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Super Lawyers → Super Lawyers Articles → The General
MICHAEL I. NEIL JOINED THE MILITARY BECAUSE OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT AND BECAME COMMANDER AT CAMP PENDLETON DURING THE GULF WAR
Published in 2013 San Diego Super Lawyers MagazineBy Erik Lundegaard on June 6, 2013
Q: You were given the Daniel T. Broderick III Award for civility, professionalism and integrity by members of the San Diego Bar in 2008. Any moment since, say in some heated negotiation, when you were ready to toss civility out the window?
A: I was in the Marine Corps. If there's one thing the Marine Corps teaches you, it's discipline and restraint. But the thought occurs to you from time to time.
Q: You've tried more than 140 cases to jury verdict. Which ones remain memorable for you?
A: On the defense side, the first case in California that went to jury verdict where a psychiatrist had sexual relations with patients. This was in the early 1980s. I tried the case against Marvin Lewis from San Francisco. He was 75 years old at the time and I could not believe his stamina. He taught me a whole lot about integrity and professionalism.
Q: In what way?
A: It was the largest verdict against a psychiatrist in history in California. I was a young lawyer and deeply hurt by it. I felt my career was probably over at a young age. But Marv Lewis, when we discussed settlement and later on, was an absolute gentleman dealing with me. He went out of his way to be courteous and civil. It was comforting to know that somebody wasn't wanting to talk and act like a tyrant and hold it over me. He didn't. He was very reasonable about how we resolved the matter.
Now, on the [plaintiff's] side, I tried a case one time for a friend who was injured in an auto accident. He was riding a bike, and there was an issue of whether or not there was brain damage, and the conduct of the driver; and the insurance company would only offer me $75,000. So we went to trial in one of the few plaintiff's cases I've tried, and I hit him for over a half a million, which I thought was striking a blow for justice.
Q: So you do plaintiff's cases, too.
A: It's a good teaching point for somebody to see what it's like on the other side and to gain new insight and new respect for what plaintiff's attorneys have to go through.
Q: What insights do you gain?
A: When you lose, you don't get paid, number one. [Laughs] Number two, going first means it's extremely important to come out with your best shots. On the defense side, you can sometimes hold back. I think that the plaintiff's lawyers in their opening statements and in their opening witnesses need to do everything they can to make an impression upon the jury that's favorable. And you don't want to wait on that. You want to do it as soon as possible, start swaying their opinions and their thoughts.
Q: You're a boxer. Which feels more like boxing: plaintiff or defense?
A: Probably the defense side. Let the other guy come out swinging. I like to wait a few rounds and then wear him down; and since you're going last, you can get your good punches in after you've worn him down. That's an interesting way to analogize it.
By and large, I prefer to be on the defense side, simply because I think that the majority of the time it's the more comfortable position to be in from how you personally feel about people. I like helping people. And when people are being sued, oftentimes even when they have insurance, they feel that their own integrity and their professionalism and their own self-worth are being challenged. They need that support.
Q: So on the defense side, it's not just insurance companies?
A: Rarely ever an insurance company directly. We're always representing people that are insured. I've tried auto cases. I've tried product liability cases. I've represented many police officers. I've tried just about every type of case there is, except an aviation case. I've even tried an admiralty case. The person always feels threatened, especially where there's the threat of punitive damages, or a verdict in excess of an insurance policy limits.
I had a police officer I defended one time. We represented the city of Carlsbad. And I'll never forget: When we got the defense verdict for him, he came back to my office and he broke down crying, calling his wife to tell her they wouldn't have to sell their house because they won the case.
Q: Any of your cases flip on you? Either you thought it was going negative and it went positive, or positive and it went negative?
A: Oh, sure. There was a case one time where I was defending a doctor. I told the doctor and I told the insurance company, "We've got to settle this case. We can't win." The doctor agreed that the case should be settled. But the insurance company and a claims person who I respect very much, who's unfortunately now passed away, said, "No, Mike. You've got to try it." I said, "But John, I can't win this case." "You go down and try it. You'll do it."
Well, to show you what [my] advice is worth, I won the case. So then I had to call him up and tell him that I was wrong. Ninety percent of the time, I [know] what a good judge or jury is going to do. Any experienced plaintiff lawyer is going to tell you, there's a 10 to 15 percent [chance] when a jury just does something that nobody expects.
Q: Did you have a mentor?
A: I did. John Rhoades in our law firm. John Rhoades went on to be a federal judge. John and I lived within a mile of each other. He mentored me about how to try lawsuits. He made me a far better lawyer by making me pay attention to detail, and not to overlook the slightest fact or issue. He was probably one of the smartest men I've ever been around. He passed away about three years ago.
