text:
Leah Thomas joins Trek-Segafredo on two-year deal
/ Team News / By Mathew Mitchell
The American all-rounder signs with Trek-Segafredo through 2023
Leah Thomas, the winner of the Women's Tour of Scotland and Tour de Feminin, has agreed to join Trek-Segafredo on a two-year contract beginning in 2022. Thomas, 32, currently rides for the Movistar Team and has ridden for Bigla Pro Cycling Team and UnitedHealthcare.
She is particularly strong in time trials and has claimed victories at the Chrono des Nations and Pan-American Championships. In road races, Thomas has demonstrated that she is a dependable domestique but also loves to race aggressively when given a chance, something that aligns well with the Trek-Segafredo ethos.
Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images
Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Head Sport Director: "We spoke with Leah in the past, but last year we had already finished our planning for the roster, so there wasn't any room for her. Leah has proven over the last couple of years that she is a solid teammate who takes her chances in small breaks and by herself is a strong time-triallist. For us, knowing that Ruth (Winder) was planning to retire, we tried to find a similar rider who could step into her shoes. With Leah, we know that she is a reliable worker for her leaders and is good at taking the opportunities which come her way. I think she will be a great addition to the team."
Lauretta Hanson and Leah Thomas during the 2021 Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs. (Photo by Bas Czerwinski/Getty Images)
Leah Thomas: "I'm really excited to race with Trek-Segafredo in the next two years because I feel like they approach every race with a plan, and I think they race cohesively as a team, all-in, with the goal of getting a top result. Their attacking style of bike racing suits me as a rider and plays to my strengths. I'm also really excited to have good equipment.
"My goals for the next two years are to continue to learn and hone my strengths. Right now, I think I'm beneficial to a team in a variety of races and race situations, and I want to continue to be that all-around style of athlete.
"However, at the same time, I want to home-in to really find where my strengths lie and what part of bike racing I excel in. I also really want to return to a focus on time trials and stage racing, and I think Trek-Segafredo will provide me with those opportunities. I'm excited to race with a team that really has shown to work together to get that top result."


