to see our crew IDs. Remembering that we had cut out our photos for the visas, we hesitantly showed him our faceless badges.
"Sorry, I am not allowed to let you on the flight with these," he said. We pleaded and tried to explain. When that failed, Emily and I looked at each other and turned to Linda with a smile.
Linda caught our glance and declared, "Oh no, not again!"
Luckily, it didn't come to that. After further explanation, the agent decided that nobody could conjure up such a story and so he let us pass. We made it back to our layover hotel and slept for the remainder of our stay.
It was an unforgettable trip, and I would recommend Iguazu Falls to everyone. It is truly a magnificent sight. Just learn from our mistake. Whenever you take a border-crossing side trip, be sure to confirm that you can re-enter the country on whatever visa you're carrying.
As the years pass, I run into Linda from time to time. We smile and silently reminisce about our secret adventure. I still have to say, in all sincerity:
"Linda, thanks for the mammaries."
James Wysong


text:
Operação Turquoise ou Operação Turquesa () foi uma operação militar liderada pela França em Ruanda em 1994 sob o mandato das Nações Unidas. A força "multilateral" consistia em 2.500 soldados, sendo 32 do Senegal e o restante da França.  O equipamento incluiu 100 veículos blindados de transporte de pessoal, 10 helicópteros, uma bateria de morteiros de 120 mm, 4 caças Jaguar, 8 caças Mirage e aeronaves de reconhecimento. Os helicópteros deixaram uma trilha de comida, água e remédios, permitindo que os refugiados escapassem para o leste do Zaire. A Operação Turquoise é polêmica por dois motivos: acusações de que foi uma tentativa de sustentar o regime genocida hutu e que seu mandato enfraqueceu a UNAMIR.

As acusações levantadas contra o exército francês durante a Operação Turquesa são de "cumplicidade de genocídio e / ou cumplicidade de crimes contra a humanidade". As vítimas alegam que os soldados franceses ajudaram as milícias Interahamwe a encontrar suas vítimas e que os próprios franceses cometeram atrocidades.  O ex-embaixador de Ruanda na França e co-fundador da Frente Patriótica de Ruanda (FPR) Jacques Bihozagara testemunhou: "A Operação Turquesa visava apenas proteger os perpetradores do genocídio, porque o genocídio continuou mesmo dentro da zona da Turquesa." A França sempre negou qualquer papel no massacre.

Notas

Referências

Operações militares envolvendo a França
Genocídio em Ruanda

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Building Your Own Vacuum Press?
If you are building a custom vacuum press system, you should be able to find almost everything you need here. Keep in mind that the free plans found on the JoeWoodworker website refer to the do-it-yourself vacuum press kits that we offer. These kits are designed to save you money and to simplify the process of building your own vacuum system.


text:
Click to copyhttps://apnews.com/d1a941cf56d74c4ab416be96c1b4d5c3
Aaron Hicks
Yankees' Ellsbury to start season on disabled list
By MARK DIDTLERMarch 24, 2018
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury will start the regular season on the disabled list because of an oblique injury that sidelined him three weeks.
Ellsbury, who resumed playing Thursday, will remain at the Yankees' spring training complex when the team leaves Florida on Sunday for its final spring training game Monday at Atlanta.
"Get him 40, 50 at-bats," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Saturday.
The Yankees open the regular season Thursday at Toronto.
Ellsbury is projected as a backup outfielder after losing the starting center field job to Aaron Hicks last season.
Ellsbury, 34, is guaranteed $21,142,857 in each of the next three seasons as part of a $153 million, seven-year contract that includes a $21 million team option for 2021 with a $5 million buyout.
Brett Gardner is the starting left fielder, and Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge will rotate between right field and designated hitter. Stanton also could get time in left when Gardner is rested, especially against left-handed pitchers.
Ellsbury hit .264 with seven homers and 39 RBIs in 112 games last season. He was sidelined from May 24 until June 26 after sustaining a concussion against the outfield wall while making a spectacular catch to rob Kansas City's Alcides Escobar.
Also, third baseman Brandon Drury, hit on the left elbow by a pitch Friday, will take batting practice Sunday and has no doubts about being ready for opening day. X-rays on the elbow were negative.
"I was excited to get that news," Drury said. "I couldn't squeeze my hand at the time, it was just numb. I've been hit there before, so I've had that feeling before. So, I had that hope it was going to be good. Anytime you can't squeeze your hand or have that feeling, it's not good but it's better now."
Drury plans to start wearing an elbow guard.
Notes: LHP Jordan Montgomery, who will start the home opener April 2 against Tampa Bay, will make his final spring training outing Tuesday in a minor league game. ... The Yankees optioned RHP Domingo German to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. German and RHP Luis Cessa will be starters in the minors. ... Cashman said RHP Jonathan Holder made the team as the 13th pitcher. ... OF Clint Frazier (concussion) is doing limited baseball drills.
More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball


text:
Vineeth Krishna E | 18th July 2019
Union Budget #3: Constituent Assembly Limits Parliament's Power Over Certain Expenses
Today, the central government got the Lok Sabha's nod to withdraw 98.18 lakh crore from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the 2019-20 financial year's expenditure. For the past two weeks, the Lok Sabha debated several 'demand for grants' put forward by central ministries. Article 113 of the Constitution of India gives the Lok Sabha the power to approve or deny these 'demand for grants'. However, there are some expenses which do not require this approval.
Article 112 specifies certain expenses, like the salaries of the President and Supreme Court Judges, that would be charged directly to the Consolidated Fund of India; Article 113 states that these would not 'submitted to the vote of Parliament'. Back in 1948, these provisions –Article 92 and 93, Draft Constitution of India 1948 – attracted criticism when they were debated in the Constituent Assembly.
A parliament of independent India, K.T. Shah argued, must in principle have the power to vote on any expenditure. The idea of keeping certain expenditure outside the ambit of a parliamentary vote was the legacy of the British rule:
"For that regime, no doubt, it can be understood that there were many items of expenditure which it did not care, would not dare, to bring before the representatives of the Indian people. For instance, its huge defence expenditure, or it's Home charges, and so on, if open to a Parliamentary vote, would never allow the Budget to be passed."
Shibban Lal Saxena agreed with Shah and felt that the Assembly was bringing in a 'dangerous thing'. He was irked about another sub-clause of Draft Article 93 which allowed parliament to include more expenditure items that would be directly charged to the Consolidated Fund of India:
This, I think, is unprecedented in any constitution of the world and I would like Dr.Ambedkar to enlighten us how sub-clause (f) of Article 93 is in consonance with democratic procedure. I feel that the sovereign parliament of the nation should have the right vote on every item of expenditure.
Neither did Ambedkar nor did any other member respond. The Assembly adopted the Articles with the relevant sub-clauses intact. Why did the Assembly feel that certain expenses like the salaries of Supreme Court Judges be kept out of parliament's purview?
The debate in the Assembly does not provide us with an answer. But if we look closely at the list of expenditures in Draft Article 92, we find that that they are mostly related to autonomous constitutional functionaries. It seems like the Constitution framers felt that the independence of these functionaries would be compromised if parliament was given the authority to decide upon their salaries and allowances.
Previous - #2 Should the Rajya Sabha Have a Say in the Budget?