Q: How did you join Neil Dymott?
A: When I got back from Vietnam, I was stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. They found out I was a lawyer, so they started using me as a lawyer. And I met another lawyer who was also an infantry guy in Vietnam like me, Bill McAdam, who is now a Superior Court judge. He and I formed our own law firm. For 2 1/2 years, we did a lot of trial work. We got well-known, he was hired away, and Holt, Rhoades & Hollywood [which became Neil Dymott] offered me a job.
Q: Your father was in the military?
A: He was a sergeant major in the Marine Corps.
Q: How did the interest in the law come about?
A: I got that from my Irish mother. She always wanted me to be a lawyer. She always respected lawyers. I don't know where that came from, but she did. She said, "Mike, you've got the gift of gab. You should be a lawyer." It was ingrained in me at an early age. I'd never planned on joining the Marine Corps.
Q: What changed your mind?
A: When I was going to Cal at Berkeley, all of the anti-war activity was going on. And one night, I saw a Viet Cong movie up there that was being shown by the Young Socialist Alliance group. And the audience cheered and clapped when an American helicopter got shot down. And an American pilot, as he was climbing out of the helicopter, was shot and fell on his face in a rice paddy. The whole audience erupted in cheers and claps. The next day, I drove over to San Francisco and joined the Marine Corps. I was so upset over what was going on at Berkeley. I just felt it was time for me to step up to the plate and do my duty.
Q: So when you were promoted to brigadier general in 1989, and you thanked Mario Savio in your speech, that wasn't a joke.
A: If it hadn't been for the anti-war movement and the way it was conducted and the despicable behavior of the people involved, I may not have joined the Marine Corps.
Q: When did you ship out to Vietnam?
A: After nine months of training to be a platoon commander and an officer in Quantico, Virginia, in the coldest winter they'd had in 20 years.
Q: And in the middle of all that, you passed the bar.
A: The Marine Corps delayed my entry until I finished taking the bar in San Francisco. And as soon as I walked out of that third day of the bar exam, I stepped in my car, drove to San Diego, loaded 7-Up trucks for six weeks, then drove across country in an old Volkswagen Beetle, with no radio, by myself, to Quantico. One of the loneliest drives I've ever taken in my entire life. I sang every song I knew and recited every poem that I'd ever memorized.
Q: Do you remember any of the poems?
A: Invictus: "Out of the night that covers me/ Black as the Pit from pole to pole/ I thank whatever gods there be/ For my unconquerable soul."
It's a great poem.
Q: In Vietnam, you won the Navy Cross.
A: I would prefer that you use the term I "received" the Navy Cross. There are many, many men far more deserving than I of that award who never received it. So I wear it with humility and to honor all of my fellow Marines.
Q: What was the incident?
A: I had my platoon out. It was an area that we knew quite well. And one of my squads called me on the radio and told me he had 100 enemy soldiers cross his position in front of him. I told him to take them under fire. I got my other two squads. We linked up, and we fought them all night long. We were basically surrounded. But we stopped a rocket attack on Da Nang that night. The squad leader who initially took the 100 enemy soldiers under fire was a young corporal, 18-year-old corporal, by the name of Larry Smedley, who went on to receive the Medal of Honor.
Q: I read that, for a time, you were an aerial observer?
A: We flew in an airplane that essentially was like a World War II airplane. It was a prop-driven, overhead wing, tandem-seater aircraft. I sat behind the pilot. We controlled artillery, fixed wing strikes, worked with reconnaissance units, helped troops on the ground maneuver. When we ran out of rockets on our wings, we would drop hand-held smoke just like they did in World War I to mark positions. On more than one occasion, I fired my M16 out of the back of the airplane. It was a very unusual aircraft, but it was very durable. It could take a lot of hits.
Q: Did it feel safer than being on the ground?
A: Oh, less safe. There was no way to hide in the air. On the ground, when you're with the grunts, if somebody was shooting at you, at least you could hug the dirt and crawl away. But there, we were only doing 85 miles per hour in this aircraft. We got shot at all the time. Fortunately, the enemy wasn't that good of a shot. But, sometimes, when a .50-caliber was shooting at us, it would seem like it would be forever for us to get out of the range of the big gun.
Q: Have you been back to Vietnam?
A: I have. You can Google this story. It was in the U-T. June 14, 2009 is the date of the article: "The Vietnam vet and his long-lost friend." I found this guy who was just a kid when I left. That was quite touching.