text:
Home	Action	DVD New Kids Turbo
ActionComedy
DVD New Kids Turbo
Genres: Action | Comedy
Director: Steffen Haars, Flip Van der Kuil
Writers: Steffen Haars, Flip Van der Kuil
Stars: Huub Smit, Tim Haars, Wesley van Gaalen
Five friends from 'Maaskantje' are being fired because of the economic crisis. They decide not to pay for anything anymore. They're stealing beer and food, while the police tries to end their efforts. Unfortunately, the retarded cop from Maaskantje is unable to stop the five friends so the minister of defense decides to send help…. Written by Hardhill
Plot Keywords: economic crisis, written and directed by cast member
Release Date: 9 December 2010 (Netherlands)
Budget: €1,500,000 (estimated)
New Kids Turbo
DVD Madame X
DVD In-peul-loo-eon-seu
DVD Dear God No!
DVD Boy Toy
DVD Laughing to the Bank with Brian Hooks
DVD Benvenuti a Fuocofatuo
DVD I soliti idioti: Il film
DVD Loufa kai parallagi: Seirines sti steria
DVD Paradise Stop
Just went to see it and I have to admit, the movie exceeded expectations tremendously. Having seen the sketches in before (and liking them a lot) I was really concerned that transforming this to a feature length movie would not work. I stand corrected.
The story is quite thin, but that's not bad. The five main characters all loose their job on the same day and then decide not to pay for anything at all any more. With the rest of the country following their example the economy collapses. The government tries to put them in prison for it (but fails horribly) resulting in what the guys do best, putting up some sketch and making the whole audience laugh.
There's one very bad point in the movie. (This is where the spoiler comes). It's the part where Reinout Oerlemans "walks in", declaring that the budget for the movie is spent and the cast just have to tell you the story. They really should not have done that.
Apart from that, just sit back and enjoy the ride. Oh, and if you don't like the "New Kids" sketches on youtube, don't bother. You won't like the movie. If you're not familiar with those, find some especially the one with "the red one (die rooie)" and then decide. If you like them, go see it.
I've just seen New Kids Turbo in the cinema, and I'm not disappointed. The same humor is used as in the Sketches, and the storyline is worked out great. If you're a fan of New Kids you're also gonna like it. Everything is played very well, and you really get sucked into the movie, and I guess the whole cinema thought the same. Everyone was laughing all the time, and the humor in the movie isn't made for 'stupid' people. There are a lot of smart jokes, and great plot twists that make everything more enjoyable. (btw, sorry for my bad English, but come on.. It's a Dutch movie, nobody from other countries is gonna watch this)
To understand a part of this movie you have to know a little history. I went to school in the 90's in Eindhoven, a city near the place were the movie takes place. In that time a lot of people dressed as the people in the movie, drove the Sita scooters and drive around in Opel brand cars pretending to be the tough guys. Those people were called Johnny and Anita's. Sneakers, sport clothing and the haircuts you see in the movie were all over the place. Those were great times as we laughed a lot at their stupidity and general behavior.
So basically the writers/actors use that background and show us that kind of attitude and fashion is still alive in Maaskantje (the town were everything takes place). The actors behave like the Johnny's and Anita's back then, talking with an accent commonly used in that region. They are rebels, aggressive and lazy.
The story itself is about all of them losing their jobs and when the bills get too much and they also lose their social security money, they decide no longer to pay their bills. Of course it gets them into trouble and their aggressive behavior gets them even more deeply into trouble, up to the point were the authorities have to step in…
The movie looks good in all. Some stuff is funnier then other parts of the movie. Some cameo-appearances of (in)famous Dutch people. The actors are well know for their short video's from earlier New Kids and the Pulp Show and a lot of things will seem familiar looking at them and the movie.
I had a great laugh, it's an entertaining movie but don't have great expectations watching it. Over 1 million people went to the cinema to see this movie and it's a big hit in Germany too. The German translation is hilarious since the real actors dubbed it, not stopped by their lack of speaking German! It is no wonder this movie scores big time in Germany after movies like 'Manta Manta' and 'Manta the movie'…
ps don't watch this movie if you are a cop!
This movie is all about laughter. And it definitely provides. I'm not even that big of a fan of the sketches but really enjoyed the movie. The acting isn't all that good, but you can just see the guys enjoying the part they play, which is a good thing in my opinion.
The jokes are about the same as the ones in the sketches, but in the end better because they are part of a story. The story itself isn't that bad actually, it's not just making jokes and creating a story around it in order to be able to tell those jokes, the story itself keeps you focused as well.
This movie is probably most fun if you know who some Dutch guest appearances are like comedians Hans Teeuwen (the guy who fires Rikkert) and Theo Maassen (the guy in the bar), K-1 fighter Peter Aerts and singer Jody Bernal. But even if you don't know them: go and watch this movie with some friends I know for sure that you and your friends will have an excellent night!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Anime of 2016
I know I rail a lot on anime these days. What can I say, moe just isn't for me. And I don't watch as much as I used to: heck, I've gone years without watching anything new. That said, 2016 was actually a big change.
Starting in 2015, with the first season of Ushio & Tora and Blood Blockade Battlefront, I began to see a slight change in what was being put out. I had only sought those shows out of curiosity and found myself pleasantly surprised. Sure, there were still plenty of interchangeable moe shows and nihilistic psychological ramblers to go around in 2015, but the change continued into 2016 where I have watched more new anime series in one year than I have in easily a decade. I also watched more anime than I did TV shows or movies, though that is mostly do to Hollywood's continual failing to entertain instead of proselytize.
So what changed in the anime world? I wonder. Apparently the industry has started to reach out again to those it had begun to alienate. For an example of what I mean let me list for you some of the series that came out this year that ended up impressing me a great deal. If you haven't seen these, and they seem like your kinda thing, then go track them down on Crunchyroll or Funimation's site. I promise that they are as good as they look.
This isn't a ranking, but in general release date order. So keep that in mind when reading these.
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Length: 12 episodes
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Erased started 2016 off remarkably strong. What starts as a standard supernatural story of turning back time Groundhog Day style ends up being something much different. Satoru Fujinuma is dissatisfied with modern life and ends up detached from the world. This has happened ever since a murder occurred in his small town neighborhood when he was a boy. He finds he has the involuntary ability to time travel a few minutes back in time in order to prevent something bad from happening. It's up to his quick thinking to figure out the bad thing that is going to happen and how to fix it in time.
What ends up happening is that his ability kicks in at the absolute worst moment of his life, and he is thrown back deep in time to when he was a boy. Now he has to figure out why he was sent back. Hmm, did anyone remember me mentioning that murder that happened when he was a boy? Maybe that's why he was sent there? Or maybe not.
But, of course, there's a lot more going on than he first thought.
My only gripe will be a quick spoiler, so you may want to skip this paragraph. *SPOILER*The killer ends up not being much of a surprise since we didn't spend enough time with all the suspects to really gauge who they are. *SPOILER* It takes away from the mystery element a bit, but in this case its Satoru and the other characters' journey that makes this show so good.
Erased ends up being a series about redemption and second chances, and the ending is easily one of the best I've seen in a long time. Every character's choices are examined and reflected on, and the time travel element shows more sides than you would first think. It's really no wonder this was a huge hit, it was more than earned. If you're a fan of thrillers then this is right up your alley.
Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
Studio: Studio DEEN
Rakugo is a strange bird. It's based on a ten volume manga (the anime covers the first five, the second season will cover the rest) based on a recently released convict named Yotaro. A former member of the Yakuza, Yotaro instead decides to devote his life to pursuing the art of Rakugo, which is a traditional comedic form of Japanese storytelling. He strikes up an apprenticeship with Yakumo Yuurakutei, a master storyteller from a bygone age in order to learn the craft. He then learns there is more to this tradition than meets the eye.
What makes the series work is the focus on storytelling and its power to affect lives and inspire. This part of the series focuses mainly on the past of Yakumo and how he got to be so good at what he does. Its a bit hard to go into detail without spoilers, so I'll spare them. Needless to say, its relaxed pacing really sells it as both a drama and a piece of a larger story. The subdued nature of the series sells also Rakugo as an art form.
Of course, most Rakugo performances last an hour, so every episode of the series also lasts an hour to compensate. While this adds to the atmosphere, and to the story, it unfortunately means some, like myself, haven't finished it up yet. It takes a good amount of spare time to set aside to watch one episode. That makes it engrossing as a story, but some will find it off-putting.
There's a good chance you probably haven't heard of this show, and that's a shame. There hasn't been much written about it. Rakugo is easily one of the best of 2016.
Studio: BONES
Streaming: Funimation
Alright, I'm not gonna spend too much time on this one. You already know that it's my favorite current running manga--I mean I'm writing reviews on every volume that comes out--so I'm not going to bore you with repeating myself.
Long story short is that BONES, the original author, Kohei Horikoshi, and anime writer, Yousuke Kuroda (writer of the Trigun anime and a ton of great shows) have put out one of the best superhero shows there has ever been. It's bursting with energy and hope. Listen to the track from the soundtrack posted above and you'll understand. My Hero Academia is a show about heroism, the fight against evil, the push to reach new heights, and that transcendent quality that pushes a man to fight the ever encroaching darkness of an imperfect world.
The only fault is really that there are currently only 13 episodes. Season 2 starts in April 2017 and covers material that will dwarf what season 1 offered in quality, and there is an OVA (made for video) episode not yet released, but it doesn't change the fact that season 1 was much too brief. Some might have written it off already. But that's a shame. Forget any shonen series you've ever seen: this is one of the best.
I suspect if I do this next year, season 2 will be listed here. There really isn't much else to say. My Hero Academia is a must-watch.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable
Studio: David Productions
Genre: Action Comedy
This is a franchise that is love it or hate it. I personally like it, but it's hard to recommend. It's incredibly silly and over the top, but it doesn't wink at the audience or think its above what it is. It's a genuine action comedy and embraces what it is, and that's what saves it. The first three parts of the series were basically a Gothic Horror action series, a jet-setting fantasy adventure, and a globe-spanning episodic fighting show, respectively. Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 4, is about a small town which harbors a super powered serial killer and the hunt our heroes go to find them. It's part slice of life and part mystery.
The series stars normal teenager, Josuke Higashikata, as he puts the pieces together (literally!) on this mystery while his town becomes flooded with super-powered freaks disrupting his quiet life. There are carryovers from previous parts in the franchise, but they aren't necessary to understand to enjoy this one. You can watch this completely standalone to see if the franchise is for you.
The only real problem is that sometimes the violence can get overly graphic in uncomfortable ways, though it is at least usually used to establish villains as evil. Just be wary if you're squeamish. The silliness might not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you can engage and wrap your head around what is going on, you'll find an extremely fun series. The action sequences and fights are some of the best you'll probably ever see on television. Every piece is effectively used.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's ongoing manga is still running, though the original timeline is six parts long and finished, so there is still material to adapt after this. However, if you only were to watch one part, I recommend this as both the best starting point and overall best part on an execution level. Just make sure it's your cup of tea before you dive in.
Ushio & Tora Season 2
Studio: MAPPA / VOLN
Length: 39 total episodes (13 in season 2)
Genre: Action Fantasy
Another show I've gone on about, Ushio & Tora aired its second season this year after a break at the end of 2015, and it only got better this year. See that video above? The entire remaining 13 episodes are like that. Ending off the story with one of the best climactic battles in recent memory, Ushio & Tora cemented itself as one of my favorites.
What makes the series work so well is its age. Ushio & Tora ran as a manga in weekly serialization between 1990 and 1996 which means it came along before modern unbreakable cliches were set in stone. This means Ushio is more of a naive ignorant kid instead of overwhelmingly stupid, and Tora has a reason for his anger beyond the surface level "tough guy" stereotype. The plot is allowed to spin out and expand and doesn't get locked down to stagnant stories of school troubles or characters that exist only to try to hook a bigger audience. It isn't restricted by the where the industry is now.
What Ushio & Tora does is remind you of how different manga and anime storytelling was before the '00s, and, in my opinion, how much more potential it offered before it was dumped. Satoshi Nishimura (director of the Trigun anime) knows how to tell a story, and keeps everything that made that era so different than what we have nowadays. Watch it for that if nothing else.
It also helps that the series is really good at what it does. You won't see anything like it being made in the industry now.
However, the early episodes tend to turn some off because they're seemingly episodic. I say "seemingly", because they're actually not. Every encounter ends up adding to a story where every piece matters. Some might also be turned off because of it being old. But hey, if you don't like old stuff, I can't imagine why you'd be reading this blog. Tradition exists because it works.
Genre: Supernatural Action
From the author of One Punch Man (one of 2015's best anime series) comes Mob Psycho 100, about a normal boy with psychic powers who fights restless spirits and psychics. Mob, the main character, is a good kid who wants to do the right thing, and only wants to be normal. But if his psychic abilities are pushed too far . . .
Another series I haven't gotten around to finishing, Mob Psycho 100 is as bizarre with its animation as its character designs. ONE, the author, has this strange habit of creating an over the top premise that he treats lightly, yet never disrespects or subverts. One Punch Man was about a superhero who could effortlessly beat anyone with a single punch, yet ONE never once disrespects the concept of heroes or belittles his characters (except those who are not honorable or attempting good) in his story, and Mob Psycho 100 is exactly the same with the supernatural here.
This clash of old school sensibilities and modern indie art is what makes ONE the good writer that he is. Mob's journey as an extremely powerful psychic might have plenty of jokes, but it is never taken as something to be mocked. That is a rarity in the modern world, and yet, this is his appeal as a writer and artist.
Honestly, the only people who might hate this are those who hate the art style. It isn't as good as One Punch Man since that's drawn by a different artist, but this is very underground and gritty, and BONES' animation suits the style perfectly. Still, that might not be your thing at the end of the day.
But you will probably not see another series like this for a long time.
Studio: J.C. Staff / Egg Firm
From one show about a psychic to another, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. is about a boy who has extraordinary psychic powers which should make the world simple for him, and yet he hates everything about his life. His powers are over the top and overpowered, his classmates, family, and friends constantly bother him with their insane quirks, and he can't quite reign his powers in. Only his parents know the truth of his abilities, but that doesn't stop some crazy stuff from happening. Saiki tries to lead a normal life while holding back his powers, staying out of the spotlight, and avoiding the crazy schemes his family and friends try to rope him into.
I'll be honest, this show is incredibly stupid. And that's why it's so funny. You just never know what direction the comedy will go in next. The show works by taking a situation with normal comedic potential (school, shopping, work, vacations, days off) and adds Saiki's incredible powers into the mix which ends up blowing every situation up to insane levels. Most anime comedy leaves me flat these days, being about obscure otaku references, boring visual gags, or "anti-humor", but Saiki always keeps me laughing by sticking to its guns of keeping true to the comedy and the characters.
What helps it work is that even though Saiki is incredibly cranky and irritable, he still clearly loves his family and friends and will help them out . . . even when they do something really stupid. It would be very easy to make this a misanthropic show, but its wacky humor and over the top situations, as well puncturing cliches with so many pinpricks that they become total Swiss Cheese, make it a delight to sit down and watch week to week. Comedy is a very subjective thing, I get it, but I haven't laughed this hard at anime comedy in a long time.
It isn't perfect. There are some dirty jokes (not as many as most anime, mind) which go against the grain of the show, though Saiki always points them out as unacceptable and they are treated as such. One of the characters is a major pervert, but his schemes always backfire, and Saiki is usually the one to deal him damage in return. Also, each episode is actually 5 shorts pasted into a single episode. This makes them really fast (I recommend watching in English since the voice actors don't have to talk so fast to deliver certain lines) and therefore might be hard for some to digest while reading subtitles.
But it's still a funny show. Thankfully, season 2 is coming next year, so hopefully it will pick up in popularity. It really deserves it.
Studio: Production I.G.
Length: 25 episodes (season 2), 10 episodes (season 3)
Genre: Sports Drama
Alright, so this is an odd inclusion. Season 2 started in 2015, but finished at the beginning of 2016, while season 3 ran at the end of this year. So I'll just count it here as a whole since it book-ended 2016 so perfectly.
Haikyu!! is a sports series about high school volleyball players striving to be the best and bring back the former reputation of their rural school. The characters all have different quirks, but they all strive for the same goal. Watching them coalesce as a team is a treat. The first season set up all the characters and showed how they grew, but season 2 upped the stakes and put more on the line. Season 3 was even better, leading to an ending that has me wanting even more. And this is after 60 total episodes so far.
The show has some phenomenal animation and music, as well as voice actors that know their characters inside out, but there's always been something appealing about sports series where teams grow both in ability and camaraderie that always gets to me. I suppose there's a reason this show is so obscenely popular in Japan (and growing in popularity here), and that probably has to do with how well executed it is. There have been a lot of sports series out there (my personal favorite is Slam Dunk) but this is one of the few that manages to hit all the marks, even if you don't care for the sport. Haikyu!! is great at what is does. You'll be on the edge of your seat at the end of every episode.
Of course sometimes events can feel dragged out due to how much can happen in one game, and there isn't as much downtime drama between games as I'd like at times, but that's really nitpicking. Unless you absolutely hate sports as a concept, I can't see you not enjoying this on some level. It really does get better as it goes, just like the characters.
It's all about perseverance, really.
Next year has a few shows that interest me, but I can't see 2017 hitting the mark like 2016 did. Blood Blockade Battlefront and My Hero Academia's second seasons are high on my "To Watch" list, and One Punch Man, Full Metal Panic, and Saiki's new seasons should also prove fruitful whenever they run. Heck, maybe we'll finally get season 2 of Tiger & Bunny! I just don't think 2017 will quite hit the heights of this year.
That said, I know there are a lot of old school anime fans who gave up in recent years. I can't really blame them. Around the mid-00s things changed in the industry so abruptly that most ex-fans still aren't even aware of the reason they stopped watching. It just sort of happened.
But there are some gems buried in the stuff you don't like, and they've become far more pronounced than they have been in near a decade. Ignore the endless light novel adaptions, and check out the shows on my list. If there isn't a single show on there that interests you then I don't know what else to do. Maybe we just don't have matching tastes.
Still, things are changing. The growing realization that the industry needs to cater to the larger fanbase lead to a year that had more to offer an old school fan like me than I've seen in years. If you like the weird storytelling Japan offered through anime and manga years ago then there is stuff out there for you. Hey, there's stuff I didn't even list that I'm sure is more up your alley than mine. Point is, there are options now.
Hopefully that will only improve in the years to come.
Posted by JD Cowan at 11:24 AM 2 comments:
Labels: anime, storytelling, television, themes
The Most Apt Title Ever ~ A review of "Murphy's Law of Vampires" by Declan Finn
Before this last year I hadn't read too many modern authors. The reasons for that is fairly obvious to anyone familiar with the modern climate for fiction. Pointlessness, perversity, and prevailing sickness, reigns supreme . . . and are all thought of as cardinal virtues that heroes should revel in. This climate is why I began looking into older authors and books and finding what I was looking for.
What has surprised me is the amount of authors I've seen recently that have gone against the grain.
Take Declan Finn, for instance. He's an author as fearless with his stories as he is with genres. He writes comedy thrillers, speculative swatting, and horror romance tales, all with the same energy and spirit as one would take a torch to a vampire. And there isn't a lick of subversion to be found in any of them.
I already reviewed the first book in his Dragon nominated Love at First Bite series, Honor At Stake, so how does the second installment live up to the original?
Murphy's Law of Vampires starts the second after Honor At Stake ends, dealing with the aftermath of the previous book. This sets the narrative in place, avoiding that annoying trope of trilogies where the second book is superfluous and is merely treading water to the final book. It makes sure you're caught up right away. Mr. Finn does not beat around the bush.
The main characters, Marco and Amanda, are a strange pair. One is a vampire, and the other is a monster. This dichotomy makes them as different as they are the same. It makes their interactions and burgeoning romance far more interesting to watch than when things blow up. And that's saying a lot coming from me.
Coming off of the first book, Amanda and Marco are still struggling. They have inner demons that push at their passions and feelings. This would be utterly dull in a modern novel, but not here. Their battles against their vices, the interior war, is just as compelling as the outer skirmish.
And that skirmish? Well, let's just say the title is what it is for a reason.
One of this series' strongest attributes is its ability to add enough development and introspection to the main characters without dragging the story of navel gazing. Not only are the characters always active, but the pace never really settles down. Gears are always turning, even in the low key moments. Both Amanda and Marco learn a lot about themselves and their relationship through this story, leading to an ending that had me frustrated-- in a good way.