It would seem that Katayama's plan was to use a boys' uniform for that school and go in undercover. Once he found some schoolgirl outfits he would stuff them into his bag and go home – in and out like a pro; with no cops and no casualties.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the school, Katayama found three full girls' uniforms piled on top of a desk in one of the rooms. He shoved them into his bag and began making for the exit.
It looks like this truly daring robbery was thwarted and the uniforms valued at 21,000 yen (US$214) are back to their rightful owners. Still, there are some lingering questions to this case. First, how did this guy manage to get a boys' uniform? Secondly, hasn't he heard of Amazon or any of the other thousands of retailers selling girls' school uniforms?


Here we can see the start of the Science Faculty and the robots from the future. Dr Applewhite is on the left (ha! I made a funny!) and the only male.
I'm not sure what to put on the computer screen of the robots. In Fallout similar robots have cartoon faces.
Why is one of them lime green you ask? I plan on inking that one dark green and making it different. Or at least leaving me the chance to do so.
Later I'll work on the other robots! I'm still really excited about their arrival!


Any visit to Brussels is not complete without visiting the famous little statue, Manneken Pis. Manneken Pis is a bronze statuette of a little boy urinating into the fountain basin, which reaches just 61cm tall. In the fifteenth century, the statue played an important role as the first drinking fountain in Brussels. Designed by Hiëronymus Duquesno, it was placed in its current location in 1618, or 1619, on the corner of Rue de l'Etuve and Rue des Grands Carmes. Over time there have been many myths and legends surrounding this statue. Sadly over the years this endearing little statue has been subject to vandalism, and on occasions been stolen. As a result, the original statuette is now found at Maison du Roi, the Museum of the City, located on Grand Place.
The residents of Brussels have a fondness for this world renowned little boy. The city also has a rather humorous outlook with regards to Manneken Pis.
In time-honoured tradition, Manneken Pis is regularly dressed in different costumes. The city receives so many designs that they need to be managed. This responsibility is held by the non-profit organisation 'Friends of Manneken Pis', who receive and review costume designs and select which costumes to use. Previous costumes worn by the statue are held in a permanent exhibition in the Museum of the City. The oldest costume on display originates from as far back as the seventeenth century.
In addition to dressing Manneken Pis, it has been known on occasion for the fountain to be hooked up to a beer keg and beer has been handed out to passers-by.
Both Manneken Pis and the Museum of the city are within easy walking distance from the Park Inn by Radisson Brussels Midi Hotel. After a busy day of sightseeing, guests can return to contemporary accommodation in Brussels city centre and take full advantage of the premier facilities on offer.


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Les Franco
Les Franco was the Most Valuable Player on the 1961 football team, excelling as a linebacker on defense and part-time quarterback on offense. He was also an outstanding linebacker on the 1960 team. Like his father before him, Franco was a very good infielder for three years on Napa Indian baseball teams. He was a second baseman and Co-captain in 1961 and 1962, and his .364 batting average led the team in 1961. He was one of four sophomores to make the team in 1960. He was All-NBL second baseman in 1962. Franco was Student Body President in his senior year before going on to a successful athletic career at the University of San Francisco. At U.S.F., Franco was a starting linebacker on the football team for four years and a third baseman on the 1963 baseball team. He was Captain of the football team three years, a rare achievement in any sport. Franco returned to Napa as an assistant coach from 1969 to 1971 and, after an eight-year absence across town, returned in 1979 for an 11-year stint as head football coach in which his teams won four MEL championships and six sectional playoff games. He was MEL Coach of the Year four times. Franco also had a fine record as head softball coach during this period. It should be noted that during his high school playing years, Napa was not in a league, so all-league honors were not available to him until the baseball season of 1962.
Baseball|Football


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Andreas Baumhof
Chief Technology Officer, ThreatMetrix
Baumhof is an internationally renowned cybersecurity thought-leader and expert with deep experience in the encryption, PKI, malware and phishing markets. Baumhof and his ThreatMetrix Labs team have been examining and reverse-engineering banking malware for over six years, giving a unique insight into the evolution of the malware landscape. They don't just see the malware itself, but also the resulting transactions, providing excellent insight into stopping cybercriminals. His commentary has appeared in numerous publications.
Real World Applications of Big Data Analytics - Social Network Analysis and Post Breach Fraud Detection
Andreas Baumhof - ThreatMetrix, Dan McKenzie - RBC Bank, Jason Paguandas - RBC Bank, Patrick Vowles - ISMG • •
Big Data - everyone is talking about it, but what are organizations actually doing with it to detect and prevent fraud? Despite the hype, there are many powerful, targeted applications for the analysis of large amounts of gathered data. In this session, we will look at two focused use cases that are currently...
Big Data Analytics & Fraud Detection
Andreas Baumhof - ThreatMetrix, Allison Miller - Electronic Arts, Russell Thomas - Zions Bank • •
Fraud Summit - San Francisco 2014 - Banking institutions create and store volumes of data, but integrating and applying that information in a meaningful way has proved challenging. Register for this session to learn first-hand from bit data and analytics experts: How big data is being used to analyze and detect...
View all sessions by Andreas Baumhof
Dan McKenzie
Head of Enterprise Fraud Strategy, RBC Bank
McKenzie's focus is on the capital markets and wealth management businesses, but also supports personal and commercial banking initiatives. He has more than 20 years of experience in banking. McKenzie's background includes systems implementation, AML strategy, fraud strategy, analytics and consulting. Before joining RBC, he was the director of fraud and ID management at TransUnion.
View all sessions by Dan McKenzie
Jason Paguandas
Dir., Canadian Banking Fraud Strategy & Analytics, RBC Bank
Paguandas has over 17 years of international fraud management experience across a diverse set of industries, including banking, processing, merchant acquiring, insurance and telecom. In his current role at RBC, Paguandas is responsible for the fraud strategy and analytics functions for Canadian banking and is focused on driving the transformational mandate of the organization. Prior to this, he was the Canadian lead for SAS' fraud and financial crimes practice where he developed innovative and tailored software solutions to combat fraud.
View all sessions by Jason Paguandas
Patrick Vowles
Content Director, ISMG
Vowles has over 25 years of hands-on IT and product management experience creating innovative connectivity, security and compliance solutions. After spending several years in technical roles supporting Western European and Scandinavian operations for a number of LAN/WAN vendors, he then spent several years supporting network infrastructure sales in New York City. Later at a global ISP, he created an entire managed security and SSL VPN remote access service, before moving on to create virtualization and cloud security offerings at RSA and VCE, while contributing to such projects as the Cloud Security Alliance Consensus Assessment Initiative. Vowles now directs the content for the ISMG Fraud Summit series of events and has also created an APT Defense Framework for an additional series.
View all sessions by Patrick Vowles
Senior Director of Platform Business Operations, Electronic Arts
Miller oversees the business performance of EA's cross-company digital platform. She has over 10 years of experience in designing, building and deploying real-time threat detection and prevention systems. Miller is active in the security community and presents research on fraud prevention and account security issues regularly to both industry and government audiences, including the ITWeb Security Summit, Black Hat and RSA. Prior to joining EA, Miller led Tagged's security and risk management team, managed PayPal's account risk and security team, and was director of product/technology risk at Visa.
View all sessions by Allison Miller
Russell Thomas
Data Scientist, Zions Bank
Thomas has 30 years of experience in the information technology and communication industries, where he has focused on business process improvement, quality, organizational transformation and performance management. He is a founding member of the Society of Information Risk Analysts and has led several proposal teams for advanced research and development projects for the Department of Homeland Security.
View all sessions by Russell Thomas


Our Tea Room overlooks the rows of lavender so if the weather's fine, sit outside, breathe in the lovely scent and admire the view as you try our famous lavender scones. Or enjoy a glass of Yarra Valley wine, beer or cider with some lunch, all made using the freshest Yarra Valley produce.
All our food is prepared and cooked on the premises – you're in for some good old-fashioned home-cooking!
Browse through our Gift Shop (adjoining the Tea Room) where you'll find the full range of our own lavender products, all of which can be sampled, from lavender mustard to massage oil. Gift vouchers are available and we also offer monthly specials. The majority of our products can also be bought online.
To help you plan your trip to Warratina Lavender Farm, we've provided this handy weather forecast tool.