I enjoyed the whole experience of going back. One day I just looked myself in the mirror in the hotel room [in Vietnam], and I said to myself, "It's over." Something must have been inside me that I was not aware of. A reporter asked me one time, "Do you ever think about Vietnam?" and I said, "Every day." I'm writing a book right now about my experience in Vietnam. I think for those of us that fought in that war or any war, the captivating experience of your entire life is going to be the war you were in and the men you served with and the experiences, good and bad, that you had, and your times that can never be duplicated in any other place. So there must have been something going on inside me that I wasn't aware of. [Going back to Vietnam] let the demon out, so to speak.
Q: You went back with … ?
A: Some other Marines.
Q: Had you been talking about it for a while?
A: We had. And the opportunity came and we did it. I met a former Viet Cong over there, right next to a village, who came out of a corn field. A guy about my age who walked straight up to me and shook my hand, wearing all black. I looked at him, and told him by motioning and everything that I was a Marine, and we used to fight in that nearby village. And he nodded his head back and forth, and like a ghost, he disappeared back into the corn field. Two of my Marines were standing behind me when all of this took place, and they couldn't believe it. It was like something out of a movie. Like out of Field of Dreams, you know? It was obviously somebody who, at one time, I may have shot at and he shot at me.
But I've got to tell you, Vietnam is just a transformed country. It's very capitalistic. People were very friendly.
I have to keep reminding myself that we have generations of Americans that never experienced the Vietnam War. I think it's important that Americans know about the sacrifice of so many young men who went to the first really unpopular war in modern history in the United States and fought bravely and stood up for what they believed in—despite the fact that when they were welcomed home, they were spit upon and reviled.
Q: Did any of that happen to you?
A: I'm a pretty big guy. A couple of times people said things to me, and I just let them know that they'd better keep their mouths shut. But I was fortunate to come back to San Diego, which was a pretty pro-military town. I knew a marine [who] lost a leg, and somebody told him he deserved to lose it.
Q: When did you feel this attitude changing?
A: During the Reagan administration. But it really happened during the first Persian Gulf War. In 1990, when I took over Camp Pendleton, I began to see the community come together, then the greater community, and then the whole country. T-shirts all of a sudden came out: "Support our troops." We were inundated. We passed on everything we could to the troops in the field. I'll tell you this: Because all of the cookies and everything and cakes that people donated that we'd sent them, we went to war with the highest sugar content of any Marines ever.
Q: How tough was it with your caseload when you were called to active duty and became commanding general of Camp Pendleton?
A: I left within 48 hours. I had to call all my clients. Everybody understood. I will say this, it was unbelievable, the overwhelming support. There was one person in one company that was not happy about it and did something that was not in my best interest. And he was subsequently fired for his conduct. The support in the community from attorneys on the opposing side, judges, and everything was absolutely overwhelming and heartwarming.
Let me tell you this story. When I came back from active duty, one of the first cases I had, the plaintiff's lawyer wanted to make sure that I didn't mention anything about Camp Pendleton or the fact that I was a Marine or anything else. The judge told me to make sure not to do that. And I said, "Of course, Judge, I wouldn't do that." But since I'd been on TV so much, half of the jury recognized me. "Yes, I recognize General Neil." So, I didn't have to say anything about my recent Marine Corps experience. Half of San Diego knew who I was.
Photo by: Frank Rogozienski
Michael I. Neil
Neil, Dymott, Frank, McCabe & Hudson APLC


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PH to host Volleyball Nations League in 2022
CHAMPION. USA women's volleyball claims the Olympic champion.
USA Volleyball Instagram
The Volleyball Nations League will feature 15 of the world's best squads for two weeks of international sporting action
Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Ramon "Tats" Suzara announced Tuesday, December 11, the country's hosting of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.
The Volleyball Nations League will feature 15 of the world's best squads for two weeks and will be staged in the middle of 2022.
Olympic champions France men's team and United States women's squad lead 15 nations vying in the tournament to be held in Pasay City and Quezon City respectively, on two separate dates.
"We would like to bring more world class action in volleyball dito sa Pilipinas next year as part of the four-year partnership with the FIVB, which is the international governing body for volleyball," said Suzara.
"We will have the top eight teams (men's side) in the world coming in Manila this June."
Action in the women's side kick off the two-week hostilities as USA will be joined by China, Japan, Russia, Belgium, Poland and Thailand in the competition set June 13 to 19 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The following week from June 21 to 26, it's the turn of the men's teams to hug the limelight with France facing Tokyo Olympics silver and bronze medalist Russia and Argentina, respectively, Japan, Slovenia, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Initially, only the men's matches were supposed to be held here, but with Thailand unable to host the women's event, the FIVB requested the PNVF if it could accommodate both events instead, according to Suzara.
