text:
Pixellation Issues
Pixellation Articles
What's in the Box? – Deadfall: Adventures Xbox 360
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 PixellationMagazine No comments
Deadfall: Adventures was released for the PC and Xbox 360 in November 2013, developed by Polish studio The Farm 51 who also brought us the NecroVisioN PC games, and published by Nordic Games. The game is directly inspired by H. Rider Haggard (see King Solomon's Mines) Allen Quatermain series of books, a lost world and adventure series that has inspired many in its wake, and as H. Rider Haggards work (including the Allen Quatermain character and series) has passed into public domain, the series has been greatly explored and expanded upon by other writers and directors.
In Deadfall: Adventures you play as James Lee Quatermain, a descendent of Allen Quatermain no less in an action adventure game set in the first person perspective. The game tells an Atlantean type story that will see the protagonist continent skipping, from Africa and the Antarctic to South America in search of powerful Atlantean artefacts. As you would expect from such a game you will wonder through ancient ruins, fight off Nazis, ancient mummy's that come back to life, and of course have to avoid traps and solve puzzles. The game feels more akin to the type of adventure found in old black and white movies, with the same humour and some rigid voice acting, but it all gels together. Deadfall: Adventures is by no means a Tomb Raider or Uncharted, nor does it try to be either, it's just a fun adventure game no more, no less.
Deadfall: Adventures Collector's Edition
Comes in a cardboard box with additional cardboard sleeve
Allen Quatermain Revolver & 3 exclusive multiplayer character skins DLC
Making of movie DVD
Soundtrack CD
Emulation – The PC Alternatives
Monday, April 28, 2014 PixellationMagazine No comments
The PC is still the dominant platform for emulation, it offers far more in the way of variety and choice, and 99.99% of the time offers a more competent and a superior experience (depending on who you speak to that is.) Things have only got better and better as the years have rolled by: emulators are improving year-on-year, laptops and desktops can now be hooked up to the TV via HDMI, and the last half a decade or more has seen the Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers become the de facto PC method of controller supported input. More recently there has even been an influx of USB adaptors that enable you to plug old console controllers into the PC for use with emulators to create an even better and closer console experience.
But what if you don't want to do emulation on the PC? What if you want a simpler console style experience? What if you want emulation on the move? Well fear not, as emulation on other systems other than the PC has a long history, and there is a wealth of choice out there these days. My Amiga 2000 for example has a Dos 2088 PC emulation expansion board and there is also a version of the Vice C64 emulator available for the Amiga platform. Old consoles such as Sega's Dreamcast now have plenty of emulators created for it that can be burned onto a CD-R and booted up, so even retro machines are capable of emulating earlier retro machines especially these days.
In this article I will be focusing on two different systems and one platform which I am very familiar with and have been experiencing emulation on for some time now. The two systems are the original Xbox and the Nintendo Wii, the other is the Android platform as I have been using a tablet which is what most people will generally use. Why focus on Android instead of other mobile devices such as the PSP or DS? Well it's simply because I use my Android tablet for emulation and have never experienced emulation on the PSP or DS. Also the Android platform and the tablet market have exploded over the last 4 years, these days most people have a tablet and if it isn't an iPad then it's an Android tablet. It must be noted however that because of the wide variety in manufacturers and specs on the platform, not everyone will have the same cohesive experience of emulation on it, and that experience will come down to your specific device.
Ease of Setup
Original Xbox – To run emulation on the original Xbox it will first have to be modded, this requires it to be either hard modded using a chip or softmodded. The latter uses exploits in software to replace the old firmware with a new custom built one and does not require any additional hardware to be installed. While I can't speak about how easy or not the hard mod route is, I can however tell you that the softmod method is pretty strait forward to do and I'd say can be easily accomplished by anyone, no matter what your skill level in these areas are. You will have to acquire a few extras off eBay to accomplish the softmod, but it's pretty strait forward from there on in.
Two of the most challenging aspects of softmodding the original Xbox comes later after the new firmware has been installed. The first is using an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program on your PC to send emulators over to the Xbox; the other is installing a larger hdd to house all the emulators you might want to install. The original Xbox comes with an 8gb hdd, once softmodded, 4gb will be used by the firmware while the other 4gb will be free to use as you see fit, but you might find that this small amount might fill up rather quickly. The former is easy enough once you know how to use an FTP program, but the latter is the most challenging technically and is a pain to be honest. There is a compatibility list out there for anyone trying to find a compatible IDE drive right off the bat, these are the best to go for especially if you manage to find a new one for sale as they are easily installed and have the best chance of working even if they are not on the compatibility list. The downside to using an IDE hdd is that they are now really expensive as they are being phased out, now they can cost double the price of a SATA drive with significantly less memory in comparison. Don't worry though as you can use a SATA drive in conjunction with a SATA to IDE converter, but be warned that there is more of a chance a SATA drive wont work compared to an IDE drive due to incompatibility issues.
Wii – I didn't have to buy anything more than an 8gb SD card to softmod the Wii, but the initial installation of the custom firmware was more involved and a drawn out process than it was with the original Xbox. This puts the Wii ahead of the Xbox because although the initial setup is more complex, once its complete there are no more additional steps to be taken afterwards. The SD card is essential as this is where the new firmware and emulators will reside, you will need at least an 8gb SD Card, but if you find yourself needing a bigger card later on then everything can be copy and pasted over to the new card. Installing emulators is made easy by plugging the SD card into a PC and putting them in the correct folder, this is far easier and less time consuming than the FTP method employed by the Xbox.
Android – Out of all three the Android platform is the easiest to get emulators installed on. It's as easy as downloading free or paid for emulators off the Google Play store, install them and away you go. If there are certain emulators you want but can't find on the store, but have found elsewhere, then the APK file can be downloaded or side-loaded onto your Android device, it's that simple, and for that reason the Android platform wins in this category hands down.
Plug & Play Experience
Xbox – As the original Xbox is a console, my hopes always were that in softmodding the system it would bring a console type experience to emulation that I couldn't get from the PC at the time, and sure enough it didn't disappoint. I have found that most of the emulators, although made or ported by different developers, seem to work to the same basic design and principles as one another, and in doing so have brought some uniformity across the board to the emulation experience on the machine. All emulators I have used are plug & play: once installed they require no further setup or configuration, they are ready to go from installation, they just require you to hit play and this is very much in tune with a console style experience. You can of course mess with options and configuration if you wish, but it's not mandatory or necessary. Controller integration here is flawless as you would expect it to be, and for anyone wondering, the d-pad works really well for older 8/16-bit games.
Wii – As with the Xbox, I was hoping that the Wii would deliver a similar experience with emulation, and as development on the Xbox was to such a high standard, I was also expecting the same standards on the Wii. Unfortunately things turned out to be a mixed bag, which is a shame as well as a missed opportunity. I don't know whether this is due to the fact that the Xbox has had a far longer gestation period in comparison, but the emulation experience is somewhat lacking on the Wii and often far from the plug and play experience that should be on offer. The most common 8/16-bit emulators (Nes, SNES, SMS, Mega Drive) are fine and do offer a good plug and play experience with the added advantage of plenty of different control options via Wii Remote, Classic Controller (Pro) and the Game Cube pad. But I have found that for everything else there always seems to be something getting in the way, be it screen adjustment, setting configurations before play or an emulator just being plain fussy about where stuff is placed or what it can and can't play. Stick to the most common core of 8/16-bit consoles and you will be fine and have a pleasant enough console type experience, but stray any further and emulation on the Wii will leave you considering better alternatives.