Stories with no genre boundaries are fascinating to me in proving the universality of certain truths, particularly in love and heroism. The Love at First Bite series effortlessly combines romance, horror, thriller, fantasy, comedy, and science fiction, in a way that feels organic and exciting. They are all one and the same, just as they were always meant to be.
But most importantly: it's fun. If you are looking for something a bit different than stale vampire fiction and perverted romance stories where there's more sex than plot then you should really check out the Love at First Bite series. There is nothing like it out there.
Now the wait for book 3 begins.
Posted by JD Cowan at 12:08 AM No comments:
Labels: book, fantasy, fun, review
Signal Boost ~ Brian Niemeier's "The Secret Kings"
The third book in Brian Niemeier's Soul Cycle saga is out today!
The description is as follows:
"The god of the Void is free. Aided by a Night Gen fleet, Shaiel's fanatical Lawbringers spread his Will throughout the Middle Stratum and beyond.
Teg Cross, whose mercenary career took him to hell and back, finds the old world replaced by a new order on the brink of total war. A fateful meeting with a friend from his past sets him on a crusade to defy Shaiel's rule.
Meanwhile, Nakvin strives to muster a last-ditch resistance in Avalon. But can worldly kings and queens stand against divine wrath?"
For those of us who have read the first two books . . . well, let's just say this sounds very appetizing!
If you're interested in this series then please read my reviews of Book I and Book II to see if they are up your alley. Long story short, think Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, if they were all one interchangeable genre, with anime, JRPG, and classic genre fiction influences. If any of that sounds like your bag then the Soul Cycle series might just be for you.
2016 has been one strange ride for anyone paying attention, and it still isn't quite over yet. Something tells me this book should be quite the way to end it.
Also, if you haven't checked it out, my first book was recently released. Its a story about a boy who discovers a hidden power from another world, and fights to save his hometown from encroaching darkness.
You can check out Knights of the End here.
Here's hoping 2017 will bring just as many pleasant surprises as this year has.
Posted by JD Cowan at 10:24 AM 1 comment:
Labels: books, Knights of the End, promotion, superversive
Fists (and Blades!) Against Darkness!
Growing up in the 8 and 16-bit era of video games, I've seen my fair share of changes to the industry. We've gone from 2D pixel art to polygons, video game music to orchestral faux-movie soundtracks, and experimental level design to scripted corridors, and many more things have changed on top of those. The industry now has little in common with where it began.
However there is one genre of video games that have fallen off the map nearly entirely, relegated to download titles. This is the only genre where "professional" reviewers berate releases for not "modernizing" and getting with the recent zeitgeist and abandoning everything that made them great in the first place.
The genre I'm talking about is the Beat 'Em Up.
In the 1980s the arcades were king. Where else could you get together with a bunch of friends, goof off on some silly simplistic games, then go catch the newest Bill Murray or Spielberg film? The arcade is a fairly dead concept now, derided by modern critics as outdated and overly simplistic, and every genre birthed in those old cabinets has been either buried or declared irrelevant by those in charge of the industry.
Beat 'Em Up video games are simple. You have an attack button, a jump button, and that's usually it. Gameplay is centered around characters traversing imaginatively designed locations while beating the stuffing out of any enemy stupid enough to get in your way. These games are usually very short, but long on excitement and replayability. Classics of the genre include Double Dragon, Golden Axe, the Streets of Rage trilogy, Final Fight, The Simpsons, X-Men, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games by Konami, Aliens Vs. Predator, The Punisher, the Dungeons & Dragons Mystara games, and River City Ransom. If you've ever touched a joystick or d-pad before 1999 there is very little chance you didn't play most of these.
But this post isn't about them. It's about the ones lost in the mists of time. You see, because the genre was birthed in the arcades, which are dead, many great games were left in the dust and forgotten over the years. This, combined with an industry that has largely abandoned its roots in favor of mindless "progress", has left these classics forgotten and abandoned and left in a warehouse somewhere in Portland. But that doesn't mean I can't talk about them here.
Besides that, who doesn't want to play a part in an action movie, pulp novel, or thriller? People who hate fun. Who else could it be?
Here are ten Beat 'Em Ups you (probably) never played, and really should:
1) Undercover Cops
Play as three street sweepers as they rid the city of crime! It's sort of post-apocalyptic in a Fist of the North Star way, but the background hardly matters. The level design in this game is impeccable, from dodging sand crawling enemies and mines to escaping a collapsing construction site, every situation in this game is dynamic. Not to mention the moves. Grabs, pummels, special moves, context sensitive inputs, jumping attacks, this game really goes all out.
Irem made this as their only entry in the genre, and I have to say, it really doesn't show. It was made with a care in the design you rarely saw at the time, and it still stands out now as a top entry in the genre. The only downside is that nobody has ever heard of it.
Unfortunately, the best version of this game is not the most easily available version. The standard North American version features less moves than the original and a weaker soundtrack. To play it at its fullest you must either play the Japanese version, the World version, or the extremely rare Alpha Renewal version which includes everything in the original as well as an English translation. But it's well worth seeking out.
2) Metamorphic Force
Ever wanted to play as a werewolf and tear monsters and demons apart? Well here's your chance. Metamorphic Force takes the Beat 'Em Up template and adds transformations and an old school pulp feel to its surroundings. The game is fast-paced and as brutal as Konami's other entries in the genre, but the intensity and aesthetic were nailed so hard here that it's hard to imagine why it isn't well known. This is their Sunset Riders for the Beat 'Em Up genre.
My controversial take is that this is Konami's second best entry in the genre. Yes, even above the X-Men, The Simpsons, and TMNT games. The controls and level design are just so much tighter that it never gets old to play. What's their best Beat 'Em Up? That would be the next game on this list.
The North American version has a few faults not in other versions (listed in the video itself!) but it doesn't really matter which you play. They're all available in English and they all rock.
3) Crime Fighters 2: Vendetta
This is the most '80s Beat 'Em Up ever. And it is glorious. You play as a gang trying to stop another gang who kidnapped your protegee with nothing but your fists and anything you find lying on the ground. Protect the city by beating the stuffing out of anything in your way. Beat 'Em Up 101 taken to its delicious logical extreme. This game has a gonzo sense of humor, a four player mode, and some of the craziest bosses this side of Cannon Films.
It's actually quite amazing how well a game as clearly dated as this has aged as well as it has. The weapons are zany and extremely powerful with detailed sprites, the music sounds like its straight out of an old Chuck Norris movie, the controls are simplistic (there isn't even a jump button) and yet allow for some advanced maneuvers, and the game offers just enough enemy, weapon, and level, variety to keep it fresh. I liked this game when I was younger, but my opinion on it only improves with time.
Vendetta is available in so many versions and alternate territory releases that it doesn't matter which one you play. However, it has never been re-released, and that is the real shame of it. Throw in the fact that Konami is the one behind this, and you have yourself a problem in trying to play it today. But it is worth the hunt. The genre hardly ever gets better than Vendetta.
4) Battle Circuit
Capcom was the biggest name in Beat 'Em Ups, and this was their last entry in the genre, released back in 1997. Its wacky retro golden age of science fiction take is the perfect aesthetic to close off the 2D arcade era, especially considering how heavily Beat 'Em Ups relate to old pulp and action movies. But the gameplay is as expansive as ever, adding to the plethora of moves, crafty enemies and level design that Capcom throws at the player here.
You can unlock and purchase new moves between stages, all of which vary between characters. You can play as a wisecracking space alien plant. You chase down an evil scientist that blows up about as often as large objects in Michael Bay films do. For Capcom's swansong to the genre it doesn't get much better than this.
It's only a shame few people got to play it. Battle Circuit has never been ported, and Capcom has rarely acknowledged its existence since its release. But people are missing out: It's really one of the best in the genre.
5) Violent Storm
The last Beat 'Em Up made by Konami is a heck of a doozy. Everything they learned from TMNT, Metamorphic Force, and the Crime Fighters games is in Violent Storm. You play a warrior in a nebulous post-apocalyptic yet utopian world where your girl is stolen and you have to fight to get her back. It's very Double Dragon, but with Konami's wacky sense of humor and early '90s sensibilities. It also makes a good place for the genre to come full circle.
At first glance this game doesn't seem as in depth as Vendetta (the game made just before it), and it probably doesn't reach the same spread of ideas, but Violent Storm's differences are about how subtle the changes are. There is a lot of influence from Final Fight in the basic controls and set up, but where it changes it up is in the variety of moves you can preform, the main characters, the stage variety, the off-kilter humor, the enemy types, and the insane bosses. It was clearly made by the creators of the first two Crime Fighters games, and it is only a shame they never made another one after this. But it makes for an end to a fascinating trilogy of Beat 'Em Ups.
Unfortunately, this is a game made by Konami in their classic period of the late 80s and early 90s. Like most arcade games from the era, this means that it has never been re-released, and since this is Konami, probably won't be. But if you can find an arcade cabinet, give it a go. That first stage theme music pretty much says it all.
6) Sengoku 3
SNK is one of the best arcade game developers. Great in fighting games, puzzle games, and shooters, they seemed to have it all. But they never made a great Beat 'Em Up. Every attempt they made at the genre was thoroughly mediocre, unable to touch either Capcom or Konami's attempts in the genre. That is, until Sengoku 3.
The first two Sengoku games are bland post-apocalyptic Beat 'Em Ups with some interesting character designs and art ideas, but with abysmal stages and stiff controls. Sengoku 3 is entirely different. You now play as magic ninjas fighting demons using a wide variety of moves at your disposal and multiple ways to play through the excellently designed levels. SNK might not have been very good at the genre, but this is not only an exception, it is one of the best Beat 'Em Ups you'll ever play. And it was released in 2001 by a defunct team called Noise Factory which means it is also no holdover from the 1980s or '90s.
Being the most modern arcade game on this list (and yet still over 15 years old), it should stand to reason that it is the easiest game to find. Well, it is available on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console service, but has otherwise been left obscure. If you can find an SNK arcade cabinet with this game included consider yourself lucky.
*Side Note: Noise Factory developed another Beat 'Em Up called Gaia Crusaders. If you can find it it is well worth the trouble. They only made two in the genre but they are both great.
7) Double Dragon Advance
Everyone knows about Double Dragon, but no one knows about this game. This remake of the original Double Dragon takes everything that worked in the arcade and NES games, and the sequels, and throws them in a blender to make the best game in the series. It is essentially the best of the old school and new school in one overlooked game.
Technos made the original Double Dragon way back in the '80s and ended up changing arcade games in the process. However, despite closing down in the '90s, the team who made this game put everything into it to show how the genre expanded since the original game's release. You have running moves, pummel moves throw moves, combos, weapons, jumping attacks, crouch attacks, and the best level design the series has ever seen. It adds so much but never loses what made the original game a classic in the first place. As a tribute to the pioneers of the genre, it is impeccable.
This game was released on the Game Boy Advance. That should speak to how common it is to find. It has not been re-released as of yet on any modern system or service, and it is hard to imagine if it ever will. But if you have a system that can play GBA games, this an essential addition to your library. Although if you have any love of retro games, the GBA is one of the best anyway.
*Side Note: Technos' last arcade Beat 'Em Up before closing was Shadow Force: a super hard game where you have four attack buttons and play as magical ninjas. This game is next to impossible to find, but well worth seeking out.
8) Rushing Beat Shura
This is the most tragic game on this list. You see, this was actually released over here. The Rushing Beat series was released on the SNES throughout the 1990s, all with changed names and edits. The first was titled Rival Turf, the second was called Brawl Brothers, and the third was called The Peacekeepers. Rushing Beat Shura is the original Japanese version of the third entry.
There are branching paths, multiple endings, wide enemy varieties to fight, and a cyber-punk/near future story to keep you invested in what is going on. For a console release in the genre, this game is pretty packed. Boredom is tough in this game since it is different every time you play it with multiple characters (including unlockables) that change the way it is played. It's only a shame this has never been re-released in the decades that followed.
Don't bother with the North American version. The aesthetics have been peeled off, the music is gone, and the translation is incomprehensible. If you don't want to seek the Japanese version of Shura down, then I suggest sticking with the North American version of the second game: Brawl Brothers. It is the least changed of the three, and even includes the original Japanese version in the game which can be unlocked with a code if you so desire.
9) Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder
Like with Double Dragon you might be confused as to why this is here. Surely everyone has played Golden Axe? Well, nobody played this game. This is the second arcade entry in the series, and the most overlooked. It was never ported to anything, and Sega has all but forgotten its existence. But it is also not only the best game in the series, but one of the best in the genre.
The amount of enemies on the screen adds to the sword and sorcery carnage you'll be thrown into, the characters all have a wide spread in how you play as them, and the series has never looked this good. The chaos adds so much to the affair. If you have any love for the series, or the genre, then you owe yourself a playthrough of this one. The level design is the most inventive in the series, adding vertical scrolling and branching paths which changes the game up every time you play it. The Golden Axe series never surpassed this game.
As I said before, Revenge of Death Adder has never been re-released. Not even for the ailing Sega Saturn system. The original arcade game and the Genesis series has been ported to every collection Sega has put out, but this entry remains elusive. It is a mystery as to why.
10) Night Slashers
Last, but not least, how about a supernatural horror Beat 'Em Up? Night Slashers is what would happen if Darkstalkers was a Beat 'Em Up instead of a fighting game. You play as vampire hunters as they track down and slay evil in a set up that could only have existed in the 1980s. What other decade could you incinerate a vampire at dawn only minutes after piledriving a zombie into concrete? Yes, it's one of those games.
There's nothing particularly new in Night Slashers, but it has so much style and panache that you can't help but like it. You fight every horror movie staple monster you can think of and send them back to Hell as violently as possible. Your arsenal includes crosses, charms, and giant metal arms, depending on who you play as, not to mention insane wrestling grapple moves, running attacks and specials, and tag team moves when playing with a friend. Its basically Monster Squad: the Game for the adult set.
Again, like most of the entries on this list, Night Slashers has never been re-released, which is a shame. It's one of Data East's best games, but is still stranded in the arcade. If you can find a cabinet out in the wild then be sure to give it a go. One odd change is that the last hit of Christopher's combo in the Japanese version is a crucifix, while in the North American version it is a crystal ball. It was obviously done to avoid controversy (Because a crucifix obliterating evil is bad or something) but it is a pretty silly change nonetheless.
All in all, Beat 'Em Ups are a great and oft-overlooked classic gaming genre. There's really nothing like them out there, especially these days. Who doesn't like mowing down bad guys with a loved one (or three!) at your side? Unfortunately, with the loss of classic gaming compilations and ports, it looks unlikely that we'll be seeing re-releases or revivals of any of these games any time soon. The game industry just doesn't have that segment focused on preserving its past.
However, that doesn't stop gamers from seeking these classics out on their own. The '80s and '90s were a golden age for arcade games and have scores of gems waited to be uncovered. Whatever you do, don't miss out on them. You'll be missing out on some good times if you do.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a werewolf to DDT.
Labels: action, arcade, list, video games
Available Here!
So you might be wondering where exactly this whole thing came from? It certainly just didn't drop out of thin air. A strange concept like this has its roots in the particularly over-watered plant that is my brain.
It started when I decided to take part in NaNoWriMo 2014. I'd been writing for a few years but couldn't make much progress in what I wanted to do. In October as I thought about what to do next I suddenly thought about the stories I liked growing up. The climate is much different now when it comes to not only YA books, but for comics, manga, and television.
Knights of the End started as a throwback. I just wanted to write the type of story that 13 year old me would have swallowed up-- a story of action, adventure, and magic, with a heavy dose of fun. I wrote the entire story in less than a month without an outline by the seat of my pants. It was probably the most difficult and yet easy thing I've written so far.
When I was a kid I watched a lot of cartoons and read a lot of comics. I read books too, but those only really fueled my imagination when I was older.
Fantasy has always been my wheelhouse. It's always been the most fascinating genre to me, but I've never been enthused by the Tolkien aping that went on while I was growing up. Much as The Hobbit was my favorite book as a boy, I never felt compelled to rewrite it. I enjoyed the wonder of new places and situations, the magic hidden just out of sight in the corners of our world, and the fierce loyalty and courage of warriors who stood against the darkness. That was where my inspiration lies.
Knights came together from all my inspirations to make the sort of story I'd always imagined should have existed somewhere. But of course that doesn't mean it would be simple. The first draft came easy, but ironing it out took significantly longer.
I spent 2015 ironing out the story and writing backstory, even planning out sequels (still no outlines), while simultaneously writing other stories (I'm pretty sure those have all been scrapped) before 2016 came around. That was when I learned to edit properly, and began to click in my head how to write with focus.
And now it's out.
Knights is important to me not just as a book, but because it helped me understand so much about writing. You see, there is no library where I live. There are no writing groups or courses I can take. It was basically about learning from books and the good advice I got from others that I managed to finish this at all. I'd written stories before but Knights is the one that got me on track.
While finishing up Knights of the End I've also begun several other projects building on what I've learned here. So if you liked it and want more, rest assured that what comes next will be even better!
And leave a review! That's the best way I can know where I succeeded and how to build on it in the future.
Labels: book, explanation, Knights of the End, update
It's out!
Finally, after much waiting on my end, I'm proud to announce that Knights of the End is finally out.
You can purchase it on Kindle here. Paperback version should hopefully not be far behind.
I plan on doing a more in depth post next week on where much of the story and ideas come from. For now, just check out the book!
Buy Knights of the End here!
Labels: book, Knights of the End, superversive, update
Still waiting!
I had a feeling there would be a bit of a delay. Knights of the End might be out tonight or tomorrow.
Until then, here's a completely original post.
Have you ever had a book or author ruined for you by school? If so, this might be the post for you.
When I was in Elementary school, we performed MacBeth* for our school. Naturally, it wasn't the full play--some speeches were edited, and some lines were trimmed--but we still performed the play. We wore the best costumes we could, used toy swords and cardboard shields, and generally did the best we could.
It went over great. Both the younger kids as well as the older ones loved it. We were just a bunch of goofy kids having fun with a story we really loved.
The group of us went on two perform two more plays into high school (Hamlet, and Romeo & Juliet) before the adults got into a disagreement and we all lost touch with each other. We got better and better, but we stopped before we could really hit a peak. It was a waste, but what are you gonna do? That's life.
MacBeth is one of the best stories ever written. It has war, betrayal, magic, and a hopeful ending that leads to brighter days. That's not usually what I hear when someone brings the story up, but then Shakespeare has been used as a front for all sorts of political and social causes he would realistically have nothing to do with. As a kid, MacBeth was merely an extension of all the things I liked as a boy, and has stuck with my through the years.
I should make it a point that in the years since I have taken some classes on Shakespeare. This extended past high school when my play days were over. He also came up in some random English classes.
But none of them managed to capture what it was that attracted me to the story in the first place.
Studying the language is nice, as is the history (I quite enjoy the Ignatius Critical Editions which do both), but it's the story itself that makes MacBeth so good. A pair of friends come back from war, and are approached by witches who try to make a deal with them. One is tempted by power and glory; the other rejects the offer. Along the way there are murders, ghosts, insanity, and another war. We watch as a once good man loses himself to despair and becomes a monster, while good sprouts from his misdeeds and ends up changing the world. I never attended a class which would rather talk about this aspect of the story, unfortunately.
None of this changes the fact that Shakespeare was a great storyteller. The language is nice, as are the themes embedded in the tales, but let's not lose sight of the fact that his stories have survived the centuries is because he told tales that struck a universal chord for the Average Joe. Action, adventure, fantasy, and intrigue, are all what makes his stories sing.
If you had Shakespeare ruined for you by school, then there's little I can do to convince you. After all, it took me years to get back into reading books because of how I had crap like Catcher in the Rye shoved down my throat. But Shakespeare is different.
Just watch the play. Watch a movie. Read the play (with language notes), and say some lines out loud. MacBeth is one of the best fantasy stories ever told. Don't let education ruin it for you.
"So thanks to all at once and to each one,
Whom we invite to see us crown'd at Scone."
*This was also the same time Gargoyles aired their own MacBeth story. It also rocked. Shakespeare was really mindblowing for me at the time.
Labels: book, Shakespeare, storytelling, update
The Most Apt Title Ever ~ A review of "Murphy's La...