The meet will be the biggest volleyball event to be hosted by the country since the 2005 World Grand Prix.
The men and women's national teams won't be left behind though, as exhibition matches are going to be played against some of the visiting countries before they proceed to the next leg.
"The plan now is to have exhibition matches one day after the women's tournament against Japan and Russia, and sa men's naman is to have exhibition games against Argentina or Italy and Japan also," said the PNVF president in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation (SMC), MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, Daily Tribune, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
"This will give our national players a chance to play against these world class teams dito sa Pilipinas as part of the promotion of the FIVB. Part of the timetable din ito because there's a three-day gap before they go to the next leg so it's better for them to stay here muna."
Suzara added the PNVF is also looking to have volleyball fans in the stands during both competitions, hopefully with the health condition a lot better by that time.
"We're targeting a 50% capacity, depending on the IATF and the conditions by next year," he said. – Rappler.com
Santiago, Bagunas deliver contrasting V. League results, Espejo sits out
Filipino V. League imports earn win trifecta, Espejo limited to 1 set
Bagunas, Oita exact 5-setter revenge as Espejo, Tokyo fall anew
Bagunas suffers 5-set stunner loss as Espejo gets swept to start 2022
More on international volleyball

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Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.
I have the greatest job in the world. I work with kids and help them learn and experience how loveable they are. And I work with parents and help them access their own strengths and inner beauty so that they can see the greatness in their children. I mean, it doesn't get better than that. My intention is to help everyone who walks through my door, big or small, cultivate a deep sense of love and appreciation for him or herself. This is the force that drives healing.
It sometimes feels as if we live in a world where it is not permissible to love ourselves (often mistaken as ego). That doing so takes away from our ability to show up for others. That we must not take up space in this world if we are to get by. This, however, is a fear-based way of thinking that can lead to senseless acts of hatred and violence. It can cause us to project our own self-loathing onto those in our closest environment, onto those who trigger our vulnerabilities and onto people who are different from ourselves. This is what seems to be happening in the recent race-related killings of Trayvon Martin and Kenneth Chamberlain. As I am reeling from the news of these two killings (and so much other turmoil on our planet), I'm working to step up my personal path of self-love and that on which I work to guide my clients. For me, this is the solution to atrocities such as these–preventing it by loving ourselves (and therefore each other) as fully as we can.
As a child, this sort of relationship with myself was as far from permissible as running out onto the freeway during rush hour. When I was in the first grade I had an experience that left a pretty big impact on me. It was one of those little events in your life whose residue lingers for years to come. My parents had returned from Back to School Night for my classroom. They were mortified and needed to talk to me immediately. Hanging up on the wall of my classroom were worksheets that each of us little 6 year-olds had filled out listing a number of things that we LOVE. What had struck my parents and led them to decide I needed some reprimanding was that I had chosen to write "ME" as my answer. So, I was 6 and I loved myself…was that really such a bad thing? I remember my dad, in particular, scolding me, telling me it wasn't nice to write that and that I should have written in some member of my family. Now as an adult, I have compassion for my parents and the vulnerable place they were coming from, not having had all the resources for self-love and nurturing that i have. And I think deep down, even as a 6-year old child, I knew they couldn't fully take away my ability to love myself; but I sure as heck wasn't ever going to reveal that to anyone. What a sad moment in the life of a child…the day she is taught that it's not ok to love yourself. Now it's my mission to shift this perspective and teach parents the benefits and joys of watching little people recognize their own inner greatness.
Hence, my career path and my personal path, as well. And hence, my message to you parents. Let your little one bask in his integrity and his light. Children are uninhibited little messengers of truth. When your child experiences herself as "the best" or "amazing", admire her capacity for self love. Learn from her self love! Watch him/her shine and think of all the ways that you also wanted to be seen as a child. Give yourself a great big dose of self love and let your child know he/she has permission to do the same. The world will be such a sweeter place because of it.
I often hear parents telling their "misbehaving" children to "play nice". In fact, I imagine that most of us reading have, at some point, been told to "play nice". We humans are inherently nice–to love and be loved is literally in our DNA. It is the essence of who we are. And, if allowed, this yummy, amazing, nourishing love fills every cell in our body and trickles out of every pore. What happens, though, is that we are born into society. And from the moment that we are born we are exposed to messages that we are not ok: we need to be quieter, bigger, smaller, faster, smarter, thinner, richer, more giving, less whiny, etc etc etc. We communicate this message that others are not ok because we do not feel ok in ourselves. Why would we do this to our fellow humans? Well, quite simply, because someone did it to us. So we forget this essence…we forget that we are born of love, made of love and have the potential to give and receive love fluidly and openly. That we are "nice" at our very core and that if we could be seen for our greatness and for our loving nature, it would really just pour out of us.