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Well, I think it's about time.
You mean an opinion column on my own website? What a novel concept. I hope to produce this on a bi-monthly basis so let's see and let's go. Thank YOU for taking time out of your busy day to read this and I hope you enjoy it as we move forward.
From the beginning, I am not going to grovel for days over this column or it's just going to stress me out and I won't like doing it. So, my goal is to knock it out in 30 minutes and it is what it is. I'll put a stop watch on my desk and let's see how it goes.
Where is the La Mirada Blog going and how has it evolved and changed over the years? What's next, if anything? What happened in the 2017 La Mirada City Council Election, just 27 months ago-the true story, other than me losing? :) City Council members are now elected by district, but are they serving in their districts?
The first issue is this website. I hear you, it's outdated. I hope to have it updated very soon and I apologize. Social media took over in 2009-10 as you well know if you're a long time follower and the website has been neglected, but mostly because of financial reasons. The overhaul is going to cost more than I thought and I hope to have this remedied very soon. However, with that being said, it is still a place for exclusive content and I have some great advertisers!
Minus the website, the La Mirada Blog has 20,000+ social media followers, not to mention the engagement and reach. What does this mean? Nothing, comparatively speaking, but in a town of 50,000 it is significant and sometimes there is a stress and pressure that goes along with it.
Although I knew I loved what I was doing when I started the Blog many years ago in 2003, at times I have had difficulty keeping up emotionally with its tremendous growth, its status in the community and the responsibility that comes with it along with trying to approach it in a non-biased way in a city I have such a personal attachment to.
So, join on this journey with me as I trudge along running the La Mirada Blog and let us all see what's next. I tell you and you decide. Send me your ideas, questions, topics, stories and story ideas, advice, news ideas and anything to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and let's travel this road called life, together. Till next time.
Follow the La Mirada Blog on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
•The Arts Colony of La Mirada (ACOLM) Plein Art Painting Group meets the second Thursday of each month at 10:00 a.m. The next group meeting will be July 11th with the location to be announced. Participants are required to bring their own snacks, drinks and art supplies. Contact Madeline Thomas for more info (562) 941-4116.
•The group is looking for volunteer face painters for the city's summer concert series now underway Thursdays at 6:30 through August 8th, (7/25 at Creek Park). Painters should be there about 20 minutes in advance of the music starting at 6:30 p.m. The event Night Market begins at 4:00 p.m.
•We're sad to report Marla Greer, a longtime member of ACOLM, passed away due to complications of a stroke. Her services will be held on Saturday June 29th at 11:00 a.m. at St Joseph's Episcopal Church, 8300 Valley View St., Buena Park 90620. Those who knew her and intend to attend, please call Madeline Thomas at 562-941-4116 for a head count. Sherri Scialla at 714-904-7031 is the family's contact.
•After a long stint at La Mirada High School, popular teacher Ollie Lynch has confirmed with us he will not be returning to the school this fall. Lynch will be heading across town to El Camino High to lead the Independent Studies Program.
•Carol Schneider from the Year-Around Garden Club in Whittier recently presented a check of $500 to the La Mirada Historical Preservation Advisory Council at their monthly meeting. The money will be applied to the cost for the replacement of the tree identification plaques at the living arboretum at Neff Park created by La Mirada founder Andrew McNally in the late nineteenth century. A La Mirada organization also donated $1000 for the project, but they wish to remain anonymous.
•The Friends of the La Mirada Library will be installing the 2019-2020 board members at their meeting Thursday, June 27 at 6:30pm.
•The Chop Shop will be hosting its official grand opening Sunday June 23 from 10:00a-4:00 p.m. There will be raffles, giveaways, food and 50% off all cuts. The barber shop is located at 13948 Valley View Avenue.
•Last month, La Mirada resident Margie Cramer had her garden chosen to be part of the prestigious Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour. Read more about the tour and Margie's garden here.
La Mirada~Is this the end for the iconic fountain and water fall at La Mirada City Hall?
The 49-year old fountain and pools at La Mirada City Hall are showing their age and were shut down due to public safety concerns and excessive water loss and power usage, according to a recent staff report.
The item was discussed at the March 12 City Council Study Session.
The City Council now seems poised to make a decision about the future of the water feature, a familiar landmark of the La Mirada landscape.
Much of the feature still retains most of the original plumbing and electrical system-and it was failing. Also, the water pumps and valves used for the operation of the fountain were beyond their normal life expectancy and have to be replaced as well.
The pool surfaces also have multiple cracks and are in need of extensive repair. Saturated soil has been observed around the structure due to the leaks, the report indicated.
The disabled fountain consists of three pools with a water fall from the largest pool dumping water to a smaller pool which then flows to another smaller pool to the south of the civic center stairway.
Staff has identified three options for the City Council's consideration.
Option 1: Restore and renovate the feature to its original condition and replace the entire infrastructure. Cost: $1,000,000-$1,375,000.
Option 2: Reduce and modify the total pool area and install landscape (planters, rocks, shrubs, etc.) and hardscape within the reduced area. The entire infrastructure would still have to be replaced for remaining pools. A new patio deck is also being considered (Option 2A) Cost: $1,750,000-$2,250,000.
Option 3: Eliminate all the pools and replace with landscape and hardscape improvements. This is obviously the most cost-efficient option, especially from a maintenance standpoint moving forward, but it will dramatically change the legendary look of the city hall grounds. Cost: $500,000-$750,000.
The fountain debuted with the dedication of the city hall building on March 20, 1970.
Chick-fil-A will open its first La Mirada restaurant at 14303 Firestone Boulevard on May 23, bringing its handcrafted food and award-winning customer service, commitment to community engagement and hands-on mentoring for nearly 90 newly-hired Team Members.
The overnight Grand Opening First 100 Campout includes engaging activities for participants ages five and older who will also enjoy a Chick-fil-A meal during the countdown to the opening. Registration begins in the restaurant parking lot at 6 p.m., May 22. Details include: Up to 100 adults, ages 18 and older, will win a digital offer card with a year of free Chick-fil-A meals (52 meals with each consisting of a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries, and a medium beverage).
The community event is open to guests surrounding the restaurant with a list of eligible zip codes and complete rules found at https://thechickenwire.chick-fil-a.com/News/Future-Openings
New local owner Chris Schivley graduated from Long Beach State University in 2002 with a degree in criminal justice and went on to earn a master's degree in public policy and administration in 2006. Schivley, who grew up in the Los Angeles County area, spent the first 20 years of his career in law enforcement. His first Chick-fil-A experience came a few years ago when his family began a weekly "date night" tradition of visiting the local Chick-fil-A in Long Beach.
After learning about the Chick-fil-A franchise owner opportunity from a colleague, Schivley's interest was piqued and it didn't take long before he realized the brand's focus on serving freshly prepared food and mentoring young people matched his entrepreneurial goals. By the end of 2018, Schivley left his police department job to pursue his dream of becoming an Operator and was thrilled when he was selected for the new La Mirada restaurant.
Patricia "Pat" Ruiz passed peacefully with family and friends at her side on April 11, 2019 at the age of 88.
Pat Ruiz was born in San Francisco in 1931 to Della and Edward Conroy. She was educated at St. Paul's Catholic School, graduating in 1948. Pat attended Dominican College in San Rafael where she earned a baccalaureate in Education. She taught elementary school in San Francisco for one year.
Pat was married to Nick Ruiz in 1952 and had four children, Jacqui, Paul, Barbara, and Larry. The couple moved to La Mirada in 1956 and their children attended St. Paul of the Cross and Gardenhill Elementary Schools, McNally Jr. High School and La Mirada High School. Pat began teaching again when her children were in school and in 1975, she earned a master's degree from La Verne College. Her beloved husband, Nick, passed away in 1981.
Pat created a history of community service in the City of La Mirada including: 26 years teaching at Escalona Elementary School; eight years as elected member of the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified District (NLMUSD) Board of Education (two years as President); 40 years a cantor at St. Paul of the Cross (SPC) Catholic Church; 12 years a La Mirada Human Services Commissioner; and 11 years President of the La Mirada Symphony Association.