Zen Planner helps you identify students who are eligible for tests based on the minimum time at rank or a minimum number of classes attended based on rank. You can update these requirements by going to the Setup -> Programs menu and clicking on the Ranks button next to the program. From there, you can see a list of all the ranks for your program, reorder your ranks and add additional ranks.
Time At Rank - This is the minimum amount of time the student must be at this rank before they are eligible to test for the next rank.
Minimum Attendance (Min. Att.) - This is the minimum number of classes required at this rank before a student is eligible to test for the next rank.
Test Fee - This is the fee the student must pay to test for this rank. A bill for this amount is added automatically when a student is registered for a test.


Along with a flat tire, a broken bicycle chain is the most likely mechanical failure to leave you stranded by the roadside with your thumb out. Make sure you know how to repair a broken bicycle chain with this easy to follow repair guide from Simon Jackson of Cadence Performance.
A broken bicycle chain will render your bike useless but can be repaired on the road, at least sufficiently to allow you to ride home.
You will need a bicycle chain-tool which comes as part of most multi-tools, as well as a spare quick-link. It is perfectly okay, and in fact advisable, to leave the quick-link permanently fitted for the life of your chain. They can be difficult to remove by hand, so be mindful of this before connecting the chain.
Initially it will be necessary to remove any broken parts of the bicycle chain. The method described below may render your chain a little shorter than usual, especially if the chain has twisted. This can mean that the new chain length may not accommodate the larger sprockets on your bike. As a rule, therefore, it is advisable to stick to gear combinations using the smaller chainrings and sprockets if you chain ends up shorter.
If the chain has not already fallen off the bike then remove it.
With the chain removed, change the gears so that the front and rear derailleur align with the smallest chainring at the front and the smallest sprocket at the rear.
Identify the nature of the damage. Usually it will be that one of the pins has lost its hold on one of the outer plates of the chain. Less often the plate of the chain may have broken. You should also inspect the chainrings, sprockets and both derailleurs for bent teeth or misaligned parts.
Remove the broken parts of the chain by pushing out the pins adjoining the damaged parts.
With the pin-driver withdrawn, place the chain onto the hooks in the chain-tool. The hooks hold the chain so that the pin lines up with the pin-driver. Turn the lever so that the pin-driver pushes on the pin. Initially this requires significant torque, but is much easier after this point. A chain-tool with a long handle makes this easier.
Figure a. Push out the pin with the chain tool.
In order to fit the quick-link you will need to end up with each end of the chain comprising of the inner plates. To achieve this it may be necessary to remove undamaged parts of the chain. Have a think about this before you push out any pins, which cannot be refitted, and remove only the minimum number of chain parts necessary.
Figure b. Chain ready for quick-link.
Rethread the chain through the gear parts. This can be fiddly and is best done with the bike in an upright position. Begin by threading one end of the chain through the cage of the front derailleur in the direction of the rear of the bike. Pass the chain over the smallest sprocket of the rear gears and then under the sprocket. The chain then should wrap around the top jockey wheel, to the front and the lower jockey wheel to it's rear. Ensure that the broken bicycle chain is not rubbing on any part of the rear derailleur. When fitting the quick link it is best to leave the chain hanging behind the front chainring, to allow plenty of slack in the chain. If the instructions above are followed then the two ends of the chain will be positioned in the lower part of the chain.
Figure c. Diagram of the correctly fitted chain prior to being reconnected.
Connect the two ends of the chain using the quick-link by following the steps below.
Figure d. This quick-link is not yet properly connected.
To secure the quick link pull each end of the chain away from each other until it is extended to the full length of one chain link. If this cannot be done by hand, then place the chain on the front chainring and gently pedal backwards. When the quick-link has moved to the upper portion of the chain, then hold the rear brake and apply some downward force on the pedals. This will pull on the chain and engage the quick-link.
Figure e. The quick-link is securely connected.
Once again ensure that each side of the quick-link is properly engaged. Fit the chain onto the chainring and test that it runs smoothly over the sprockets and chainrings before riding.
Figure f. Chain connected and fitted to the chainring.
Can't fix your broken bicycle chain by the side of the road?
Sometimes we get mechanicals that we just can't fix ourselves by the side of the road. Yellow Jersey Bicycle Insurance includes taxi reimbursement if you have a mechanical and cant get home. THis 'break down recovery' is available on the Performance and Ultimate tier policies.
Cadence Performance are based in Crystal Palace. As well as offering top class repairs and servicing, you can join them for indoor cycling sessions, fitness testing, bike fitting and more. They are also a main dealer for award-winning Giant Bikes.