So the next time you feel the inclination to tell a child to "play nice", why not try something a little different. Because telling a misbehaving child to play nicely immediately shames and blames him. It misses the message his behavior may be communicating and it lets him know that he is not ok. So this time around stop trying to control him and asking him to change his behavior (which actually has a very useful function). Why not get down on your knees, spend a bit of time with him and let him know that you think he is great. That you think he is amazing and that he has so much love to give and that you would love to see him feel safe enough to share that love. Then take the time to help him feel safe, secure and loved. I guarantee you he will want to play nice with you.


I don't get it. Where are all those idiots who thought it was the END of the world after Jose Bautista's bat flip. And not a peep about what bad baseball it is when the Devil punches Jose Bautista in the face. Never mind Gregg Zaun who clearly has something against Bautista. I mean how uncivilized is it to offer Odor rewards for punching someone. Could you get any less classy. Is it just me or is it unbelievable that his sentence was REDUCED from 8 games suspension to 7. Is that not a slap to the Blue Jays' collective FACE or what??
Good news is, the Jays had a precarious but decisive (is that a contradication?) win against the Yankees and are back in 3rd place. Is there any chance that they can eek out a series win against the first place Boston Red Sox this weekend?
I've never liked Rougned Odor, but I didn't know why. Now I do. Doesn't he look like someone?
What I don't get about baseball is why it's not ok to flip a bat in the biggest moment of your career, but it's ok to shove and punch someone? At least, can we drop the bat flip discussion and talk about what a piece of crap Odor is?
So, yeah, the Jays lost, but that is not the headline of Sunday's game against the Texas Rangers. The full on brawl was. The Rangers pulled a cheesy move and had their rookie (who's been in jail by the way, for something foolish like a DUI) hit Jose Bautista in the 8th inning during his last at bat of the game, during the 7th game they've played, the last meeting of the year. The umps (same ones from the playoffs against Texas last year), issued warnings which probably fueled the fire. They should have left it alone or ejected the pitcher.
So Bautista slid into Odor without hurting him, then Odor freaks out like the freak that he is. After things settled, Chavez promptly hit Prince Fielder nice and gently in the leg. All in all, 5 Jays were ejected today. Tim Leifer (1st base coach), John Gibbons (manager), Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson (not sure why), and Jesse Chavez. Bizarre and wild game. These two teams are going to go at it for a while.


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Resorts World Casino plans huge expansion
By Patrick Donachie
Resorts World Casino hopes to break ground this fall on a massive expansion to its grounds at the Aqueduct Racetrack, including a new hotel and other amenties.
Photo by Michael Shain
Resorts World Casino New York is proposing a massive expansion to its site at the Aqueduct Racetrack that could cost anywhere between $300 million and $500 million. The expansion would include a new hotel, meeting areas and other amenities.
The project is currently in the pre-development stage, but Resorts World is hoping to break ground on the new facilities and improvements by fall of this year, a spokesman for the company said. Michael Levoff, the senior vice president of public affairs for Genting Americas, the owner of the casino property, said the new construction would lead to an eventual boon for New York's education system, which receives funds generated by casino revenue.
"This new expansion, and its corresponding increase in visitation to our facility, will result in a boost in revenue for both New York's education fund and the state's horse racing industry—while also acting as a catalyst for additional economic development in our local Queens community," he said. "Beyond providing additional revenue, this expansion will also add approximately 1,500 good-paying careers for New Yorkers and thousands of construction jobs."
The proposed expansion would take place on the west side of Resorts World Casino. The area currently includes only parking, so construction will not significantly disturb the day-to-day operations of the casino. Future amenities were also being considered, including additional hotels, an entertainment venue and more retail space.
State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said he was optimistic about the potential expansion from what he had heard and looked forward to hearing more details about the proposal.
"Whenever we look at something this large, you need to look at the details, but I immediately saw jobs," he said. He also liked the fact that the new amenities would not be solely related to casino-related activities.
"You don't have to be a gambler or a gamer. There will be a spa, more food. There's something hopefully there for everyone," he said. "It becomes a destination where Resorts World can look at a customer and instead of hours spent there, they can look at days spent there."