Android – Hot on the heals of the original Xbox is the Android platform, and you would think that this platform would be the furthest away from a plug and play experience, but from my hands-on it does a far more competent job as a whole than anything offered on the Wii. Just like the Xbox it's as simple as loading up an emulator and hitting play, with touchscreen controls already mapped out onto the screen. I have yet to come across any emulator that didn't offer a ready to go plug and play experience, even all the emulators mimicking old computers are ready to go.
There are a few hoops you will have to jump through to get a more console type experience, such as connecting a controller (Moga, PS3, 360) and connecting to a TV via a HDMI cable, but these will only seek to make a ready and accessible experience more complete. Syncing a controller up to a tablet will mean you will have to first dive into an emulators options to set it up and map the button layout before diving into a game, but once done you shouldn't have to do it again when booting up the same emulator.
Emulator Settings & Options
Xbox – In this area the original Xbox once again rules supreme over the competition as the sheer wealth of settings and options that are on offer that can be tweaked in each emulator is mind bending. You can tweak and change just about anything, not that you will necessarily want to, but there are plenty of easy pickings worth having a mess about with such as graphical and texture filters, audio filters, frame rate etc. Its to the credit of all involved with bringing the emulators to the Xbox that you can dive straight into playing games with no need to go anywhere near the settings whatsoever, but if you did wish to change or tweak options even further for whatever reason, then the user is certainly well catered for.
Wii – For most of the emulators bar a few the choice and scope of settings on the Wii's range is positively anaemic compared to those on the Xbox with less than a tenth of the choice on offer to the user in comparison. Once again the main 8/16-bit console emulators are reasonably catered for with some good and worth while settings on offer to users, but its still a lot less than what you will find on the Xbox. While it can be said that choice is not everything, it can also be argued that the more options and settings available to the user to tweak, the more they can adjust and cater to their particular experience, taste and variables in HDTVs. When it comes to settings in emulators I am an advocate that more is better as it allows for more freedom and flexibility and in the end will only add to the gaming experience overall. Sadly though this is an area that is underdeveloped in many emulators on the Wii so don't expect the earth to breath fire here.
Android – Emulators on the Android platform are slightly ahead of the Wii in the amount of settings and options open to users, but only by a small margin. In some emulators choosing certain graphical options or plugins will either open or restrict the amount of settings available in relevant fields. There are also a wide range of input settings on emulators on this platform as there are quite a lot of Android Bluetooth gaming pads to choose from these days, and that's on top of the options given for tweaking touchscreen controls. You will also find that most emulators will give you options as to how they handle the frame rate and GPU; this comes in quite handy with the wide ranging hardware that has adopted the Android platform.
The biggest difference and advantage emulators have in this category over the Wii is that development is very much on-going as opposed to the Wii where development seems all but dead. Emulation on Android is moving forward and fast catching up to Xbox levels of quality, and six months from now there will undoubtedly be newer versions of emulators available with a wider range of settings on offer that will be implemented to a greater degree.
Overall Quality and Experience
Xbox – From my experience the original Xbox has given the best overall experience, and is outstanding in the quality of emulation on offer. While it lacks the option of a physical keyboard and mouse for the old micro computer emulators, developers have still managed to find the best logical workarounds and produce or port emulators that outperform what's on offer on other platforms. What you can find on the Xbox is a wealth of choice where the quality of emulation on offer can only truly be rivalled by what is on the PC, no surprise there then as the Xbox is basically a consolized PC. The Xbox has always been synonymous with modding, emulation and homebrew which began no sooner had the console been launched, a factor that also contributed to its success no less. This inevitably gives the original Xbox a leg-up when compared with any other platform as development is so far ahead: at present I feel there is a generational gap between what is on Xbox and what's offered on the Wii, and perhaps three years gap capered to Android. The Android platform will soon catch up, but I feel the Wii will always lag far behind.
I cant say that I have encountered any problems with emulators, the usual suspects are still fussy about certain games as is the case on the PC, and on the whole I can say I have had a flawless and enjoyable experience overall. Another great part of emulation on the system is that as far as emulating old consoles go, the Xbox gives as close to a console style experience as you can get, even beating the PC with its USB controller adaptors.
There is a barrier to all this however as the extra steps you'll have to take in the modding and setup process to get the best possible experience will be a problematic and sticky experience for some, a complete barrier to others. Having to FTP everything you want over to the system is a pain in the backside as it's a cumbersome process by todays standards and a time consuming one at that, but these headaches are well worth suffering as the results speak for themselves.
Wii – I find that I can't really recommend the Wii for emulation, not when there are better options available. But having said that if you don't have any other options open to you, and you just want the basics, then the Wii route is one worth taking. It does a competent job with the main 8/16-bit consoles as these emulators are great: frame rate is smooth with accurate and reliable emulation, there are a reasonable amount of basic options and the controls are flawless, although I do find the picture rather hemmed in when compared with other systems. But venture outside of these core emulators and towards anything more exotic or computer based then problems and reliability issues will abound, not to mention emulator specific quirks.
I can't help but be very disappointed with the state of emulation on the Wii; it should be a lot closer to where the original Xbox is even with a generational gap between development. It has advantages in its varied controller options, and that a mouse and keyboard can be hooked up via the USB ports for computer based emulators, but sadly only to then be let down by poor emulation and GUI implementation.
What's worse is that the Wii seems to be all but abandoned, or at least things have stalled and there has been little movement or development. After a year or more I would expect to see some updates and progression, with newer versions of emulators on offer, but that's sadly not the case as nothing seems to have moved forward. Its seems as if the Wii cant shake off the dust that always seems to want to cover it and keep it tied down.
Android – From my experience I have found emulation on Android to be fantastic, especially for such a small portable device I can take with me on my travels. Its not the complete experience on its own because lets face it, touchscreen controls are quite honestly shit, shit is what they are and will always be as they will never be good enough to replace real buttons, d-pads and analog sticks. So investing in a wireless Bluetooth controller, whether it is Moga, Xbox 360, PS3 or one of the many others on the market at the moment is simply a must to complete and round off the emulation experience.
Emulation is of a high standard, it's easy to obtain, install and there are plenty to choose from as well as numerous different ones available for any given system. But while most of the emulators are of a high standard, just how well they run will more than likely depend on your specific tablet. More Ram, GPU and graphical grunt the better, but that does not necessarily mean a specific emulator will always run smoothly, it also depends on how much other stuff is running in the background. I have found I got better frame rates and next to no lockups when shutting everything down that I could before running an emulator. You might also find on rooted tablets that squeezing them for more ram and GPU power might help a lot with this, so this is something to bear in mind.
The portable market is a very fast moving one, and with so many different devices on the market it's always best to search the web and do your research to make sure you pick the right device for you to save yourself from disappointment. With the Android sphere being so fragmented with different tech specs there will always be problems, but emulation development seems to be keeping up pace and improving all the time, and as a result it looks set to overtake the original Xbox sometime in the very near future.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Android Review
Saturday, January 04, 2014 PixellationMagazine No comments
You would have thought that one of the best games ever made, certainly the best (depending on who you speak to) GTA game ever made to make an appearance on Android over the Christmas period would have sparked far more fanfare and media coverage? But sadly it seems to have slipped past many unnoticed for one reason or another, yet it really shouldn't have if you're a fan of this game as this port is by no means a half-arsed half-baked slapped together cash-in for the portable market. It's actually a well nurtured highly polished Android port that makes good over its console versions in some surprising areas.