Whatever the activity, having the necessary gear is essential to doing it right and keeping it safe! Be sure grab your essentials at a discount by using the coupon codes and promotional offers posted here on this page. We regularly post the top deals from Canada's favourite sporting and outdoor outfitters.
Tent - check. Sleeping bags - check. Bug spray - check. Outdoor activities are all about the memories, but having the right gear is essential to making those memories good! Whether you're planning a portaging trip across in one of Canada's beautiful parks or taking up cycling, here at BargainMoose we want you to get all the necessary equipment without spending your life's savings. That's why we regularly post the latest Canadian coupon codes and promotional offers for savings on a wide range of gear.
Whether you're into hiking or spelunking, there's no shortage of companies that want to capitalize on your outdoor adventure. For every activity out there, there's a long list of specialized sporting brands making specialized gear that you simply must have. Knowing the difference between essential gear and non-essential gear will make a huge impact on your wallet. Be sure to research your activity and determine what products are absolute must-haves. This will especially include any gear that affects safety such as helmets, life jackets, weatherproof outerwear, etc.
One you've determined which items are essential to doing your activity right, consider spending a few extra bucks on high-quality products. High quality gear will last you longer and perform better in extreme conditions, saving you money in the long run.
Have a favourite store? Be sure to subscribe to get BargainMoose deal alerts for all the retailers you tend to shop at. We send our subscribers the latest coupon codes, sales and promotional offers as soon as they come up. With some coupon deals getting Canadian shoppers savings upwards of 50%, you won't want to miss out!


text:
Next Version of VB Dubbed 'VBx'
By Chris Kanaracus
Hot on the heels of Microsoft's MIX07 conference in Las Vegas, Visual Basic guru Paul Vick revealed this week on his blog that the company is working on a reboot of Visual Basic, dubbed at this stage "VBx" (for Visual Basic 10, which would be the next numbered version.)
"VBx is the next version of Visual Basic, not a new version of Visual Basic," Vick wrote.
Vick discussed how VBx and Visual Basic fit into Silverlight, Microsoft's new cross-platform runtime which works as a browser plug-in. At MIX07, the company revealed new capabilities and intentions for Silverlight, including the fact that it will include a version of the Common Language Runtime, as well as a Dynamic Language Runtime.
Right now you can use Visual Basic in Silverlight, but to do so you must compile the application on the desktop first, according to Vick.
Part of VBx, however, is to be a "hostable managed component" running atop the DLR, Vick wrote. That will allow Silverlight to compile VB source code on the fly -- even on browsers running on a Mac.
"The important thing to keep in mind is that there is still only one Visual Basic language but once VBx arrives you'll have more than one way of getting to it," Vick wrote. "You'll still be able to compile code into the traditional .DLL or .EXE, but you'll also have the option of compiling and running the code on the fly, within a running instance of the CLR. That's where things are likely to get interesting."
Vick says a community preview will land this year and the company will reveal more about the technology at this year's Professional Developers Conference, scheduled for October in Los Angeles.
Read more about VBx, Visual Basic and Silverlight on Vick's blog: http://www.panopticoncentral.net/.
Chris Kanaracus is the news editor of Redmond Developer News.