Resorts World opened in 2011 and is the only operating casino within the New York City limits.
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdonachie@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.
Excellence Community SchoolsEducational Associate — Elementary and Middle School (NY)


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The Art Connection
551 Tremont Street, BCA Artist Studio #205
mailto:info@theartconnection.org
www.theartconnection.org
www.facebook.com/TheArtConnection
twitter.com/artconnectionma
www.instagram.com/artconnectionma
The Art Connection is the only non-profit in the Boston metro area that enriches and empowers underserved communities by providing access to original works of visual art.
We were founded over two decades ago by philanthropist and community leader in the Boston art scene, Fay Chandler. We build bridges between local artists and social service agencies to improve tens of thousands of lives each year.
At the heart of The Art Connection is the Art Donation and Placement Program which results in permanent exhibitions of original artwork in social service spaces such as health clinics, homeless shelters, and safe houses. We actively source original works of art gifted by local artists and then facilitate a community curation process that empowers agencies to take charge of their onsite culture.
The original works of art add dimension, warmth, and provide welcome opportunities for reflection, inspiration, comfort, and hope. Over 400 of our recipient agencies have found that original artwork enlivens spaces and connects them to their constituents in profound ways. Our artist donors feel good knowing they uplift and enhance the lives of community members as they receive critical services. Thanks to their generosity over 7,000 original works of art are showcased in Greater Boston.
The Art Connection provides further engagement through educational programs and workshops that build and deepen relationships with agencies, community members, and local artists. The opportunity to experience art in these environments provides inspiration, self-expression, and creativity. The permanent exhibitions and educational programs, funded through individual and institutional donations, are designed to support community health and prosperity.
Visit us online at www.theartconnection.org to find out more.


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Yngve Holen
Launch of Hater Head
21 February – 23 March 2013
Installation view
Yngve Holen / Hater Head, 2013 / 3D printed in Titanium using DMLS (EOS Direct Metal Laser Sintering) / dimensions variable
"You don't even know how to hold a screwdriver." "Yeah, but did you know that the oldest screw-shaped technical device was the Archimedian Screw, which was invented during the 7TH century BC to regulate the water supply in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? This most mysterious of the Seven Wonders of the World was a present from King Nebukadnezar II to his wife Amytis. Mostly famous for his ferocious cruelty, the King also destroyed Jerusalem and captured the Jewish people to be the prisoners of Babylon."
"You're an asshole."
"It's tough, right? This screw here looks mean and nasty, like a know it all. A biter without a mouth. A screw is just a simple object. A tiny piece of metal. But in the hands of a person who knows how to use it, it turns into a machine. Imagine sitting on an airplane, looking out the window at the surface of the wing, you see this one flat headed screw, holding the entire airplane together. It looks back at you amused, like a smi- ley face, because in that very moment the little thing is so much more powerful than you."
"It turns and turns, only around itself."
"Well, the connection provided by the screw is not permanent, it can always be undone. If you want it. If you hold the key. Hater Head is a se- curity screw, there is only one tool that fits, like a lock. It works itself into the wood, cutting its own negative space into the material, creating the mating thread that holds it."
We go to McPaper, It's the first copy shop in Germany that has installed 3D-printers, there's hardly anyone in the store. We make our own security screw here, just like Apple, just like every- one else. It feels right. Like typing the correct number code to enter your WLAN network. As opposed to all processes, that take away material like cutting, drilling or sculpting, 3D-Printing has the advantage of not making waste of left-over material. It's not about peeling anything out of any- thing else anymore, there is only addition. When it's done, there is nothing except the product. And a little bit of reusable powder.
"Did you know that they can print edible meat now?"
"But not at McPaper! LOL." —Timo Feldhaus
Press release download (PDF, 856.78 KB)


Learning the main recipes of Salento is a funny and simple way to learn about the Italian language, and extracurricular courses are a unique opportunity to understand and investigate the real aspects of everyday life and the culinary tradition of our territory.
The cooking classes are held by chef Gianna Greco, professional chef and owner of the school, in the kitchen of Cooking Experience, in the baroque heart of the city Lecce.
Lessons are held in Italian, with a little English aid only if necessary.
In each lesson you will learn how to cook a full Salentino menu, using local, seasonal ingredients. At the end of each lesson we will dine together with the prepared local food and wine pairings.
During the course you will learn and practice some of the most traditional and important Salento recipes, also giving space to Italian cuisine that provide the preparation of pizza, fresh egg-pasta and other hands-on preparations, even at request of students!
All recipes will be sent via email at the end of all lessons.