First and foremost then, just how does the Android version stack up against the console versions in the graphics departments? Well, when I first played the Android version the first thing I noticed was how crisp and sharp the graphics looked, and how there was a distinct lack of jaggies present in this version, everything the eye can see is smooth and defined. This was in stark contrast to the Xbox version I was comparing it to where jaggies or blurriness seemed to be ever present. In the Xbox version I had the choice between less jaggies and more blurriness in composite 50 Hz, or a sharper picture and more jaggies through a component lead at 480p. Here is where the Android version comes out shining, as you get a super sharp picture (more so than on the Xbox at 480p) but without any horrible noticeable jaggies present. As far as graphical detail goes, I first thought that the Android version of San Andreas would surly be closer to the PS2 original, but upon closer comparison I have found that its actually on a par with the Xbox version which was slightly more detailed over the PS2 original. In The Android version you can adjust the level of graphical detail in the game to help it run smoother on less powerful tablets, you can adjust the visual effects detail, resolution, draw distance, shadows and car reflections. But with all these set to max, the Android version without a doubt matches the Xbox version in the detail department. However one effect it lacks over the console versions is the heat wobble in the daytime sun, and I'm guessing this was taken out to give the game a cleaner sharper look. Overall then the graphics in the Xbox version of the game has more character and atmosphere about it, but at the cost of either jaggies, blurriness or both while the Android version is the opposite having less character and atmosphere yet is pin sharp with no jaggies or blurriness to speak of.
Next up you'll want to know just how well this massive game runs on a capable tablet with the graphics settings maxed out. Well from my experience there does seem to be slightly less NPCs and vehicles roaming about San Andreas, but only slightly which would make the game run smother, but even on a really capable device there can be some noticeable slowdown when there is a lot of action onscreen. But fear not, follow these few simple steps and you should see an increase in performance. Firstly you will want to turn off Bluetooth and wireless on your tablet before playing the game, why? Well its simple, various elements of your tablets OS will want to connect to the internet in the background not to mention any other apps you have downloaded and this will eat up valuable ram and processor resources. Secondly it's best to reboot your tablet and launch the game soon after it's booted, this is the best way to clear out and stop any apps and elements of the OS hogging ram and processor space, don't even bother using any cleaning apps to do this as they have nothing on a clean reboot. These two simple steps will go along way to improving overall performance and loading times even on the most powerful of tablets.
Last but not least controls, just how well do touchscreen controls really work in this game? Well the controls work extremely well and are very responsive, moreover the way in which they have been implemented has had some real thought put into them and I can't see them ever been implemented better than this on a touchscreen device. Having said that they do take some getting used to, and even then they will always be rather maddening and at times frustrating to use over using a normal controller as an input method. But fear not as you can use a proper controller with this game as it's supported by the Android Moga controller, or you have the option of using a wired PS3 controller, either way both options are a welcomed relief.
The Android version of San Andreas could have turned out to be a piss poor cut-down port of the game, but instead Rockstar have bought the game over to tablets whole and seemingly complete and have worked towards making many improvements to the game in the process. But while there is a lot to love about the Android version of the game, it lacks one crucial and very important element, without which makes it less the sum of its parts, and that ladies and gentleman is cheats. Yes that's right, this version lacks the one thing most if not all gamers will want to implement within the first half hour of gameplay; it's the first thing many gamers will think about upon booting the game. But anyone trying to implement cheats through touchscreen, controller or keyboard inputs will be very disappointed as none of the above mentioned will work. I'm not sure just yet whether it's a case that Rockstar has left the cheats out all together, or they have not put a way to implement them into the game. Either way it has been left up to the modding community to create apps and hacks to get cheats to work, which in a game so synonymous with in-game cheats is quite frankly a stupid situation for this game to be released in and a baffling decision by Rockstar.
Without wanting to download some dodgy APK from some website I have never heard of I am sadly left with a brilliant version of San Andreas I can't use in-game cheats in, a game made for cheats that is. Which as good as this game is and as much as I want to continue playing it, I honestly cant see myself ever putting any more hours into this version over its console counterparts until this issue with the cheats is resolved, so don't go giving up on that Xbox version just yet.
Killer Is Dead Review
Monday, November 18, 2013 PixellationMagazine No comments
This generation we have seen a good many franchises and series take a firm foothold and become hugely successful, so much so that sequels have become a common order of the day. We have seen new IP in the form of Gears of War and Uncharted trilogy's, both becoming hugely successful and significantly raising the bar in standards for each respective genre they're in. We have also seen series from the previous generation such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo and Killzone all go from modest success to global dominance, while other series like Tomb Raider, Medal of Honor and Resident Evil have had to fight it out to stay relevant and fresh with varying degrees of success.
Fortunately there are still plenty of original and down right quirky games being released, more so than the amount of sequels filling shelves this generation if only gamers would dare dig each consoles library a little deeper. So at the tail end of the longest console generation on record, and at the twilight of a new one set to be even longer, ask yourself whether you're satisfied that you have played and experienced all this generation has to offer before moving onto the next? Bored and choked with disinterest with the same old sequels, are you sure there aren't any other types of games and genres left to discover and tap into from this generation, before spending in excess of £400 on the next to try and fill your waning interest?
Well here is a suggestion, try playing Killer Is Dead as it might just put a smile on your face and more than likely result in a raised eyebrow or two, as its unique over-saturated cell shaded look and sheer quirkiness will keep you going back for more. This is a game set in a familiar genre (hack-n-slash,) that happens to be less hardcore combo heavy in its gameplay than say Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, but rather more easily accessible to a wider audience without falling into the trap of being mind numbingly boring and hemmed in by genre constraints. While other games in the genre like the aforementioned are extremely over-the-top flamboyant and exuberant in their gameplay elements, relying on multiple combos and quick time events in dramatic succession to pummel and pound enemies into submission, Killer Is Dead is more reserved in that respect. While this game does have its combos, they are simple and nowhere near the extreme as other games, as the gameplay in this game is fashioned more towards block, avoid and counter attack to fend off multiple enemies, dance around them, and hit their weak spot to take them out as quick as possible. But rest assured that Killer Is Dead is just as action packed and bloody as any other game in the genre as enemies get dispensed and impaled on your characters katana.
This reserved approach to the gameplay transfers to the upgrade system in the game to as its all kept simple and minimalistic in its approach. Your Characters Health and Blood gauge (the latter used when replenishing health or using the arm weapon) are upgraded automatically as you work your way through the game, while the upgrade menu allows you to buy or upgrade certain abilities. Upgrades and gauge replenishment come from crystals and gems emitted from dead enemies and destructible scenery, Moon Crystals are collected and used as currency to buy upgrades while Blood Roses and Health Gems will slowly increase the blood and health gauge.
The game is split into four different game types for you to choose from on the world map which acts as the mission menu screen; these are the main story missions, sub (side) missions, gigolo and challenge missions. The main story is 12 acts long and probably lasts somewhere between 8-10 hours long if that, but when you add all the other different missions to choose from it can far exceed this in length. Sub missions are off-shoots from the main story though not necessarily related to it; they become unlocked and are set in an area of the game you have just completed. Sub missions all tend to vary from one another, some are very small story's unto themselves, others mere challenges such as fighting through an area within a certain amount of time or finding various hidden items throughout a level. Scarlett, a Nurse in a skimpy revealing outfit holding a giant syringe can be found hiding somewhere within a level of each act of the main story, finding her will not only rejuvenate your characters health and blood gauge, but unlock various challenges. These challenges take part in an arena where you will have to meet certain criteria to win such as defeating only one type of enemy out of a swarm or killing a certain number within a time limit and so on. Finally gigolo missions are basically where your character meets up with various women he has met during the story and it is your job seduce them to receive a reward. This is achieved by staring at various parts of a woman's body like her cleavage for example, the longer you stare without her catching you, the more points you acquire to fill a gauge. Once the meter is filled you can offer her a present (bought from the gift shop,) and you will receive more points towards another gauge depending on how much she likes the gift, fill this second gauge up and you have successfully seduced your lady. Honestly I'm not making this up; it really is in the game!