Of the Kitten Kind: Vegan Super Healthy Rainbow Soup By Request... Or the "Let's all get better" soup.
Vegan Super Healthy Rainbow Soup By Request... Or the "Let's all get better" soup.
I am a mega fan of soup, in case you hadn't noticed. At the end of the fortnight, I usually rummage through the fridge and throw everything that's starting to wilt in a big pot with some water, herbs, garlic, dried shittake mushrooms, soy sauce and pepper and come up with something pretty special.
In this case though, as I have not been very nice to my body lately (eating too much bread and working night shift) I decided it was time for a detox. In order to do this, generally make a soup and eat fruits and veggies for a week, cutting out all processed foods, sugars, salt, processed fats and caffeine. Trying to restore some balance.
This soup is super yummy, I must admit. I added every veggie I had in the fridge, plus more. As I was out of dried shittake mushrooms, I added nutritional yeast instead. This is a really easy soup to make. Just adapt it to what ever you have. Delicious!
Time: Ten minutes prep time and 30- 40 minutes simmering.
Feeds: I dunno... maybe 10?? Depends on how many veggies you have.
Four cups of diced pumpkin.
One head of broccoli, diced.
One bunch of kale or black cabbage, sliced (you could just use normal cabbage).
Two cups of mushrooms, sliced.
Half a cup of dry, split, yellow peas.
Half a cup of broad beans.
Two purple or blue potatoes (you could just use normal potatoes).
Two tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
Enough hot water to cover the veggies in a pot by an inch.
Throw it all in a pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for 40 minutes or so, or until the peas are good to go. Add more water if it needs it.
I added some spring onions when it was ready to serve.
Here's mine on day 2!


Finding the right candidate who has an extraordinary amount of potential can be a daunting task. If you find this to be common with almost every candidate you have interviewed, then you might consider taking a second look at your recruiting process. Recruiting the right candidate is a fine balance between art and science, but any would agree that is it mostly science.
What does your company stand for? If you cannot answer this question almost immediately and confidently, then chances are that it is making your recruitment efforts even more difficult. Think of it as shopping for a new car but not having the slightest idea of the type of features you are looking for.
What to do: Familiarize yourself with your company's culture. Understand what the company values are, what the organization values about their staff and how they play a part in running the day to day business. This will give you a solid understanding of what type of candidates to look for when recruiting.
Yes, job descriptions have changed over the years to include information that will look attractive to job seekers, but if you are over exaggerating a job description and making it look like it is more than it really is, you are setting the candidate, yourself, and your company up for failure. Having an accurate job description is key to attracting the talent that is right for that job.
What to do: Let your job descriptions work for you by being as real as possible when listing out the duties and job responsibilities. Being honest upfront will ensure that you only interview candidates who are genuinely interesting in the role you posted and allow you to avoid any surprises during the interview.
Imagine only being given an expected hiring date, title, and salary by a manager who needs to fill a role within their department. If you were to start a search for candidates based on this information alone, you could be walking into a heap of trouble. In order to make the best possible fit for your organization, you want to make sure you have clear understanding of what the manager expects out of their employees as well as the parameters of the role.
What to do: Schedule some time to sit down and talk with the manager and get more specific details on the position. Let them know that you want to ensure that you present them only the best candidates who are fit for the role and doing so requires more information. Make sure to gather enough details on the position to feel confident that you completely understand their expectations. Doing this will save time for both you and the manager.
Being able to adjust what is not working is key in your search for the next great employee. Simply being complacent in your current approach might cause you to miss out on some great candidates. Don't be afraid of making adjustments if something it not working in your current recruiting process. The job marketing is constantly changing.
Previous PostPrevious Get Rewarded With the OfficeWorks Referral Program!


Warning: Graphic language and descriptions.
Nameless…She was never named, but that does not matter, anymore.
She died this morning… alone.
In reality, the story began with a hospital visit to room 309, requested by an Apostolic saint on behalf of her sick, soul-harden husband. The shallowness of his breath indicated the shortness of his future and that frightened the man… but not quite enough. After a few words of comfort and a prayer, the missionary turned to leave.
As he walked away, he felt the tug of a pleading hand on his arm and saw two sad eyes behind the haunting touch. Softly, she said, "The girl in the broom closet… please pray for her." Silence then hung in the air as those sad eyes pointed to the end of the hall. When the missionary turned back around, no one was there.
All the doors were numbered… except the last one on the left.
There, hesitantly, the missionary knocks and waits. Silence. Unlocked. The door is unlocked. He enters. It really was a broom closet.
The closet packed the terrible smell of decaying blood.
The slender beam of light from the hall turned the darkness into dark brown as the missionary saw the narrow cot pushed up against the wall.
The tattered sheet that barely covered her was much too transparent. Every decimated bone was showing through, screaming out her pain in narrow lines.
The sheet was not enough to cover the oozing of blood and life, caking on her in a dark crimson stench. The scene was overwhelming.
Her dazed eyes slowly opened… her life was ebbing. Death was near.
Pray what kind of prayer? Healing? Pray salvation, maybe?
What's your name? What was her name? Silence cloaked her name.
The winds of eternity began permeating the closet… and hell marched in as her moans began expressing torment.
Her left hand exposed a wedding band… but there was no husband.
It was hell's bloom closet.
Alone… death is always lonely thing when hell is the destination.
The closet turned to darkness again as the missionary walked out. Through the door and his tears, he heard her last groan.
There are no heroes in hell.
Nameless… everyone is nameless in hell.
Avoid hell… find a prayer closet.


text:
Bits | I.B.M. Reports Nanotube Chip Breakthrough
I.B.M. Reports Nanotube Chip Breakthrough
By John Markoff
The face of an I.B.M. research scientist, Hongsik Park, is reflected in a wafer used to make microprocessors.Credit I.B.M. Research
SAN FRANCISCO — I.B.M. scientists are reporting progress in a chip-making technology that is likely to ensure that the basic digital switch at the heart of modern microchips will continue to shrink for more than a decade.
The advance, first described in the journal Nature Nanotechnology on Sunday, is based on carbon nanotubes — exotic molecules that have long held out promise as an alternative to silicon from which to create the tiny logic gates now used by the billions to create microprocessors and memory chips.
The I.B.M. scientists at the T.J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., have been able to pattern an array of carbon nanotubes on the surface of a silicon wafer and use them to build hybrid chips with more than 10,000 working transistors.
Against all expectations, silicon-based chips have continued to improve in speed and capacity for the last five decades. In recent years, however, there has been growing uncertainty about whether the technology would continue to improve.
A failure to increase performance would inevitably stall a growing array of industries that have fed off the falling cost of computer chips.
Chip makers have routinely doubled the number of transistors that can be etched on the surface of silicon wafers by shrinking the size of the tiny switches that store and route the ones and zeros that are processed by digital computers.
The switches are rapidly approaching dimensions that can be measured in terms of the widths of just a few atoms.
The process known as Moore's Law was named after Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel, who in 1965 noted that the industry was doubling the number of transistors it could build on a single chip at routine intervals of about two years.
To maintain that rate of progress, semiconductor engineers have had to consistently perfect a range of related manufacturing systems and materials that continue to perform at evermore Lilliputian scale.
Vials contain carbon nanotubes that have been suspended in liquid.Credit I.B.M. Research
The I.B.M. advance is significant, scientists said, because the chip-making industry has not yet found a way forward beyond the next two or three generations of silicon.
"This is terrific. I'm really excited about this," said Subhasish Mitra, an electrical engineering professor at Stanford who specializes in carbon nanotube materials.
The promise of the new materials is twofold, he said: carbon nanotubes will allow chip makers to build smaller transistors while also probably increasing the speed at which they can be turned on and off.
In recent years, while chip makers have continued to double the number of transistors on chips, their performance, measured as "clock speed," has largely stalled.
This has required the computer industry to change its designs and begin building more so-called parallel computers. Today, even smartphone microprocessors come with as many as four processors, or "cores," which are used to break up tasks so they can be processed simultaneously.
I.B.M. scientists say they believe that once they have perfected the use of carbon nanotubes — sometime after the end of this decade — it will be possible to sharply increase the speed of chips while continuing to sharply increase the number of transistors.
This year, I.B.M. researchers published a separate paper describing the speedup made possible by carbon nanotubes.
"These devices outperformed any other switches made from any other material," said Supratik Guha, director of physical sciences at I.B.M.'s Yorktown Heights research center. "We had suspected this all along, and our device physicists had simulated this, and they showed that we would see a factor of five or more performance improvement over conventional silicon devices."
Carbon nanotubes are one of three promising technologies engineers hope will be perfected in time to keep the industry on its Moore's Law pace.
Graphene is another promising material that is being explored, as well as a variant of the standard silicon transistor known as a tunneling field-effect transistor.
Dr. Guha, however, said carbon nanotube materials had more promising performance characteristics and that I.B.M. physicists and chemists had perfected a range of "tricks" to ease the manufacturing process.
Carbon nanotubes are essentially single sheets of carbon rolled into tubes. In the Nature Nanotechnology paper, the I.B.M. researchers described how they were able to place ultrasmall rectangles of the material in regular arrays by placing them in a soapy mixture to make them soluble in water. They used a process they described as "chemical self-assembly" to create patterned arrays in which nanotubes stick in some areas of the surface while leaving other areas untouched.
Perfecting the process will require a more highly purified form of the carbon nanotube material, Dr. Guha said, explaining that less pure forms are metallic and are not good semiconductors.
Dr. Guha said that in the 1940s scientists at Bell Labs had discovered ways to purify germanium, a metal in the carbon group that is chemically similar to silicon, to make the first transistors. He said he was confident that I.B.M. scientists would be able to make 99.99 percent pure carbon nanotubes in the future.
Correction: October 31, 2012
Because of an editing error, an article on Monday about an I.B.M. breakthrough on chip design defined incorrectly Moore's Law, an observation on technology advances named for Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel. Moore's Law holds that the chip industry doubles the number of transistors it can build on a single chip at routine intervals of about two years — not intervals of about 12 to 18 months.
A version of this article appears in print on 10/29/2012, on page B2 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Exotic Carbon Molecules Offer a Promising Path To Ever Smaller Chips.
One On One: Andy Greenberg, Author, "This Machine Kills Secrets"
Disruptions: You Know You Can't Live Without Apple's Latest Glass Rectangle