To the cooking classes you can also combine complementary recommended and very educational activities, such as fishing tourism, extra virgin olive oil tasting and winery tours, offered by Cooking Experience.
Schedules and number of lessons will be determined in advance, in accordance with the students or with the reference Italian school.
Schools that want to establish a partnership with our school, will be eligible for discounts and incentives.


The Happy Meal is apparently a "Crappy Deal" for those amongst us who can't get by a single day without making a super-sized fuss over… something.
For starters, several Democrat lawmakers in Michigan want to force McDick's to stop offering "gender-specific toys" to children in their Happy Meals.
Lest you think the Great Lake State may have more important things to worry about like closing auto plants and that Detroit is rapidly becoming the go-to Mecca in the U.S. for illegal FGM procedures, the wording of the resolution makes it clear this is a pressing matter.
Who knew that going to a burger joint could be so debilitating for a child's development?
Meanwhile in Quebec, the McMisery continues. Antonio Bramante, a father of three, is suing McDonald's for illegally promoting Happy Meals to children, alleging the company is breaking laws that ban most advertising to those under 13.
So, for those in the lunatic fringe, it looks like Happy Meals are really Misery Meals.
This "pile" of anti Happy Meal toys would fertilize a very substantially sized field! Those who want gender neutral toys in a kid's meal can always take their business elsewhere and leave the normal folks to enjoy what McDonald's offers.
Where is Nicholas to defend a companies right to do as it pleases? LMAO! The hypocrite will stay silent now.
People need to be told to mind their own damn effing business.
Next they will be telling them to include identifiable LGBQTXYZ toys in the happy meals, and McChunders will capitulate.
Politicizing the Happy Meal is for low IQ individuals as seen by Democrat lawmakers!
- Leftists are only happy when they're miserable & making everyone else miserable as well.


Rainfinity technology originated from a research project at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Advanced Defense Research Project Agency (DARPA). The name of the original research project was RAIN, which stands for Reliable Matrix of Independent Nodes. The goal of the RAIN project was to identify key software building blocks to create reliable distributed applications using available hardware.
1. The most general shared model is assumed. There is no shared storage accessible from all computing nodes. The only way for computing nodes to share state is to communicate over a network. This differentiates RAIN technology from existing cluster back-end server solutions such as SUNcluster, HP MC Serviceguard, or Microsoft Cluster Server.
2. Distributed application is not an isolated system. Distributed protocols interact closely with existing network protocols so that a RAIN cluster can interact with the environment. Specifically, technology modules were created to handle large-volume, network-based transactions. This differentiates it from traditional distributed computing projects such as Beowulf.
In summary, the RAIN project intended to marry distributed computing with network protocols. It became clear that RAIN technology was very suitable for Internet applications. During the RAIN project, key components were built to meet this vision. He presented himself and granted a patent for RAIN technology. Rainfinity was separated from Caltech in 1998, and the company has exclusive intellectual property rights over RAIN technology. After the formation of the company, RAIN technology has been further increased and additional patents have been submitted.


text:
What is Dystopia 23 The Razors Edge?
Survival in a big brother-esque urban jungle utilising the tremendous skills of yourself and your team, boosted by human enhancement technologies in order to overcome evil, psychopathic megacorporations, organised crime, terrorism and corrupt governments.
Two hundred years in the future… a monolithic economic collapse… mass worldwide poverty and corruption… malevolent mega corporations… an epic struggle for survival… are you ready to walk the Razor's Edge.
Dystopia 23 is a role-playing game, no not one of those stupid ones and zeros computer role-playing games, a real one where you use dice and meet together with your friends. Rather than playing Xbox or sitting on your arse watching TV you get to leave your house (adventurous) and overthrow belligerent megacorporations while dealing death to the deserving mongrels who succour leech suck
You play a small team of freelancers: specialists who make their living by doing jobs, which are often of questionable legality, for clients who are often unidentified. Dystopia 23 is about survival in a big brother-esque urban jungle utilising the tremendous skills of yourself and your team, boosted by human enhancement technologies in order to overcome evil, psychopathic megacorporations, organised crime, terrorism and corrupt governments. Characters may be highly skilled hackers or covert operatives, they might be con artists, vehicle specialists, or masters of war. Some are boosted by cybernetic or biological implants which enhance their capabilities beyond normal human standards. There are countless types of opportunities in the tough modern world of the 23rd century. You may be involved in rescuing hostages, breaking into corporate facilities to sabotage or steal information, covertly shadowing targets to find out what they are up to, wiping out gangbangers, mobsters or corporate kill teams… The possibilities are endless. The modern world is a dangerous place, an economic collapse in the early part of the 21st century led to the breakdown of governments, mass worldwide poverty and corruption and the rise of the malevolent mega corporations. Only the strong survive when they walk the razor's edge.