In Killer Is Dead you take control of Mondo Zappa, a suave and sophisticated ladies man who is as sharp with a katana as he is with his one liners. He is part of a state sanctioned executioner's office run by Bryan and Vivienne who take on contracts to hunt down and execute various monsters and creatures that have begun to inhabit Earth and the moon. The story, the way in which it is presented to the player and the style of it for that matter is quite different to your conventional game, its nothing new by any means, but certainly one some will like while others will not. The story will not be altogether clear at the start of the game, sometimes confusing even especially at the beginning as you try to wrap your head around the sheer quirkiness of it all. But this distinctly Japanese story becomes clearer the further through it you progress, as it slowly unravels and opens up with each mission the less perplexed you will be with a firmer grasp of the bigger picture.
Grasshopper Manufacture (Suda 51) has done a great job with this game and don't let anyone persuade you any different, as this game is just as good in its own right as any other game from this company. If you have played any other recent Suda 51 games such as No More Heroes or Lollypop Chainsaw then you should know just what to expect (or not to expect) here, and if you enjoyed them then you should enjoy Killer Is Dead. However if you have played a Suda 51 game before and ended up not liking it for one reason or another then there is a strong chance you wont like this game. What I like about Killer Is Dead is that they chose to make a hack-n-slash game without the pomp found in other games of the genre, with gameplay focused on avoid, defend and attack rather than constant super combos. By taking this direction in the gameplay they have managed to make the game stand out and stand tall on its own merits rather than following the same tried and tested formula and becoming lost in the genre. Yet the game hasn't lost out, it packs a punch just as much as Bayonetta does with crazy bosses and swarms of enemies, Killer Is Dead just follows a more subtle yet quirky path with a different approach, this game is without doubt a must have for fans of the genre.
Wii Classic Controller Pro
Saturday, November 02, 2013 PixellationMagazine No comments
With the Wii now being discontinued by Nintendo and the Wii U on store shelves (which is still to hit any kind of stride though there is plenty of time yet,) some may think it a bit odd to be talking about the Wii's Classic Controller Pro. But with so many great games in the Wii library (yes there are a great many of them,) there will ultimately come a point, at least there did for me anyway, when certain games will come along which will make you carefully consider whether to buy this particular controller or not?
I like the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, and don't have a problem with using them because as a Wii owner, I know that not all games will make me wave my arms about nonstop all day long. I also believe that they (Wii Remote/Nunchuk) still have great potential as a control method, and when utilised properly they can really add to a game and make the overall gaming experience a whole lot better, the Wii version of Resident Evil 4 is a prime example. Unfortunately we all know that for every game that got the controls right, there are probably two or more that didn't for one reason or another. One issue with the Wii Remote is that it was never as sensitive or precise enough than Nintendo would have us believe all those years ago, and for some genres it wasn't the revolutionary control method it should have been. It seemed the Wii Remote, Nunchuk and the first person shooter genre were going to be a match made in heaven, surly this was the perfect control method for such a genre? I still believe it is, or at least it was, if only coders had worked their magic better, and it still could be in the future if the tech was redesigned and beefed up somewhat. But as time has shown, it has never really panned out all that well with the odd exception that is, with many games in the FPS genre feeling as though they had received ported mouse and keyboard controls.
This is the point where you start lamenting the lack of a second control option (at least I did,) and wished there had of been one right from the very inception of the console itself. Eventually a more traditional controller did appear in the form of the weirdly shaped Classic Controller, and then later with the much better shaped Classic Controller Pro. But the question for any Wii owner is whether it is worth buying one considering how they still seem to hold their price like any coveted Nintendo product? The answer really lies in the number of games you want to play that actually support this controller and whether or not you frequently use a moded Wii for emulation. If there are enough retail, virtual console and WiiWare releases that will outweigh the cost of buying one and you do use the console for emulation, the Classic Controller Pro is essential. Its worth pointing out that any game which supports the Classic Controller also supports the Classic Controller Pro as they are essentially the same product in different shells.
As a general controller goes, or a traditional controller in Nintendo's case, this is in my humble opinion, the best the company has ever produced. I have never been that struck on Nintendo controllers, even when I had a SNES when I was younger, I always preferred to use a third party pad instead of Ninty's very own. As for their other controllers through the generations, I find the NES pad extremely uncomfortable to hold for any length of time, I didn't like the feel of the N64 analog stick and found the general design of the GameCube pad just weird. So for me at least, I find the very by-the-numbers design and button layout very comfortable and pleasing, especially when playing a game for several hours.
The grips sit neatly in the palm of each hand and the shape lets my fingers naturally curl around the top of the pad onto the shoulder buttons while I find the two analog sticks perfectly placed apart for the thumbs. The face buttons are quite large and have a nice pop to them, and thankfully the d-pad is rather large for a Nintendo controller which gets a big thumbs up from me. That's another complaint I had with the N64 and GameCube controllers, the d-pads on them were tiny and felt just something awful, so I'm very pleased Ninty didn't do the same on this pad.
This pad isn't without its quirks though, and while I understand the reasoning behind them, it would have been nice to have had a pad featuring the rest of the bells-and-whistles we have all generally become accustomed to over the last two generations. This controller is not wireless, so to pass its inputs onto the console it plugs into the bottom of the Wii Remote and piggybacks off its wireless signal. It's better than plugging the pad into the console and stretching a lead across the room, but annoying all the same as going down this cost cutting route means it also lacks rumble and a built in speaker. I'm sure the mandate behind the Classic Controller Pro was to produce a traditional style controller that would meet the needs of the target consumer it was aimed at, yet be produced for significantly less by stripping its features back to the core basics.
This controller is well worth getting even if it does feed off the Wii Remote and lack several features, especially if you can find one cheap enough, though they do tend to hold their price. If you plan on playing The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, Call of Duty games or the madcap No More Heroes 2 then you will find this controller a worthwhile investment and hard earned money well spent.
Three Laptop Cooler Reviews
Tuesday, August 20, 2013 PixellationMagazine 1 comment
The UK has finally seen some sun this summer, so much so the country is experiencing a very rare and unusually long heat wave. Anyone wanting to play on their PS3 or 360 can forget it in this weather, unless that is you want to see the systems overheat and melt before your very eyes. But the same can be said of PC's as well, whether you use them for playing games, surfing the web or other more demanding work, the weather has made computers all over the country break into a sweat and slow, not to mention cause their users to perspire due to the heat emitted from them.
Unfortunately for laptop/notebook owners, the heat is somewhat of a more dangerous and pressing issue for their systems as they don't contain anything like the exuberant and luxury driven cooling systems found in a typical PC. The kind of heat the UK has experienced over the past month has perished most peoples will to hit the on button, yet the UK will continue to experience the high temperatures and uncomfortable humidity for some time, making notebook owners like myself having to limit the use of the computer in case of overheating. I personally haven't had any issues, but I have been keeping a close eye on the systems temperature gauge, and made a conscious decision not to do anything too demanding on the system, especially during the day.