Dedicated activities included: charter (1956) and long-time member of the Ebell Women's Club (President for two terms); member and President of the La Mirada Kiwanis Club; Chancel Choir member at the Community Presbyterian Church of La Mirada; and, member of the SPC School Advisory Board.
Pat has received awards for distinctive service from Cerritos College Foundation, NLMUSD, Congress of PTSA, County of Los Angeles, City of La Mirada Human Services Commission, Norwalk Gang and Drug Task Force, La Mirada Kiwanis, SPC Catholic Church, and the Whittier Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ LDS, among others.
She leaves behind daughter Jacqui and husband Dane Hill, daughter Barbara, son Paul and wife Tricia, son Larry and son-in-law Stephen Cook, and grandsons Dane Jr. and Nicolas.
There will be a time of farewell at the Chapel of Memories Mortuary, 12626 Woods Ave, Norwalk on Thursday April 25 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The Memorial Mass and Service will take place at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church, 14030 Foster Rd, La Mirada on Friday April 26 at 2:00pm. A private burial service will occur at Olive Lawn Cemetery, La Mirada. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Pat's honor to The Patricia Ruiz Memorial Artist Scholar Fund at the California School of the Arts, San Gabriel Valley at http://sgv.csarts.net/patriciaruizmemorialfund
Source: Courtesy Barbara Ruiz
Friday, 19 April 2019 16:11
La Mirada~The Relay for Life La Mirada/Whittier will be held May 18 through May 19 at Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center. Relay for Life is a 24-hour community gathering designed to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and raise funds for cancer research, services and advocacy.
The day begins on May 18 at 9 a.m. with a "Survivors Lap" during which cancer survivors are honored, followed by a second lap where survivors are joined by their family and caregivers. We are adding something new this year by having our oncologists, radiologists, nurse navigators, and nursing staff that made surviving Cncer possible, join our survivors for the Caregiver Lap.
Fun activities will be held throughout the event including riding down the Splash! Buccaneer Bay waterslides on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. and the cost is $5 per person, or free to 2019 Buccaneer Bay season pass holders.
At 9 p.m. luminaries are placed around the track for those being honored for surviving, those who are currently fighting cancer and those who are being memorialized.
The event closes on May 19 with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Kiwanis Club followed by a "Fight Back Ceremony" where the community and individuals pledge to work to eradicate cancer.
Civitas Coffee Now Open In La Mirada
Civitas Coffee started with an idea to become a community centerpiece. The goal was to provide high-quality artisan coffee, specialty teas, & gourmet baked goods to the city of La Mirada. As of February 16th, that has become a reality at the southeast corner of Rosecrans and Valley View.
Daniel & Katherine Kim started their journey to open their very own coffee store five years ago. Katherine has been in the coffee industry for over four years working for small and big coffee shop businesses in the Los Angeles area. She realized that she wanted to give back more to the community while pursuing her passion for coffee. Their goals aligned perfectly as Daniel was looking to grow his passion for coffee from his background in coffee distribution.
They both love the close-knit atmosphere of the La Mirada community. Noticing that there weren't many options for quality coffee & tea in the area, they decided this was the place to open up their store. They decided on the name Civitas, which means 'community' in Latin, since it encompassed their vision to be an epicenter in a community. Their motto is to, "bring a community together, one cup at a time."
Daniel & Katherine wanted Civitas Coffee to use and promote small local area vendors. Their roaster, Jetty Coffee Roasters out of Los Angeles, roasts small batches and takes immense pride in his craft. Their pastries and vegan donuts are also baked fresh from local vendors in Los Angeles region, including Sugarbloom Bakery and The Caffeinated Kitchen. At the end of the day, it's not about what they offer, but about how they can connect with the community. They want to get to know each and every customer and also pass along their knowledge of fine coffee and teas.
After countless hours of research and planning, they are excited to move into the next stage in their journey as they finally open Civitas Coffee. So whether you're nearby on your commute to work, meeting friends & colleagues, or just looking for a great cup of coffee, they have the perfect array of drinks & refreshments to fit your needs.
Civitas Coffee is located at 14218 Rosecrans Avenue in La Mirada. Hours are Monday through Friday 6:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m. and Saturdays 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Give them a call at (562) 351-1165. Store available for special events on Sundays.
La Mirada Theatre Presents O Sole Trio: From Pavarotti to Pop
La Mirada~Commissioned by New York City's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, O Sole Trio presents: "From Pavarotti to Pop: How Italy and Italian-Americans influenced American Popular Music." The show will take place at 8:00PM on Wednesday, February 13th at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. , 14900 La Mirada Boulevard La Mirada, CA 90638. Tickets are modestly priced at $20.
With sold out performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, New York City's renowned musical ensemble O Sole Trio will be bringing their exhilarating and unique show, which captures the essence of Italy, and features a program that showcases a cornucopia of beloved Italian opera arias, popular Neapolitan songs, as well as jazz and pop standards made popular by such singers as Enrico Caruso, Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, Connie Francis, and Andrea Bocelli, to name but a few.
The trio is comprised of the lush voices of soprano, Erin Shields, and baritone, Giuseppe Spoletini, as well as the virtuosic David Shenton on piano and violin.
Their program, performed in both Italian and English, combines touching and informative storytelling with an eclectic mix of timeless songs, breathing new life into classics such as "O Sole Mio," Puccini's "O mio babbino caro," "Mambo Italiano," and "The Prayer," made famous by Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli.Also not to be missed is David Shenton's virtuosic instrumental 'Theme and Variations' of the Neapolitan song "Torna a Surriento," played simultaneously on both violin and piano.
For more information about O Sole Trio, please visit: osoletrio.com. For tickets, please visit here or call the BOX OFFICE: (714) 994-6310 OR (562) 944-9801
Dunkel Bros. Continues Christmas Tradition at New Location
Some of what you need to know about the Dunkel Bros. 2018 Christmas Display
La Mirada~Dunkel Bros. Orange County Machinery Moving has been in business since 1975 and has been based in La Mirada for the last 16 years.
The company relocated last year from their South Firestone Boulevard location along the freeway, to their new beautiful location located at the northeast corner of Alondra Boulevard and Phoebe Avenue, just east of Valley View Avenue. The change was necessitated by the construction involved with the current Interstate 5 Widening Project.
Although moving heavy machinery may be what the company is known for, over the years they have also created elaborate and unique Christmas light displays at its headquarters during the holidays for the public to enjoy.
This year is no exception; perhaps the best ever.
The display at the beautiful new Dunkel location features over two million lights all wired together and synced with holiday music, which can also be heard on 88.7 FM from your car.
The planter boxes within the display were designed and built by Dunkel Bros. exclusively for this display with each box containing 10,000 lights!
Peter Dunkel and Larry Dunkel are the owners of Dunkel Bros/La Mirada. Peter told us his Christmas spirit was instilled by his wonderful parents, Otto & Herbie who were married for 65 years. He told us every Christmas season they would load up their family of 12 kids and venture out to see the different holiday lights and displays.
The design of the new La Mirada headquarters for Dunkel Bros. includes wide, meandering sidewalks ensuring the safety of the community while offering a close up look at the detail of the free exhibit. A stage has also been built for Christmas-themed shows and carolers.
SCHEDULE: Santa will appear nightly 6-9- p.m. Saturday December 1st through December 23rd. The jolly old elf will be handing out gifts for the kids.
Santa's reindeer arrive nightly 5-10 p.m. for eight days beginning Saturday December 15th.
Look for our live broadcast on Facebook Sunday December 4th at approximately 5:00 p.m.
OTHER XMAS DISPLAYS: The "Christmas Vacation" display at 15912 Golva is back this year bigger and better than ever. The display is set to be ready Saturday December 1st.
A really cool display is located at 14774 Hardaway Drive, go by and check it out.
See a really cool Christmas display in La Mirada? Send us an email or DM us on social media.
La Mirada Crime Report October 29-November 11
Whittier Woman Sentenced to Life in Prison for Carjacking/Shooting Spree in 2017
Phantom Projects Announces Pay What You Will Day at LM Theatre for the Performing Arts Box Office