So a week ago I ran the Corktown 5K in Detroit. I don't think I have ever "trained through" a race more -- that being said I was quite pleased with the result. I ran 16:35 which was good enough for 1st woman overall by a wide margin. I moved through the race quite evenly and split 5:20 and 10:40, however, I think my lack of warmup strides and drills made a significant difference in how I felt at the beginning of the race. I only managed to get in an easy 5K jog before scrambling to a washroom and weaving through the thousands to the start line of the corral. Yes, when 10 000 people are racing it makes it difficult to get to there.
Off the gun it felt a bit fast but I was able to settle in beside a master and try to keep my eyes on the group ahead of me. I broke away from my little pack I was with between mile 1 and 2 as I put my head down against the gusting winds. The course did a little lollipop of downtown as it headed back toward the start. At times it felt like a wall of wind was against me and I thought Josh was going to fly by me at any moment! I tried to keep pushing and aimed to pass all the teenage boys in front of me in the last mile. Success! I caught them all and finished strong in 7th place overall. It was nice to see several other Windsorites at the finish line -- they are fun and so encouraging! We certainly had a strong contingent there. After a 10K cool down through the very crowded streets we headed home across the border.
Leading up to this race I had a heavy week of training including a Tuesday hill workout and very intense Friday session on the track. Now Friday was the highlight of my week and going into this 8:30 am workout I knew it was going to be challenging but had yet to be told any of the details for the session. After warmup Josh informed me it would be 1K repeats at 90s rest . . . until fail or until the max rep was reached. Goal pace was around 3:24. So off I went and felt really good, easily floating along and firing off 3:22 over and over and over. I was losing count -- which was probably a good thing but I kept thinking "How many more of these do I have to do? This has to be close to the last one!" But no. Around rep 14 I started to get a bit anxious, a little frustrated, and a bit heavier in the legs. I regained my focus though when I reminded myself that this is when the workout starts to count -- to make you a better runner. If the whole workout was easy what would be the point? So I pushed on and my times remained the same -- all within the 3:21-3:23 range. And then it hit me -- rep 17 was hard and I don't know if it was mental fatigue, physical fatigue, or a combination of both but all I knew was that 3:24 felt tough. Rep 18 was next and my legs and upper body were choppy and my times were all of a sudden dramatically slower. That was the end of the workout for me. 3:29 meant I had failed as Josh told me then that 3:28 was the cut off time (20 reps would have been the max.) This workout was by far my best workout of the year and even though I had failed I knew I was a better runner for it. Truthfully, if I had known beforehand that I had a workout consisting of 18x1K I'm not sure I would have been able to accomplish it.
So next up is Around the Bay 30K. I'm excited to get to the line here and be able to put forth an effort that reflects the hard work I have put in over the winter. I know I am fit right now, perhaps the fittest I have ever been, so it will be nice to race a distance that my training has been geared toward. It will be especially nice to be able to taper slightly for this race! Fingers crossed I can pull out a new pb here but we'll have to wait and see. Good luck to everyone else racing next weekend -- Spring Thaw 5K or ATB. Until next time!


Introducing Assassin's Creed III Liberation, the stunning new chapter in the Assassin's Creed saga, designed exclusively for PlayStation Vita handheld entertainment system. The year is 1765. As the events leading up to the American Revolution heat up in the north, Spanish forces plan to take control of Louisiana in the south - but they have yet to reckon with Aveline, a deadly Assassin who will use every weapon and ability in her arsenal to win freedom for her land and her people.
Whether silently eliminating her enemies with slow-motion chain kills or luring them into deadly traps, Aveline strikes mortal fear into the hearts of those who stand in her way. As an Assassin, Aveline soon finds herself on an unforgettable journey that will take her from the crowded streets of New Orleans to voodoo-haunted swamps and ancient Mayan ruins. She will play a pivotal role in the turbulent birth of a new nation as she fights for freedom, not only for herself, but for her fellow citizens.
A Cunning New Assassin - As Aveline, an Assassin of mixed French and African heritage, you must use your skill, instinct and weaponry - including a machete, poison-dart blowpipe, and duelling pistols - to hunt down and eliminate your enemies.
Experience A Lifelike World - Feast your eyes on a richly detailed world, thanks to an all-new game engine featuring groundbreaking physics, animation and a new combat system.
Designed Exclusively For PS Vita - Take full advantage of PlayStation Vita system touch pads, motion sensor and built-in camera to execute slow-motion chain kills, pickpocket unsuspecting victims and pursue your enemies in a canoe.


"Humor distorts nothing, and only false gods are laughed off their pedestals."
I am a sociable and cheerful person. I like to communicate with different people; I can be a good company! I am a kind, sincere and romantic woman. I like romance in everything. At the same time I am a purposeful person and I know what I am looking for! A smart, optimistical, not boring manFrom Canada.