So since the start of the summer I have been on a quest to find the best laptop cooler for my laptop, I didn't expect to buy more than one, but I am now currently on my third, so I have decided to write a review of each one and explain along the way why I have gone through several in a short amount of time. But before I continue I will set out the temperature benchmarks of my computer to show you the reader, just how much of a difference these 3 coolers have made if any.
During winter and spring, before I decided to get a cooler, I would regularly check the temperature of my CPU using my computers monitoring software, what I found was it ran at about 35 degrees while idle, and around 38 running demanding programs such as a video editor or a game. During this summers heat wave (again prior to getting a cooler) my CPU temperature was around 40 degrees while idle, but 45/46 running games or my video editor.
The first Cooler I Bought
Belkin Cooler Stand
This was the cheapest of the three cooling stands that I bought, weighing in at around £14, and designed for 15" laptops, it also just happened to be the most powerful of the three coolers that I bought. With a convex design that allows it to support a laptop from each corner while keeping the space directly underneath empty, and with the fan centred in the middle of the cooler, it allows the cool air to flow underneath and exit either side of the laptop. The Belkin Cooler Stand rests at a slight angle, propped up by a pull-out stand at the back; this is obviously to allow the fan to take in the maximum amount of air rather than from side vents that you see in other cooler designs.
This cooler made a noticeable difference to the running and idle temperature of my CPU, it managed to shave off at least 3-4 degrees which I was honestly impressed with. The downside is that this cooler was extremely noisy, with it being comparable to how noisy the original model Xbox 360 was, but then the fan was pretty powerful and did a great job at its main task, cooling my laptop, so there is an obvious trade-off here.
As good as it was at cooling my system, I quickly returned the Belkin Cooler back to the store I bought it from for a refund as I had a few issues with it. Firstly, the cooler did not like running off my laptops USB port, as it kept powering up and down constantly, so I had to power it from the mains using a USB mains adaptor. I'm not really sure if this issue was due to the product being faulty or whether it was down to the powerful fan and it being a case of my laptop couldn't or wouldn't supply it with enough power. The second issue I had, although intermittent, was with the fan itself, it was making a horrible grating noise, presumably from the fan coming out of its centre alignment and scraping the sides of its enclosure.
I was disappointed that this product was faulty and that I had to return it as it did a great job of cooling my laptop. A 3-4 degree reduction in CPU heat might not sound like a great deal, but for an external cooling device, and one where the fan wasn't positioned over my systems hotspots, is more than any user could hope for. I would still recommend this cooler though, and if the fan noise is not a big deal breaker for you, then its cooling effectiveness coupled with its cheap price could be a sure fire winner for you.
The Second Cooler I bought
Belkin V2 Laptop Cooling Lounge
This cooling solution was slightly more expensive than the previous Belkin cooling stand at around £20, but has turned out to be the most used and reliable of the bunch thus far. Its not technically a cooling stand as such that's meant to sit on a desk, but is designed to be more of a lap table that also features a fan cooling system. It is designed pretty much the same as the Belkin Cooling Stand, it has the same shape and form factor, allowing your system to sit on a bed of air, and it is perfectly sized for 15" laptops. The V2 Laptop Cooling Lounge differs in that while the top of the device is plastic, the underneath is cushioned to make it comfortable to rest on your legs.
I wasn't aware it was cushioned when I bought it, or that it was meant as a lap desk rather than a proper cooling stand, but I had paid for it so I wasn't deterred and was willing to give it a go. It quickly became apparent however that there was a significant flaw in the design of this Cooling Lounge, one I find hard to understand how the designers failed to spot. At the back of this device there is a vent system running along the length of the unit, and this is supposedly where the centrally placed fan is meant to draw its air from, or a certain portion of its air. The problem is, as it's a lap desk, there is a good chance that the fan will be obstructed underneath the Cooling Lounge from resting on a persons lap, which means the fan is starved of air and cant draw a sufficient amount of air through the vent at the back to make the fan effective at cooling, which defeats the point in putting a fan in there in the first place. So as you can imagine, using this resting on a desk to cool my laptop would be pointless, but I found a way to get around this little problem by resting the back of the device on a book to prop it up at an angle, and thus allowing the fan to breath and become effective at cooling again.
The fan in this cooler is only half as powerful as the one in the previous stand, but it did at least have a noticeable effect on the temperature, but I only noticed a drop of a few degrees. It's not anything amazing, but during a heat wave such a small drop is more than welcomed, and I guess the fact that you can use this as a comfortable lap desk is an added bonus.
I have been using the Belkin V2 Laptop Cooling Lounge an awful lot, and once I propped it up I was more than satisfied with the performance of it. But although I like this cooler and haven't experienced any problems with it, I cant say that it is one that I would necessarily recommend as a cooling solution to be placed on a desk, but I would recommend it if your after a lap desk though.
The Final Cooler I Bought
Cooler Master NotePal U3
Firstly there are two versions of this cooler you should be aware of: the U3 which I'm reviewing here and the previous iteration the U2, the only difference between the two are the amount of fans they come with, the U2 having two and the U3 having three (more on the U2 later.)
The U2/U3 NotePal design is a pure stroke of genius, there's no two ways about it, and it makes me wonder if there could ever be a better designed external laptop cooler. The NotePal design is simple, minimalistic and for the most part well thought out, and with the U3 being the most expensive of the three laptop coolers that I have bought at £30, it is (thankfully) sturdy and really well made as it feels weighty and expensive rather than a cheap piece of imported plastic.
The idea behind this cooler is that it comes with three movable fans, so the user can place each fan under a hotspot or vent on their specific laptop, which in turn helps to cool the system better than other coolers on the market that generally have centrally located fans. Each fan is held within a plastic bracket, and it is the bracket that clips onto the underneath of the NotePal's aluminium mesh stand. All the fans can be removed from the brackets which is handy, especially where this cooler is concerned, and all three are connected to a fan speed controller that also doubles as the USB power plug. The U3s box says it supports laptops from 17" up to 19" and it is certainly the largest of the three coolers that I have bought, but I found it was fine for supporting my 15" laptop as the rubber pad at the bottom of the stand, coupled with my computers rubber feet, easily stopped it from moving anywhere.
So you would think that with such a winning design that this cooler would be without a doubt the best of the three and a sure fire winner, well you'd be wrong. This cooler certainly ticks all the right boxes, but than manages to mess everything up in a crucial element of its makeup that would make it all work great. That element is the fans, which frankly are just really crap, they might be whisper quiet, but what good is that when they are significantly underpowered. I'm not sure if they are lacking the power they need to run at their true full speed, or whether they are funning at full speed and are just a rubbish choice of fans to use with this cooler. Adding a speed adjuster to these fans was silly because at maximum speed the fans barely draw enough air through them to move a thread of hair, and when set to minimum speed they are utterly pointless, as you would be more likely to feel a gentle breeze in space than from all three fans combined on this setting. Just how these poor quality fans made it into this unit that has such a great design is beyond me, as from the testing I did with this cooler it made absolutely no difference to the temperature of my laptop with the fans positioned under two hotspots and a vent. In fact my computer ran hotter during the heat wave so I quickly switched back to the trusty Belkin Cooling Lounge, so as you can imagine, this cooler was a real disappointment for me and the least used of all three.