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5 Influential Women in The History of Criminal Justice
March 27, 2013 | Criminal Justice | South University
In honor of Women's History Month, South University presents five influential women in the history of criminal justice.
Sandra Day O'Connor (1930-) was the first woman United States Supreme Court Justice, serving from 1981 to 2006. In 2009, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After becoming an attorney, O'Connor couldn't find a law firm that would hire a woman, but found employment as a secretary for a firm. She later went on to serve in the Arizona state legislature and the Arizona Court of Appeals in Phoenix before being appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court (Kuiper, 2010).
Freda Adler (1934) is an influential criminologist renowned throughout the world. Adler served as the President of the American Criminological Society from 1994-1995 and has also served as a consultant for the United Nations on issues of crime. Adler has contributed a substantial body of literature in the field of criminology and etiology of crime and has published hundreds of papers on international crime, female criminality and substance abuse (Flynn, 1998).
Alice Stebbins Wells (1873-1957) was the first female police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. A former minister from Kansas, Wells joined the LAPD after appealing to the mayor, city council and the police department. Wells founded and became the first president of the International Association of Police Women. She traveled throughout North America promoting the recruitment of female police officers, serving as an advocate for the welfare of children and speaking frequently about the prevention of juvenile crime (International Association of Women Police, 2009).
Janet Reno (1938-) was the first female U.S. Attorney General and the longest serving in the 20th century, serving from 1993 to 2001. Reno received her law degree from Harvard, one of only 16 women in a class of 500. Prior to serving in the Justice Department, Reno served as the State Attorney in Miami, FL (The United States Department of Justice, 2013).
Bevery J. Harvard (1951-) was the first African American women to be chief of police of a major city- Atlanta, GA. Serving as chief of police from 1994-2002, Harvard began her career as a police officer in 1977 and was also the first woman to graduate from the FBI's National Academy (Steverson, 2008).
These are just some of the many women who have left a lasting impact on the history of criminal justice. At South University, we look forward to finding out how our students and alumni from our Criminal Justice programs will also help to shape the future of the field.
•	Flynn, E. E. (1998). Freda Adler: A Portrait of a Pioneer. Women & Criminal Justice, 10, 1-26.
•	International Association of Women Police. (2009). IAWP History. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from Alice Stebbins Wells: www.iawp.org
•	Kuiper, K. (2010). The 100 Most Influential Women Of All Time. New York: Britannica Educational Publishing.
•	Steverson, L. A. (2008). Policing in America: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO Incorporated.
•	The United States Department of Justice. (2013). Janet Reno. Retrieved 03 02, 2012, from Office of the Attorney General: www.justice.gov/ag/aghistpage
A Look at the Future of Criminal Justice
Welcome to the third installment in our blog series taking a look at the future of some the occupati
Crime and Social Media Sites— Catching Criminals and Learning to Avoid Them
South Source explores how law enforcement uses social media sites to catch criminals and ways to avoid internet scams.
Animal Cruelty and Neglect Exposed
Read this South Source article about animal cruelty and criminal justice.