Russia is divided into several types and levels of subdivisions.
Since March 18, 2014, the Russian Federation consisted of eighty-five federal subjects that are constituent members of the Federation. However, two of these federal subjects—the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol—are internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. All federal subjects are of equal federal rights in the sense that they have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Federation Council (upper house of the Federal Assembly). They do, however, differ in the degree of autonomy they enjoy.
There are 6 types of federal subjects—22 republics, 9 krais, 46 oblasts, 3 federal cities, 1 autonomous oblast, and 4 autonomous okrugs.
Autonomous okrugs are the only ones that have a peculiar status of being federal subjects in their own right, yet at the same time they are considered to be administrative divisions of other federal subjects (with Chukotka Autonomous Okrug being the only exception).
On March 18, 2014, as a part of the annexation of Crimea and following the establishment of the Republic of Crimea (an independent entity recognized only by Russia), a treaty was signed between Russia and the Republic of Crimea incorporating the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol as the constituent members of the Russian Federation. According to the Treaty, the Republic of Crimea is accepted as a federal subject with the status of a republic while the City of Sevastopol has received federal city status. Neither the Republic of Crimea nor the city of Sevastopol are politically recognized as parts of Russia by international law and most countries.
Autonomous okrugs and okrugs are intermediary units of administrative divisions, which include some of the federal subject's districts and cities/towns/urban-type settlements of federal subject significance.
Autonomous okrugs, while being under the jurisdiction of another federal subject, are still constitutionally recognized as federal subjects on their own right. Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is an exception in that it is not administratively subordinated to any other federal subject of Russia.
Okrugs are usually former autonomous okrugs that lost their federal subject status due to a merger with another federal subject.
Municipal district, a group of urban and rural settlements, often along with the inter-settlement territories. In practice, municipal districts are usually formed within the boundaries of existing administrative districts (raions).
Urban okrug, an urban settlement not incorporated into a municipal district. In practice, urban okrugs are usually formed within the boundaries of existing cities of federal subject significance.
Intra-urban territory (intra-urban municipal formation) of a federal city, a part of a federal city's territory. In Moscow, these are called municipal formations (which correspond to districts); in St. Petersburg—municipal okrugs, towns, and settlements. In Sevastopol (located on the Crimean Peninsula, which is a territory disputed between Russia and Ukraine), they are known as municipal okrugs and a town.
Territories not included as a part of municipal formations are known as inter-settlement territories.
Intra-urban district, a municipal formation within an urban okrug with intra-urban divisions. This municipal formation type would typically be established within the borders of existing city districts (i.e., the administrative divisions in some of the cities of federal subject significance).
In June 2014, Chelyabinsky Urban Okrug became the first urban okrug to implement intra-urban divisions.
All of the federal subjects are grouped into eight federal districts, each administered by an envoy appointed by the President of Russia. Federal districts' envoys serve as liaisons between the federal subjects and the federal government and are primarily responsible for overseeing the compliance of the federal subjects with the federal laws.
For economic and statistical purposes the federal subjects are grouped into twelve economic regions. Economic regions and their parts sharing common economic trends are in turn grouped into economic zones and macrozones.
In order for the Armed Forces to provide an efficient management of military units, their training, and other operational activities, the federal subjects are grouped into five military districts. Each military district operates under the command of the district headquarters, headed by the district commander, and is subordinated to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
^ "Putin signs Crimea treaty, will not seize other Ukraine regions", Reuters, 18 March 2014.
^ Государственная Дума Российской Федерации. Федеральный Закон №131-ФЗ от 6 октября 2003 г. «Об общих принципах организации местного самоуправления в Российской Федерации», в ред. Федерального Закона №243-ФЗ от 28 сентября 2010 г. (State Duma of the Russian Federation. Federal Law #131-FZ of October 6, 2003 On the General Principles of Organization of the Local Self-Government in the Russian Federation, as amended by the Federal Law #243-FZ of September 28, 2010. ).
^ Федеральный Закон №136-ФЗ от 27 мая 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в статью 26.3 Федерального Закона "Об общих принципах организации законодательных (представительных) и исполнительных органов государственной власти субъектов Российской Федерации" и Федеральный Закон "Об общих принципах организации местного самоуправления в Российской Федерации"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации http://www.pravo.gov.ru, 27 мая 2014 г. (Federal Law #136-FZ of May 27, 2014 On Amending Article 26.3 of the Federal Law "On the General Principles of Organization of Legislative (Representative) and Executive Bodies of State Power in the Subjects of the Russian Federation" and the Federal Law "On the General Principles of Organization of the Local Self-Government in the Russian Federation". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
^ Законодательное Собрание Челябинской области. Закон №706-ЗО от 10 июня 2014 г. «О статусе и границах Челябинского городского округа и внутригородских районов в его составе». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Южноуральская панорама", №87 (спецвыпуск №24), 14 июня 2014 г. (Legislative Assembly of Chelyabinsk Oblast. Law #706-ZO of June 10, 2014 On the Status and Borders of Chelyabinsky Urban Okrug and the City Districts It Comprises. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
^ Президент Российской Федерации. Указ №900 от 27 июль 1998 г. «О военно-административном делении Российской Федерации», в ред. Указа №1144 от 20 сентябрь 2010 г. Вступил в силу 27 июль 1998 г.. (President of the Russian Federation. Decree #900 of July 27, 1998 On Military Administrative Division of the Russian Federation, as amended by the Decree #1144 of September 20, 2010. Effective as of July 27, 1998.).
Законодательное Собрание города Севастополя. Закон №17-ЗС от 3 июня 2014 г. «Об установлении границ и статусе муниципальных образований в городе Севастополе». Вступил в силу через 10 дней со дня официального опубликования. (Legislative Assembly of the City of Sevastopol. Law #17-ZS of June 3, 2014 On Establishing the Borders and the Status of the Municipal Formations in the City of Sevastopol. Effective as of the day which is 10 days after the day of the official publication.).
Gorodishchensky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty-three in Volgograd Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Gorodishchensky Municipal District. It is located in the southern central part of the oblast. The area of the district is 2,450 square kilometers (950 sq mi). Its administrative center is the urban locality of Gorodishche. Population: 60,188 (2010 Census); 57,308 ; 45,982 (1989 Census). The population of Gorodishche accounts for 35.5% of the district's total population.
Kovrovsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the sixteen in Vladimir Oblast, Russia. It is located in the north of the oblast. The area of the district is 1,817 square kilometers (702 sq mi). Its administrative center is the city of Kovrov. Population: 31,477 (2010 Census); 31,148 ; 30,044 (1989 Census).
Kirovgrad is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 21,035 (2010 Census); 23,197 (2002 Census); 25,598 (1989 Census).
Guryevsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the fifteen in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Guryevsky Urban Okrug. It is located in the west of the oblast. The area of the district is 1,284 square kilometers (496 sq mi). Its administrative center is the town of Guryevsk. Population: 52,988 (2010 Census); 47,330 ; 39,148 (1989 Census). The population of Guryevsk accounts for 23.5% of the district's total population.
Kumtorkalinsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the forty-one in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. It is located in the east of the republic. The area of the district is 1,270 square kilometers (490 sq mi). Its administrative center is the rural locality of Korkmaskala. As of the 2010 Census, the total population of the district was 24,848, with the population of Korkmaskala accounting for 31.1% of that number.
Prionezhsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the fifteen in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. It is located in the southeast of the republic. The area of the district is 3,665 square kilometers (1,415 sq mi). Its administrative center is the city of Petrozavodsk. As of the 2010 Census, the total population of the district was 21,502.
Khabarovsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the seventeen in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. It consists of two unconnected segments separated by the territory of Amursky District, which are located in the southwest of the krai. The area of the district is 30,014 square kilometers (11,588 sq mi). Its administrative center is the city of Khabarovsk. Population: 85,404 (2010 Census); 90,179 (2002 Census); 85,218 (1989 Census).
Komsomolsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the seventeen in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. It is located in the southern central part of the krai. The area of the district is 25,167 square kilometers (9,717 sq mi). Its administrative center is the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Population: 29,072 (2010 Census); 31,563 (2002 Census); 33,649 (1989 Census).
Lysogorsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the thirty-eight in Saratov Oblast, Russia. It is located in the southwest of the oblast. The area of the district is 2,300 square kilometers (890 sq mi). Its administrative center is the urban locality of Lysye Gory. Population: 19,948 ; 21,260 (2002 Census); 20,797 (1989 Census). The population of Lysye Gory accounts for 36.0% of the district's total population.
Turkovsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the thirty-eight in Saratov Oblast, Russia. It is located in the northwest of the oblast. The area of the district is 1,400 square kilometers (540 sq mi). Its administrative center is the urban locality of Turki. Population: 12,834 ; 15,852 (2002 Census); 18,409 (1989 Census). The population of Turki accounts for 47.7% of the district's total population.
Yekaterinovsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the thirty-eight in Saratov Oblast, Russia. It is located in the northwest of the oblast. The area of the district is 3,000 square kilometers (1,200 sq mi). Its administrative center is the urban locality of Yekaterinovka. Population: 19,798 ; 21,576 (2002 Census); 23,649 (1989 Census). The population of Yekaterinovka accounts for 32.1% of the district's total population.
Tobolsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the twenty-two in Tyumen Oblast, Russia. Within the framework of municipal divisions, it is incorporated as Tobolsky Municipal District. It is located in the northwest of the oblast. The area of the district is 17,222 square kilometers (6,649 sq mi). Its administrative center is the town of Tobolsk. Population: 22,354 ; 23,679 (2002 Census); 29,661 (1989 Census).
Tyumensky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the twenty-two in Tyumen Oblast, Russia. Within the framework of municipal divisions, it is incorporated as Tyumensky Municipal District. It is located in the west of the oblast. The area of the district is 3,700 square kilometers (1,400 sq mi). Its administrative center is the city of Tyumen. Population: 107,175 ; 93,248 (2002 Census); 87,272 (1989 Census).
Yalutorovsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the twenty-two in Tyumen Oblast, Russia. Within the framework of municipal divisions, it is incorporated as Yalutorovsky Municipal District. It is located in the west of the oblast. The area of the district is 2,800 square kilometers (1,100 sq mi). Its administrative center is the town of Yalutorovsk. Population: 14,461 ; 15,799 (2002 Census); 16,696 (1989 Census).
Zavodoukovsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the twenty-two in Tyumen Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is a part of Zavodoukovsky Urban Okrug. It is located in the southwest of the oblast. The area of the district is 2,800 square kilometers (1,100 sq mi). Its administrative center is the town of Zavodoukovsk. Population: 21,101 ; 22,708 (2002 Census); 49,304 (1989 Census).
Muromsky District is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the sixteen in Vladimir Oblast, Russia. It is located in the east of the oblast. The area of the district is 1,050 square kilometers (410 sq mi). Its administrative center is the city of Murom. Population: 24,991 (2010 Census); 26,382 ; 29,975 (1989 Census).
Svetloyarsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty-three in Volgograd Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Svetloyarsky Municipal District. It is located in the southeast of the oblast. The area of the district is 3,390 square kilometers (1,310 sq mi). Its administrative center is the urban locality of Svetly Yar. Population: 38,355 (2010 Census); 39,384 ; 35,483 (1989 Census). The population of Svetly Yar accounts for 32.7% of the district's total population.
Malysheva is an urban locality under the administrative jurisdiction of the Town of Asbest in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 9,544 (2010 Census); 10,121 (2002 Census); 12,668 (1989 Census).
Reftinsky is an urban locality under the administrative jurisdiction of the Town of Asbest in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 16,496 (2010 Census); 17,968 (2002 Census); 17,134 (1989 Census).
Tyube is an urban locality in Kumtorkalinsky District of the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 6,496.


The air ambulance is at the scene of a serious crash which has closed the A158 near Gunby this morning, Thursday September 21.
A cement mixer has overturned on Gunby Lane. The A158 has been closed both ways between Chalk Pit Lane and A1028 Bluestone Heath Road to facilitate the air ambulance landing .
Traffic is coping well on surrounding routes.


Curious with its own, though not quite unique, but still unbanal design smartphone Elephone PX appeared on the Indigogo crowdfunding platform.
Appeared in the prototype stage - that is, the deviceas if invented, but the delivery time may not be sustained, since there are no ready-to-sell devices in nature. Nevertheless, the offer with a discount of 50% - for $ 249, is almost closed, there were enough people willing. For those who do not have time to jump into the last car, the price tag will rise to $ 299. Well, or you can order two pieces for $ 479 - also profitable.
Device chip - retractable frontthe camera, and not like the Vivo NEX, but double. The main one is also double, both 16 MP + 2 MP. The screen allows such a design to be made frameless, a diagonal of 6.34, HD + resolution, an aspect ratio of 9:19.
The smartphone looks advanced, but overall the setThe specs are not of the highest quality. The screen resolution is not particularly high, the mid-range chipset is MediaTek Helio P22. Decent memory capacity - 4 GB operational, 64 GB built-in flash. The fingerprint scanner is traditional on the back.
The set of buns includes a pulse sensor.
The smartphone will be running on Android 9.0. Estimated delivery start date is March 2019.