As it stands I can't really say I would recommend this cooler, purely on the basis that the key components that are imperative to make it work (the three fans) are useless, so no matter how good the design of this cooler is, its pointless and a waste of money right out of the box. There is a saving grace to this system though, but only if you are prepared to spend another £20-£30, this systems potential can at least be salvaged. Because the fans can detach from the plastic brackets that hold them onto the stand, you can buy your own faster more powerful and effective fans rather cheaply off EBay or Amazon and either try rewiring them up to the NotePals speed controller, or buy a separate speed controller altogether. The other option is to try buying the U2 version of this cooler as I have read in a few places that the fans in that particular model are much better than the ones in the U3, but I have no way of verifying this so buy at your own risk.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013 PixellationMagazine No comments
The recent 180 that Microsoft has done regarding its restrictive Xbox One console features and policies has taken many by surprise, not only because no one (including myself) believed they would revise their standpoint, but simply because they seemed to dig their heels in and refuse to listen or budge on the matter in the face of overwhelming opposition and anger. But under pressure, and facing commercial annihilation, Microsoft finally relented and dropped their very controversial restrictions they had so vehemently defended over the past several weeks.
Gone are the restrictions placed on lending/selling/trading your games, where games were tied to an account and nothing more than pay-to-play licences. Now consumer ownership seems to be restored, leaving consumers to do with their games what they wish, as the system for game ownership and used games will work as it does currently. Gone is the dreaded 24h mandatory software validation, as the console no longer needs the internet to function, though an internet connection is required upon first time setup of the Xbox One console, swings and roundabouts people! The region locking has also gone up in smoke as the console will be region free, good news for importers, that's if there is anything worth importing on the system that is.
While this story has a good ending in that gamers have brought about a good meaningful change, just like in the case of the Mass Effect 3 ending, for Microsoft at least, it was a simple business decision born out by simple financial fact: if they didn't drop the console restrictions and recant, the Xbox One would turn into a financial disaster, one that would only add to the Windows 8 debacle. Microsoft still want to block used games, have an always on machine and have a controlled eco system, but seeing how little pre-orders were being placed for their console, and little interest in it outside of the controversy, they had little choice but to change tack.
PixellationMagazine
I'm writer & editor of Pixellation, a retro gaming ebookzine which is available from the Amazon Kindle bookstore. I'm a gamer, what else can i say?
Pixellation Magazine Issue 1
You would have thought that one of the best games ever made, certainly the best (depending on who you speak to) GTA game ever made to m...
Sega Saturn European/UK Exclusive Games List
I thought these Saturn lists would be a good to add to the blog to complement the PAL Saturn list. These are all the Saturn games that rec...
Dreamcast Analog Stick Mod Guide
This is a mod for the Dreamcast analog stick that I think is a must. Have you ever been in the thick of the action on Ready 2 Rumbl...
Sega Saturn US Exclusive Games List
I thought these Saturn lists would be a good to add to the blog to complement the PAL Saturn list. These are all the Saturn games that rece...
PAL Sega Saturn Games List
This is a PAL Sega Saturn Games list that i started over a year ago now, i have cross-referenced it against many other lists to root out mis...
AverMedia Game Capture HD
If there was one thing that always bothered me about capturing screenshots and video footage of games from various different consoles a...
El Shaddai: Ascension Of The Metatron Review
El Shaddai is easily the best platformer I have played since the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Master System, which is a game I...
What's in the Box? – Deadfall: Adventures Xbox 360...
2D platformers (1)
3DS XL (1)
8-bit (1)
80s computers (1)
adventure game (1)
Albert Odyssey (1)
Alex Kidd (1)
Allen Quatermain (1)
Amiga 1200 (1)
Amnios (1)
analog stick mod (1)
Astal (1)
Atari Japan (1)
AverMedia Game Capture HD (1)
Belkin Cooler Stand (1)
Belkin V2 Laptop Cooling Lounge (1)
Beneath A Steel Sky (1)
bookzine (1)
budget home computers (1)
capturing games screenshots (1)
Classic Controller (1)
Classic Controller Pro (1)
Contra (1)
Cooler Master NotePal U3 (1)
current generation (2)
D no shokutaku (2)
David Gibbons (1)
Deadfall Adventures (1)
Deep Fear (1)
Double Switch (1)
Dr Egg Man (1)
Dr Robotnik (1)
DS Light (1)
DSi (1)
DSI XL (1)
E3 2013 (2)
Edward Carnby (1)
El Shaddai: Ascension Of The Metatron (1)
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (1)
emulation (2)
emulators (1)
Enemy Zero (2)
Famicom Disk System (1)
Final Fantasy VII (1)
Game Boy (1)
Game Boy Advance (1)
Game Gear (1)
gaming Mascot (1)
GBA (1)
Goichi Suda (1)
Grasshopper Manufacture (1)
H. Rider Haggard (1)
handheld games (1)
handheld gaming (1)
hiragana (1)
horror games (1)
Japanese Games (2)
Japanese language software (1)
katakana (1)
Ken Kutaragi (1)
Kenji Eno (2)
Killer Is Dead (1)
Kinnect (1)
Koji Kondo (1)
Laptop coolers (1)
Lure Of The Temptress (1)
Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom (1)
Martin Edmondson (1)
Masato Nakamura (1)
Master System (3)
Mega Drive (5)
Metal Slug (1)
Metro dashboard (1)
motion controls (1)
MSDos (1)
Mugsy (1)
My Japanese Coach (1)
Namco (1)
Namco Bandai (1)
Naoto Ōshima (1)
Neo Geo Pocket Color (1)
Neo-Geo AES (1)
new system (1)
NGPC (1)
Nights Into Dreams (1)
Nintendo Gamer Magazine (1)
OutRun (1)
PAL Sega Saturn exclusive games list (1)
PAL Sega Saturn games list (2)
Panzer Dragoon (1)
PDF magazine (1)
Pixel Nation magazine (1)
Pixellation Issue 1 (1)
Platformer (2)
portable gaming device (1)
pre-owned games (1)
puzzle solving (1)
Real Sound: Kaze No Regret (1)
Resident Evil Revelations (1)
retro gaming magazine (1)
Revolution Software (1)
Riven (1)
Rockstar Games (1)
San Andreas (1)
sandbox games (1)
Sega Master System (1)
Sega Rally Championship (1)
Sega Saturn (5)
Shadow Of The Beast (1)
Shenmue (1)
SNES-CD (1)
softmod (1)
Sonic Generations (1)
Sonic Team (1)
Sonic The Hedghog (3)
Steve Ballmer (2)
Suda51 (1)
Super Mario 3D Land (1)
Super Nintendo (1)
survival horror game (1)
The King of Fighters 95 (1)
Tim Wright (1)
Tin Toy Adventure (1)
US Saturn exclusive games list (1)
used games (1)
UTV Ignition Games (1)
Vetua Fighter (1)
video capture (1)
Virgin Interative (1)
visual memory unit (1)
VMU (1)
WARP (2)
Wii Remote (1)
Wipeout 2097 (1)
XBL (1)
XBLA (1)
Xbone (2)
Yoshiki Okamoto (1)
Yuji Naka (1)
Copyright © 2011 PixellationMagazine | Powered by Blogger
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Facebook Themes


text:
Major ICT Service Delivery Contracts Signed
(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued Jan 18, 2019)
The Department of Defence has signed three major contracts to deliver information Computer Technology (ICT) Support Services to commence transitioning in February 2019.
The Support Services include ICT Service Desk operations, integration and coordination of multiple suppliers to bring increased alignment and optimisation of ICT operation, and deskside support for approximately 100,000 users across more than 450 locations around Australia.
Assistant Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon David Fawcett said the contracts would provide Defence with efficient and economical ICT support services for all staff and personnel at military bases, offices and sites across Australia.
"Defence has been in negotiations with the successful tenderers to ensure that these contracts provide value for money and support military operations and business," Minister Fawcett said.