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News Sports Bent County Democrat Fowler Tribune Ag Journal Obituaries E-Edition Legals
Fowler School District accepting donations for families in need
Ken Hamrick
LA Junta Tribune
The Fowler School District works to connect donors who wish to help families that are in need of assistance every holiday season.
This year, the district will simplify the process. It will be accepting donations of gift cards/certificates (preferably to local merchants), as well as cash or checks, which the district will convert into gift cards to local merchants. The district will distribute the donations to families in need before it goes on its holiday break.
If anybody is interested in making a donation of cash, checks, or gift cards, they are to be delivered to the Fowler Elementary School office by 8:15 a.m. on Dec. 17. Food, clothing and other gift items will not be accepted.
Families who would like to be added to the list of potential recipients can opt in at https://forms.gle/V7zScX3Aij268cWaA by 3:30 p.m. Dec. 11.
Tribune-Democrat reporter Ken Hamrick can be reached by email atKHamrick@gannett.com.
© 2022 www.lajuntatribunedemocrat.com. All rights reserved.


A: We do accept most dental insurance plans.
Q: Do you offer any discounts for patients with no insurance coverage?
A: Yes, we do offer discounts. Please contact the office for more details.
A: Bad breath (halitosis) can be an unpleasant and embarrassing condition.
Many of us may not realize that we have bad breath, but everyone has it from time to time, especially in the morning.
A: Four out of five people have periodontal disease and don't know it!
A: Brushing our teeth removes food particles, plaque, and bacteria from all tooth surfaces, except in between the teeth.
Unfortunately, our toothbrush can't reach these areas that are highly susceptible to decay and periodontal (gum) disease.
Thanks to the advances in modern dentistry, cosmetic treatments can make a difference in making your smile shine.
A: Porcelain veneers are very thin shells of tooth-shaped porcelain that are individually crafted to cover the fronts of teeth.
They are very durable and will not stain, making them a very popular solution for those seeking to restore or enhance the beauty of their smile.