Furious Games
Dystopia 23 the Razors Edge, Dystopia 23 and Furious Games—and all products related thereto—are all trademark and copyright 2003-2017 © properties of Furious Games Ltd, Address, New Zealand. All rights reserved.
Two hundred years in the future… a monolithic economic collapse… mass worldwide poverty and corruption… malevolent mega corporations… an epic struggle for survival… are you ready to walk the Razor's Edge?
I have gazed into the ones and zeros of the Nexus. The inescapable beauty of the digital beast. But life exists in the spaces between.
How will I be remembered? Did I build great edifices reaching to the sky? Did I feed the hungry and lay tyranny down low? All of these are dreams in the star scape. I brought the sword and nothing more.
In the effervescent glow of the Nexus I have seen the past, present and future unfold before my eyes.
"Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators… A graphic representation of data abstracted from banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding…"
― William Gibson, Neuromancer
He looked across the blistered skyline through a cloud of fog. Out there was the worst that humanity had to offer: vicious gangers, malevolent syndicate men and the worst of all, grinning mega-corpers who would burn you alive and sell your children into slavery just to cut the next deal.
"Alice in Wonderland, Alice down the rabbit hole, Alice out in Cyberspace, flung along the lines of data, flying across fields of light, the night cities that live only behind her eyes."
― Melissa Scott, Trouble and Her Friends
The world has lied. It is full of destitute promises. The American dream has become a nightmare.
"The Machinery of Justice will not serve you here – it is slow and cold, and it is theirs, hardware and soft."
Things I Should Have Learned by Now, Volume II
― Richard K. Morgan
When you draw a line in the silicone sand you have to pick a side.
"The more technologically advanced the human species got, the more isolated they seemed to become… humans could spend entire lifetimes engaged in all kinds of activities, without getting any closer to knowing who they really were, inside."
― Jess C. Scott, The Other Side of Life
I don't have enough bullets to slay the world. But I have enough to give everyone in this room a prolonged dirt nap.
"Only the little people suffer at the hands of Justice; the creatures of power slide from under it with a wink and a grin. If you want justice, you will have to claw it from them."
"…The freedom to unbind yourself from all those paths that have been constructed for you by society and find your own way through the obstacles. The freedom to write your own physics, accepting nobody's rules of gravity and space but your own."
― Sam A. Patel, Data Runner
"It was true. Nothing was ever lost. And nothing was ever forgotten, no matter how painful. The city was like a heart that way. She had four chambers, too. She had arteries that led in and out. She kept things moving."
― Jason Heller, Cyber World: Tales of Humanity's Tomorrow
Dystopia 23
The Mega Pack is the ultimate Dystopia 23 purchase. It contains the Core Rulebook, Equipment Book, History of the Future and the first Mission Scenario: Raven Sky.
Price: $XX
Razor Walker Pack
The Dystopia 23 Razor Walker Pack contains all of the core rule books required to play the game. It includes the Core Rulebook, Equipment Book and History of the Future.
Condensed rules and mission to give you an introduction to the game of Dystopia 23 – The Razors Edge. This product is available for FREE so that you can try out the game before you purchase it. This downloadable PDF is a 124 page book containing a full mission and the fundamental rules to get you started playing Dystopia 23.
Mission Synopsis: taking place in Chicago at the beginning of the 23rd century, Shell Games is a four act mission centred around a mystery that must be solved. At the opening of the Janus Tower, GenaTec's bright new star on the Chicago skyline, something sinister is at foot. Characters must investigate this incident to get to the bottom of a clandestine plot.
Get FREE Primer
Core Rulebook
The Core Rulebook contains all of the rules necessary to play Dystopia 23 The Razor's Edge. This includes full rules for creating characters, undertaking combat, using vehicles and operating in the Nexus.
Equipment Book
The Equipment book is one of the core books for Dystopia 23 The Razor's Edge. It contains all of the gear you could imagine, and some that you can't, for operating in a cyberpunk universe.
History of the Future
How did the past become the future? What are the events that led to the world of the 23rd century? This book contains all of that information and more.
Raven Sky is the first mission scenario for Dystopia 23. Based in Vienna, Russia and a number of other European locations, this campaign leads the characters down a trail of action, intrigue and revenge. If you want interactions with MegaCorp giants, kill teams and a variety of satellite parties this scenario will pique your interest.