Kinetic IT Pty Ltd has been awarded two separate three-year contracts to the total value of $91 million, for the provision of ICT Service Desk operations and Service Integration and Management (SIAM).
"I am excited to see Kinetic IT, an Australian-owned and operated company, introduce their operations into the federal government arena," Minister Fawcett said.
"Kinetic IT will be establishing a regional office in Canberra, creating around 200 jobs across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory."
Fujitsu Australia has been awarded a contract worth $99 million to deliver National Deskside Support Services for Defence over the next three years.
"Fujitsu Australia has a long-standing relationship with Defence, with over 600 staff dedicated to Defence activities and contracts," Minister Fawcett said.
The Department of Defence looks forward to working with Kinetic IT and Fujitsu Australia over the next three years.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
WTO chief warns world edging into 'global recession'
GENEVA: The World Trade Organization's chief said Tuesday she believes the world is heading towards a global recession due to multiple colliding crises, and called for radical policies to revive growth.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said Russia's war in Ukraine, the climate crisis, food price and energy shocks plus the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic were creating the conditions for a world recession.
"Now we have to weather what looks like an oncoming recession," she told the opening of the global trade body's annual public forum in Geneva.
"I think a global recession. That's what I think we are edging into. But at the same time, we have to start thinking of the recovery. We have to restore growth." She noted that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund had both downgraded global growth forecasts, while indicators on trade numbers were "not looking too good".
Okonjo-Iweala added: "We have security shocks, we have climate shocks, we have energy shocks, we have food price shocks, and all of this hitting countries at the same time, so we cannot afford to do business as usual."
The former Nigerian finance and foreign minister said central banks were in a tight spot, with little choice over the course ahead.
Fed's Collins sees inflation fight costing jobs; recession not inevitable
"Central banks don't really have too much of a choice but to tighten and increase interest rates — but the repercussions on emerging markets and developing countries is quite severe, because they too are tightening an increase in interest rates," she said.
"But what happens in the developed countries affects their debt burdens, affects what they have to pay to service debt, affects the flight of capital from their economies back into the developed countries.
"But right now, I think there's not much choice but for central banks to act because inflation really hits at the poor very badly."
She stressed the need for central banks to determine whether inflation was being caused by strong demand or whether the rise in prices was linked to structural problems on the supply side.
Okonjo-Iweala said her top concern was how to ensure food security, followed by access to energy.
"The spectre of not having enough food is one that worries me," she said.
climate change WTO energy crisis RUssia Ukraine war Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala WTO chief global recession high food prices interest rates hikes


Greek style Cheese: Does this only mean Feta?
When anyone mentions the words 'Greek' and 'cheese' in the same sentence the first, in fact the only cheese that comes to mind, is Feta, yet Greece produces many other good cheeses.
Perhaps Feta cheese is believed to be 'the only Greek cheese that counts', because it is one of the oldest cheeses known to man. In his Odyssey, written around 800 BCE, Homer wrote about carrying milk in an animal skin and this turning solid. It is believed this was the first Feta. A record of a cheese believed to be Feta and stored in brine exists from 1494.
The name Feta comes from the Italian word 'fetta' which means a slice and this can be traced back to the 17th century when cheese was sliced to store it in barrels. However, it was also sliced to serve, so this may be the reason behind the name too.
Another reason Feta is synonymous with Greek cheese may be because Greeks eat so much of it. It is reported an average Greek person eats 12 kg of feta cheese every year, and of all the cheese consumed in Greece, Feta makes up 70% of the total. If they think it is so good, who are we to argue!
Feta is the only Greek cheese readily available outside of Greece, (unless you go to specialised shops), and again this contributes to the image of Feta being the only Greek cheese that matteres. A Greek cheese that is popular in its own country is Kasseri, a medium-hard pale yellow cheese made from unpasteurized sheep milk, and maybe it and others will start to appear in shops around the world soon.
Traditionally Feta is a mixture of goat and sheep's milk with a soft, creamy and salty flavour. The salt comes from being stored in brine for a few months to cure and mature it.
Whatever the reason for seeing Feta as being the only Greek cheese, it is so wonderful and tasty you end up wondering, 'Who cares', as you reach for some more.
The height of luxury has to be a Greek salad with Feta and olives, and if you close your eyes maybe you can pretend you are sitting in Greece with the sun shining down.
Feta became a Protected Denomination of Origin food a few years ago, that is why you can find 'Greek Style Cheese' for sale. It is not Greek, but similar.


text:
Apple Music preparing to launch in Korea
Korean outlets have reported that Apple are almost ready to launch their music streaming service Apple Music over there.
An official in Korea (South Korea that is) for the Federation of Korean Music Performers has revealed that Apple's incredibly popular music streaming service will be launching their soon. The official says: "We formed a contract with Apple Music to begin streaming service here. We made agreements on how to pay the copyright fees to the artists."
The official said they couldn't discuss terms of the contract as there as still agreements to be made, particularly with local music distributors. Apple are also yet to finalise agreements with the Korea Music Copyright Association and the Recording Industry Association of Korea and similar bodies.
There's no timeframe as to when Apple might finalise deals to launch in South Korea but with progress on the way Apple likely don't want to delay. South Korea will join over 100 markets across the globe where Apple Music is available to sign up for unlimited music streaming, exclusive music, and other benefits.
When it launches South Korea will have access to Apple Music's extensive music library of over 30 million songs which will presumably also include Korean Pop, or K-Pop, the genre marking Korea's place in the world music map.
Apple Music has been a runaway success since it launched last June earning 15 million subscribers in it's first year. For comparison that's half of streaming giant Spotify's roughly 30 million paying users that they've spent 8 years building.
applek-popKoreaKoreanmusicspotifystreaming
PreviousBritish music industry talks on post-Brexit plans and music landscape
NextDrake's One Dance holds the longest UK No.1 consecutively since downloads counted in charts
From indie pop to bedroom pop, here are 7 artists tipped to climb the pop songs chart in 2022.
All of the sounds, synths, samplers and effects you need for $9.99/month with KOMPLETE NOW
KOMPLETE NOW from Native Instruments is loaded with tools and constantly updated for an affordable monthly cost.


Risk-Based Capital Act. Amendment to § 38.2-4123, applying the Risk-Based Capital Act (§§ 38.2-5500 et seq.) to fraternal benefits societies. Other provisions make trend test requirements consistent among life and health, property and casualty and health organizations.
Certificates of Insurance. Amendment to § 38.2-515 adds a new section to the Unfair Trade Practices Chapter (§§ 38.2-500 et seq.) prohibiting any person from issuing or delivering any certificate of insurance that attempts to confer rights upon a third party beyond what the referenced insurance policy expressly provides. Persons are prohibited from knowingly demanding or requiring the issuance of a certificate of insurance from an insurer, insurance producer or policyholder that contains any false or misleading information concerning the policy. It also prohibits any person from knowingly preparing or issuing a certificate of insurance containing any false or misleading information concerning the policy of insurance referenced in the certificate.
Maintenance Assessment. The Assessment for Administration of Insurance Laws chapter (§§ 38.2-400 et seq.) was amended to revise the collection for maintenance of the Bureau of Insurance. The Commission shall assess each company annually for its just share of expenses, and each company shall pay this amount to the Commission on or before March 1 of each year. Each company failing to file an assessment report on or before March 1 shall be subject to a penalty of $50 for each day after the report is due.
Reinsurance Credits. Amendment to Reinsurance Article of the Reports, Reserves and Examinations chapter (Article 3.1 of Chapter 13, §§ 38.2-1316.1 et seq.) setting forth requirements for certified reinsurers; assignment of ratings; reduction in collateral; qualified jurisdictions; management of concentration risk; and diversification of reinsurance programs. Effective January 1, 2013.