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{% set bbb = 3 + self.example(false) ~ '' %}
{{ bbb }}

Output:
13

23

A: Here is example:
{# macro #}

{% macro check(isTrue) %}
    {% if isTrue %}
        show-paywall
    {% else %}
        show-content
    {% endif %}
{% endmacro %}

{# usage #}
{% import _self as self %}

{% set per = self.check(true)|trim %}

{%  if per == 'show-paywall' %}

{{'Show paywall man.'}}

{% else %}

{{ 'You are good man.' }}

{% endif %}

You can play online :
https://twigfiddle.com/etn6ef


Learn more about this collection: Men's basketball team, team photographs, 1960's.
This database focuses on the history of National Louis University, the history of the Kindergarten Movement, education reform in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as NLU's involvement in these historical developments. You can use the search bar and browsing links at the top of this page to find specific items as well as view images and scanned documents in our archives.
This section gives a summary of the topics and types of resources available in the NLU Archives and Special Collections.
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SW Series Sand Washer is a bucketed sand washer, mainly used to washing and drying building material.
LSX spiral sand washer machine can be used for cleaning and ... of powder and soil in the sand stone. ... series sand washing machine with the same capacity.
Sand Washing Machine Factory ... Spiral Sand Washer; Capacity:t/H; ...kg Full Stainless Steel Jeans/Stone/Sand Washing Machine with Side Panel .
... sand washing machine can be divided into spiral sand washing machine and bucket sand washer. The sand washing machine has the advantages ... Capacity(t/h):(*).


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For education in New Zealand, 2016 has been an incredibly positive and productive year. It will be remembered as a year in which many pieces of the puzzle fell into place in the reassembly of our education system for the 21st century.
This story appeared in the December 2016 edition of Australian Teacher Magazine.


I'm a fan of both The Passage and Station Eleven – plus I've watched every season of Survivor from day one (the only reality show I'll watch). So, obviously I needed to read this book.
This is a great concept – kind of a behind the scenes look at what the television crew goes through, deciding on what to air, how to spin it, what to leave on the cutting floor. The psychological degradation Zoo experiences is entirely believable and adds to the intensity of the story. Although Zoo is the main character, I didn't particularly like her, but I kept reading because I wanted to know the fate of the contestants.
I found the varying timelines a bit confusing at first – normally I don't mind time jumps, but in this case, it interfered with the flow of the story for me. The characters are given names based on their occupation or physical description (Waitress, Carpenter Girl, Black Doctor), but when Zoo mentions them with their actual names, other than maybe a couple, I had no idea to whom she was referring, because the reader is never told the characters' real names. And the ending – surely there's a sequel in the works, because I felt cheated and kept thinking I must be missing some pages. It just didn't fit.
While I loved the idea and suspense of this novel, for me, it didn't make it over that last hurdle to accomplish its goal. The Last One is scheduled for publication July 12th, 2016.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.


text:
Lifestyle | Arts and Entertainment
Pioneer Public TV schedule published April 13, 2022
Original programs scheduled for broadcast on Pioneer Public TV
By Donna Middleton
Pioneer Public TV broadcasts several original shows. All are available on the website after the original showing. For more information call 1-800-726-3178 or email yourtv@pioneer.org .
Postcards: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 14, and repeats at 7 p.m. Sunday and 1:30 p.m. Monday; featuring Drew Barbes who plays music and explores his Greek heritage, Blue Red Roses is a band based out of Battle Lake, and Doug Woolverton is a Grammy Award-winning artist with roots in Appleton.
Prairie Yard and Garden: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, and repeats 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Monday on Pioneer PBS; host Mary Holm visits with Zachary Paige who has taken saving flower and vegetable seeds to a whole new level. He and other growers have developed a seed growing, harvesting and selling operation in Vergas.
Your Legislators: Broadcast live at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 14; Barry Anderson is the host for the 42nd season of the only statewide, live, call-in program where citizens have questions answered directly by their lawmakers. Viewers with questions are encouraged to call 1-800-726-3178, email yourtv@pioneer.org or tweet @YourLegislators during the hour-long weekly program.
Prairie Sportsman: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 17, and repeats at 12:30 p.m. Monday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; join host Bret Amundson for "Brookies and Turtles" fly fishing spring-fed streams and protecting native brook trout and wood turtles in southeast Minnesota.
Postcards: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 21, and repeats at 7 p.m. Sunday and 1:30 p.m. Monday; featuring the Bluenose Gopher Public House that inspires the community in Granite Falls, and 40 Thieves of Saipan is a love letter from son to his World War II vet father.
Prairie Yard and Garden: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21, and repeats 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Monday on Pioneer PBS; one of the most beautiful spots in Duluth is Leif Erikson Park. Join the crew as they visit the park and learn about the 2,500 stunning roses and other plants on display.
Prairie Sportsman: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 24, and repeats at 12:30 p.m. Monday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; join host Bret Amundson for "Quiet Pursuit" as he exchanges his gun for a bow to hunt deer while immersed in nature and looks at whether foxes are moving into urban areas to escape coyotes.
Related Topics: MINNESOTAARTPIONEER PUBLIC TELEVISION
Donna Middleton started working at the West Central Tribune in 1975 and has been the news assistant since 1992. She compiles the arts, health, farm and community page calendars, as well as rewrites and works on the special sections.
She can be contacted at dmiddleton@wctrib.com or phone 320-214-4341.
Minneapolis artist Gregory Rose visits Ridgewater College to talk about trauma, community and art
Minneapolis artist Gregory Rose in a visit to Willmar shared how art can be a way to confront trauma, build community and look different at the world.
By Shelby Lindrud
Classes and workshops calendar published Jan. 25, 2023
Art classes and meetings in the area
Museums and historic sites published Jan. 25, 2023
Museum hours and special events in the next month
SMAC calendar published Jan. 25, 2023
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council events in the next month


2016-09-02 11:00:18: Dose quantity of Vitamin C was changed from 5000.00 to 2000.
2016-09-02 10:56:58: MCT Oil was added.
2016-09-02 10:56:58: Dose quantity of MCT Oil was set to 1.
2016-09-02 10:56:58: Dose unit of MCT Oil was set to 7.
2016-09-02 10:56:58: Start date of MCT Oil was set to 2016-09-02.
2016-09-02 10:56:58: Effectiveness of MCT Oil was set to Can't tell.
2016-09-02 10:55:34: End date was set to 2016-09-02.
2016-09-01 13:57:14: It's Greens was added.
2016-09-01 13:57:14: Dose quantity of It's Greens was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:57:14: Dose unit of It's Greens was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:57:14: Start date of It's Greens was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:57:14: Effectiveness of It's Greens was set to Can't tell.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Ashwagandha was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Ashwagandha was set to 670.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Ashwagandha was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Ashwagandha was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: DHEA was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of DHEA was set to 5.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of DHEA was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of DHEA was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Maca was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Maca was set to 750.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Maca was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Maca was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Vitamin D3 was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Vitamin D3 was set to 2000.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Vitamin D3 was set to 4.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Vitamin D3 was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Rhodiola was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Rhodiola was set to 500.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Rhodiola was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Rhodiola was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Pregnenolone was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Pregnenolone was set to 10.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Pregnenolone was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Pregnenolone was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Thyro-Gold was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Thyro-Gold was set to 300.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Thyro-Gold was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Thyro-Gold was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Relora was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Relora was set to 250.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Relora was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Relora was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Vitamin C was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Vitamin C was set to 5000.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Vitamin C was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Vitamin C was set to 2016-09-01.
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2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of It's Vital Minerals was set to 2.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of It's Vital Minerals was set to 6.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of It's Vital Minerals was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: It's Vital Core Nutrition was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of It's Vital Core Nutrition was set to 3.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of It's Vital Core Nutrition was set to 6.
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2016-09-01 13:54:33: Gelatin was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Gelatin was set to 1.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Gelatin was set to 7.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Gelatin was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Magnesium Oil was added.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose quantity of Magnesium Oil was set to 5.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Dose unit of Magnesium Oil was set to 5.
2016-09-01 13:54:33: Start date of Magnesium Oil was set to 2016-09-01.
2016-09-01 13:45:37: Description was set to This stack was created to encourage thyroid health, recover adrenal glands and balance hormones, therefore, facilitating weight loss..


text:
Destructoid review: MadWorld
Posted 13 years ago by Jonathan Holmes
When I was 19, my two favorite comic books were Sin City and Hellboy, and my three favorite movies were Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, Dolemite (link NSFW), and Escape from New York. Knowing that, just imagine how amazed I was last year when I heard that Platinum Games was making a game that looks exactly like Sin City; stars a guy who looks like a perfect cross between Sin City's Marv, Hellboy's Hellboy, and Evil Dead's Ash; and has a story that is almost exactly like Escape from New York. If, at age 19, I had the power to make any videogame I wanted, that game would have been MadWorld.
It wouldn't be until I actually played the game that I realized how much Dolemite-style ridiculousness MadWorld has, too, but I'll get to that later.
Now, at age 32, I still love stuff like Sin City and Evil Dead, but that kind of over-the-top action/comedy/horror isn't my favorite thing in the world anymore. I need at least a little substance to make me happy now, not just great art design and bloody chainsaw duels.
Is MadWorld a game that is only suitable for 19-year-old me, or is this a game that 32-year-old me can get into as well? More importantly, what about you? Is this game worth your time, or even worth buying a Wii for?
MadWorld (Wii)
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Sega
As a huge fan of Clover/Platinum's two other beat-'em-ups, Viewtiful Joe and God Hand, I was initially pretty disappointed with MadWorld. It was only after playing it for about a half hour that I figured out that MadWorld isn't a beat-'em-up; it's a "kill-'em-up." Not judging it against prior beat-'em-ups really went a long way towards helping me appreciate the game. It was also at about the half-hour mark that the game went from being "sort of weird" to "totally batshit insane," which also did a lot to win me over.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
MadWorld is a game about a man trapped in a city filled with killers, forced to compete in a televised murder-sport called "DeathWatch TV." Like in Escape from New York, the game takes place in a city that is being held hostage by criminals and maniacs, and like in the Japanese classic film Battle Royale, the only one allowed out of the city is the game's winner (i.e., the last person left alive). While in the midst of this life-or-death struggle, Jack (the game's lead) will meet many willing contestants, as well defenseless citizens who were forced into the games when their city was transformed into a giant cage filled with predators hungry for death and money.
The game's scenario vacillates between being 24-level serious, action movie cool, and completely zany and madcap. One minute Jack will be talking about government conspiracies and the true meaning of evil, and the next he'll be loading a rollerblade-clad Grim Reaper onto a catapult and launching him headlong into the moon, resulting in a big, bloody splat. The game follows its own sort of dream-like logic from beginning to end, leaving the player constantly unsure of what to expect. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say that everyone from Star Wars fans to BioShock devotees will find something to like in MadWorld. It really feels like the guys at Platinum just took everything they ever liked in any movie, game, or comic, and tried to stick it all in one place.
Thanks im part to the consistent art direction, these many deviations from normalcy never come off as out of place. MadWorld's black-and-white look is probably its most distinguishing characteristic, and it's also something that the game couldn't function without. After playing it for a few minutes, you'll likely forget that the game is mostly devoid of color, just as most people who watch The Simpsons quickly forget that they're watching yellow-skinned freaks with no eyebrows as they begin to accept the world's unique rules as the new normal. But just because you get used to the game's stunning look doesn't mean it isn't always actively involved with the MadWorld experience. The game's art direction, and truly amazing character designs, do most of the heavy lifting in providing MadWorld with its one-of-a-kind atmosphere, as well as help excuse the many ridiculous (and ridiculously violent) events that take place therein
Quick digression: did you know that Monty Python and the Holy Grail is rated PG, despite the fact that it features the slow, deliberate cleaving of a man's limbs from his body, loads of penis, spanking, and oral sex talk, and a bunny that bites people's heads off? If that kind of stuff was in a game, there is no question that it would get slapped with an M, or maybe even an AO rating. I bring this up because the violence in MadWorld is only a hair more "serious" than that found in Holy Grail. In fact, a case could even be made for MadWorld being more harmless, as Monty Python and the Holy Grail features real human beings in those violent situations, while MadWorld only features pseudo-drawings of human beings getting murdered, and in super-unrealistic black and white, no less. My point is that if you've been turned off to MadWorld because of how violent it looks, I suggest you play it first before you pass judgment. The violence in the game is almost as tame as the mass murders that Mario commits against turtles in his titles. It's honestly not a game that I would be worried about showing to children, no more than I would be worried about showing them an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon.
Letting kids listen to profusely profane sound-scape of MadWorld is a different story. The music is mostly hip-hop, with lyrics written specifically for the game, which means a whole lot of talk about Jack being a chainsaw-wielding maniac. Louder and more attention-grabbing are the game's two comedic "announcers," voiced by Greg Proops (Whose Line is it Anyway?) and John DiMaggio (Futurama, Gears of War). With the music and the sportscaster-style comedy, the game really feels like some MTV reality show of the future, where instead of seeing people compete for prizes by eating bugs and voting each other off, they fight to the death with chainsaws and kill each other off.
It's all extremely well done … technically speaking. The music is fresh and original, and Proops and DiMaggio are both convincing and likable in their roles. The problems comes from all the stupid, sometimes abrasive stuff they actually say. For the most part, the catchy hooks really grew on me, but only after I started to block out the lyrics (which feature such deep thoughts as "Ya'll ready to fly? Y'all ready to die?" and "I play the hottest shit with a nine strapped to my hip"). The commentary is a different story. So much of it just wasn't funny to me at all. I don't want to even start getting into why; this is a game review, after all, not a comedy critique. Still, you should know that in my experience, MadWorld the game and MadWorld the soundtrack are two undeniably connected, but very different, creative entities — and just because you like one doesn't mean you'll like the other. Luckily, you can turn off the commentary and soundtrack whenever you want, so if the game's sound doesn't work for you, it's easily silenced.
Okay, enough about that; let's talk about gameplay. Despite the Wii's relatively small array of face buttons, MadWorld provides the player with quite a few attacks, more so than you'd get in many fighting games. Most of Jack's basic attacks are done with a simple press of the A button, but as you progress through the game, you'll need to rely more and more on the motion-controlled chainsaw moves. You can also juggle opponents, dash attack them, clear them out with a massive backhand, or dodge with a shake of the Nunchuk and then quickly counter-attack with a tap of the A button. It takes a little while to learn what all the moves do and what they're good for, but actually pulling them off takes very little practice. Learning the more complicated combos and how to actually use them, that's something else.
Remember how I said that the first half hour of MadWorld was sort of a letdown? Well, most of that has to do with the fact that in the first area of the game, the "city" levels, most of the enemies are complete pushovers. It seems like Platinum thought that starting MadWorld by permitting players to learn to kill at their leisure would help ease them into this very strange game, and for the most part, they were right. I'm glad the game isn't too hard at first, especially since almost none of the skills I've acquired over my years of gaming apply to MadWorld. Not only does MadWorld control like no other game on the market, it requires you to think like no other game on the market. This isn't a game about fighting, it's a game about killing; and not just for survival. It's a game about killing for the entertainment of others.
The trick to MadWorld is that you can't progress further into the game until you've racked up enough points, and you only get big points by getting creative. You can kill as many guys as you want, but they'll just respawn. Kill a guy with a simple chainsaw attack, and you'll get something like 1,000 points, and two more guys will take his place. Slam a barrel over a guy, jam three street signs into his head, then throw him into a meat grinder, and you'll get five to ten times as many points, and will maybe get to progress to the next part of the level. Pulling off these more complicated kills involves quick thinking, knowledge of your environment, control over your character, and the ability to maneuver around the enemies surrounding you without getting killed yourself.
Jack can't block, and he doesn't take damage all that well either, so if you do let your enemies get to you, you will die. This goes double for your encounters with the game's many bosses and mid-bosses (twenty in total), who can often kill you in one or two hits. I found the game's mid-bosses to be especially lethal, as they tend to attack you while you're with regular enemies at the same time. Remember that Grim Reaper on roller blades I was telling you about? Well, if you get grabbed by a regular enemy while he's around, he'll come up and decapitate you in one hit, Dr. Salvador-style. Events like that will quickly teach you that no matter how well you think you're doing in MadWorld, letting your guard down for even a second can mean instant death.
On the lighter side are the game's "Bloodbath Challenges" hosted by the extremely Dolemite-esque pimp "Black Baron," who is brutally murdered before every event. These are simplified, gimmicky murder games that are generally easier than the rest of the levels, and are played mostly for points. Examples include running over as many aliens with a motorcycle as you can in three minutes, using a golf club to knock zombie heads into hovering targets, and tossing ninjas onto giant, spiked billboards of "sexy ladies." These diversions, as well as the game's occasional platforming elements, are all generally well done, and do a lot to both mix things up and lighten the mood.
Sadly, the Bloodbath Challenges are also a part of the game's weakest element: its multiplayer mode. Basically, all the mode offers is a chance to play Bloodbath Challenges against another person via split-screen. It's a fine start, but most of the challenges just aren't fun enough to warrant playing outside of the context of the main game. Actually, the most fun thing about MadWorld's multiplayer is that it gives you the opportunity to try all your hard-learned killing techniques out on your friends, and vice versa. You don't get points for ignoring the challenge in favor of fighting your friends, but it sure is nice to have the option. In the end, though, it really is a double-edged sword. Giving us just a taste of how cool a full-on versus mode and/or a co-op campaign mode would be just makes MadWorld's multiplayer seem even more lame by comparison.
The only other real complaint I have about the game is the difficulty progression. When it comes to the game's main levels, Platinum did a great job at forcing me to gradually improve my skills and learn new strategies in order to progress. The same can't be said for the game's boss battles. The first nine bosses require an ever-increasing level of mastery to defeat, but from there, the remaining four bosses are way too easy. They are still really cool (especially for God Hand fans who are looking for a reference or two), but considering all the skills you've learned by that time in the game, these guys needed to be tougher.
MadWorld is also a little on the short side. The in-game timer told me I beat the game in four hours, but being the paranoid jerk that I am, I actually timed my play-through of the game on a separate clock. From start to finish, I was done in just over seven hours. The game only records and tallies the time it takes you to start and finish a level; it doesn't record time spent watching cinemas, or any times you played the game and didn't complete that level (due to death or reset). Seven hours isn't terrible, but it's not great.
There is stuff you can only get after you win the game, like two new weapons, as well as "hard mode." This actually does a lot to prolong the experience, but only if you really enjoyed playing MadWorld in the first place like I did. After beating the game once, I went back immediately to try out the new weapons and take on hard mode, which led to at least an hour of additional play before turning the game off and starting this review. There are also a series of level specific "Deathwatch Challenges" I've yet to successfully complete, most of which involve killing tough mid-bosses in really difficult ways, or finding hidden stuff in the environment and using it to murder people. That's nice and all, but even if these bonuses were absent, I'd still be playing MadWorld again, just to try to beat my high score and re-experience all the awesome boss fights.
I give the game an…
Score: 8.5 — Great (8s are impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.)
Anthony Burch
Here is my main problem with MadWorld: it's only four hours long, yet it still manages to get repetitive. I absolutely adore the fluid controls (Jack's chainsaw is almost as fun as Travis Touchdown's beam katana), and I really dig the idea of a combo-centric beat-'em-up, but MadWorld simply doesn't show the player enough new or interesting things to justify even its incredibly meager running time.
In the first few levels of the game, I got most of my points by jamming signs through people's heads, then shoving barrels on top of them, then impaling them on a wall of spikes. In the last few levels of the game, I got most of my points by jamming signs through people's heads, then shoving barrels on top of them, then throwing them into an active jet engine. For a game whose premise relies primarily on finding new and inventive ways to combo-kill baddies, MadWorld's environments are bizarrely unimaginative most of the time. Don't get me wrong — it's insanely fun to chainsaw and meat-grind your way through the first few levels, but after less than an hour of play one finds it difficult not to wonder, "…Wait, this is IT?" Each level has one or two little kill areas that stand out amongst the crowd (the bumpers in the Vegas level are my personal favorite), but the vast majority of the time, the environments suggest the exact same strategy: punch a bad guy, shove poles into him, then throw him into something made of knives/spikes/fire. I've read many gamers and reviewers suggest that MadWorld is easier to swallow if you play it in very short bursts over a period of days, and this repetitive core gameplay seems to be the reason for such a widespread strategy. Granted, that's how I played the game, and I still found myself getting sick of poles and barrels and spikes by the fourth hour.
The game's best moments come in the form of the Bloodbath Challenges, which exhibit a degree of cleverness and imagination so sorely missing from the regular gameplay. You'll shake up soda bottles and force them into baddies' mouths to send them rocketing into the distance. You'll play golf using human heads. You'll perform many varied and clever activities, totally different in gameplay terms but united by MadWorld's core conceit of over-the-top ultraviolence. By the end of the game, I found myself looking forward to the Bloodbath Challenges more so than any other part of the gameplay, considering the bosses are just as easy and repetitive as the regular grunts and the story is interesting enough to pay attention to for a while, but ultimately kind of irrelevant.
Unlike Jon, though, I did quite enjoy the announcer commentary, in spite of myself. Even though Proops and DiMaggio throw out lowest-common-denominator penis and ex-wife jokes throughout literally the entire game, their delivery is so damned good that I honestly found it hard not to laugh every time DiMaggio angrily threatened to kill Proops for making a bad pun. I actually found myself turning the music and sound effects down just so I could hear more of the dick joke-filled commentary.
MadWorld is an odd beast. Its violence and core controls are remarkably pleasing on a visceral level and its sense of humor is so startlingly unpretentious that it's difficult not to admire, but its over-the-top premise is rarely exploited to its fullest potential. The Bloodbath Challenges exhibit a few brief flashes of genius and the combo-killing is fun enough to maintain interest for a couple of hours, but MadWorld frankly isn't worth the $50 asking price considering how short and repetitive it is. It's unquestionably a must-rent for any Wii owner above the age of eleven, though.
Score: 6.5 — Alright (6s may be slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.)
Overall Score: 7.5 — Good (7s are solid games that definitely have an audience. Might lack replay value, could be too short or there are some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.)
Jonathan Holmes
"Where do dreams end and reality begin? Videogames, I suppose."- Gainax, FLCL Vol. 1 "The beach, the trees, even the clouds in the sky... everything is build from little tiny pieces of stuff. Just like in a Gameboy game... a nice tight little world... and all its inhabitants... made out of little building blocks... Why can't these little pixels be the building blocks for love..? For loss... for understanding"- James Kochalka, Reinventing Everything part 1 "I wonder if James Kolchalka has played Mother 3 yet?" Jonathan Holmes
Filed under... #Destructoid Originals
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