Continuing Education. Amendment and reenacting of Insurance Agents Chapter (Article 7 of Chapter 18, §§ 38.2-1866 et seq.) streamlining the continuing education process for insurance agents. The bill provides the process for an agent to correct errors and effect compliance with CE requirements; impacts credit hour requirements, eliminates certain monetary penalties, and changes the deadline for completing CE courses. Additionally, the bill eliminates requirements for status reports to agents and shortens the time for appeals to the Insurance Continuing Education Board. Effective January 1, 2013.
Public Adjusters. New article to Insurance Agents chapter (§§ 38.2-1800 et seq.) providing for licensing and regulation of public adjusters by the State Corporation Commission, including the standards of conduct and fees public adjusters may charge and the required provisions of a public adjuster's written contract. Public adjusting is defined as investigating, negotiating, adjusting, or providing advice to an insured relating to first party claims under an insurance contract insuring real or personal property for the purpose of effecting settlement of a claim on behalf of the insured. Effective January 1, 2013.
Limited Burial Insurance Authority. Amendment and reenacting of § 38.2-1800 (Chapter 18 Insurance Agents) changing the definition of "limited burial insurance authority" to be the authority to sell, solicit, or negotiate burial insurance society membership where the certificates of membership are used solely to fund preneed funeral contracts. Also eliminates the $10,000 limits.
Notice Regarding Earthquake Exclusion. Amendment to Chapter 21 requiring any insurer, issuing or delivering a new or renewal policy of fire insurance or fire insurance in combination with other insurance coverage excluding coverage for earthquake damage, to provide written notice stating earthquake coverage is excluded unless purchased by endorsement. Additionally, if such coverage is available from the insurer, the notice must state that information regarding earthquake insurance is available from the insurer or insurance agent. This law applies to policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2013, and relate to all fire policies and fire polices in combination with other coverages, including, but not limited to, mobile home, dwelling fire, homeowner, renter, commercial fire and commercial package policies.
Forms and Endorsements. Amendment to § 38.2-305 requiring property and casualty insurance policies to contain a list of all policy forms and endorsements, applicable to the policy, displaying the respective form numbers and edition dates. Insurers that use unique identifier numbers for forms instead of edition dates are only required to place unique numbers. Effective October 1, 2012.
Posting of Forms on Insurer's Website. Amendment to § 38.2-325 permits property and casualty insurers to post policy forms and endorsements on their public websites in lieu of any other method of delivery, so long as they do not contain personally identifiable information.
Fire Insurance Policies. The Fire Insurance Policies chapter (§§ 38.2-2100 et seq.) was amended to add section § 38.2-2129 to require insurers writing fire policies, or fire policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2012, to provide coverage of at least $250 for the cost of a volunteer fire department that is not fully funded by property taxes. Policies to which the law applies include all fire policies and fire polices in combination with other coverages, including, but not limited to, mobile home, dwelling fire, homeowner, renter, commercial fire and commercial package policies.
Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements. Amendment to § 38.2-3420 increases the maximum number of Virginia residents who may receive accident and sickness benefits as employees of a bank-sponsored multiple employer welfare arrangement from 50 to 500. The exemption applies if the bank-sponsored MEWA is subject to solvency examination authority and reserve adequacy requirements in its domiciliary contiguous state.
Parity of Coverage for Oral Chemotherapy Medications. Amendments to §§ 38.2- 4214 and 38.2-4319 and new section added to the General Provisions Article in the Accident and Sickness Insurance Provisions chapter (Article 1 of Chapter 34 §§ 38.2- 3400 et seq.) provide that health insurers, health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organizations shall make the criteria for establishing cost sharing consistent within the same plan for orally administered cancer chemotherapy drugs and cancer chemotherapy drugs that are administered intravenously or by injection.
Life and Accident and Sickness Insurance Benefits. Amendment to § 38.2-102 revises part of the definition of life insurance to provide additional benefits under a life or accident and sickness policy incidental to a loss in the event of death, dismemberment, or loss by accident or accidental means.
Licensing examination. Amendment and reenacting of § 38.2-1815 requiring the Commission to annually review results of life and annuities licensing examinations and revise the content of the examinations to further the goal of achieving a pass rate. The Commission shall report to the General Assembly any findings and related changes implemented regarding the life and annuities licensing examination.
Please note this is just a summary of certain legislative changes. It is not a complete list or interpretation of the insurance related legislative amendments in Virginia in 2012. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Scott Sorkin or Richard Bland at ssorkin@blandsorkin.com or rbland@blandsorkin.com.


Lower crossed syndrome or LCS is caused by poor posture and muscular imbalances that develop over time pushing the pelvis forward causing a sway back or hyperlordosis. As the pelvis travels forward an increased amount of stress is placed on the thoracolumbar joints. As you see in the diagram, this posture creates a crossed pattern of short hypertoned (tight) muscles and elongated/weakened muscles. LCS is often seen in individuals who are sedentary and do not have strong core muscles. Postural changes like this take place slowly and usually go unnoticed until pain begins to occur. LCS is known to cause chronic lower back pain and if it goes uncheck it can also lead to early degenerative changes to the spine.
If you have this condition give us a call today to get it fixed before it becomes permanent.


TWINS ASSETS MANAGEMENT LLC is an entity registered at ALBANY county with company number 4384638. TWINS ASSETS MANAGEMENT LLC located at the address 19C Trolley Square Wilmington, Delaware, 19806. Company is incorporated on January 25, 2013. Current status of the company is active.
TWINS AUTO SALES OF NY INC.
TWINS BAR & RESTAURANT CORP.
TWINS AND TRIPLETS MOTHERS' CLUB OF CENTRAL NEW YORK, INC.
TWINS 1 CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
TWINS & S DELI CORP.


Kate Seeley passed away peacefully from natural causes on April 5, 2019, at the age of 96. She led a full and happy life. She graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Art from the University of North Carolina. She then enlisted in the Navy, where she served for three years as a Communications Officer in Washington, DC during World War II, achieving the rank of Lieutenant (J.G.). Kate married Mervil John Seeley in 1947, and they enjoyed a wonderful marriage for almost fifty years until his death in 1995 from pancreatic cancer. Kate herself was a survivor of breast cancer for over 45 years.
"After leaving the Navy, I studied occupational therapy at the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. At the age of 25 (that was old to get married in those days), I married my husband, Merv, a family friend I had known for years. We had three daughters—all over 6' tall! Over 23 years as we were raising our family, I taught art in high school and some college in 5 different states. My husband was a Civil Engineer, and when the schools or roads or bridges were finished, we moved on. Our whole family was quite athletic when young and true fans of all sports as we grew older.
"I have specialized in watercolor painting for many years. I'm fortunate to have my paintings hanging in several states in the United States, as well as in Europe, and a few in Asia. In recent years, I have taken up Zentangles—a spontaneous, creative art form involving pen and ink. A few years ago, I was blessed to become part of a small group called Artemis—women military veterans focused on using our art as an outlet for expression and growth.
"I have been committed to church service throughout my adult years. I served as Elder and Deacon at Sandy Springs Christian Church and as Moderator at Brookhaven Christian Church in Georgia. I was a member of the National Council of Churches USA, as the women's representative for the Christian Church USA (Disciples of Christ).
In her later years, Kate was closely connected to three communities. She was an active member of Unity Church of the Hills, where her interactions included participating in Zentangles classes, as well as a song-writing group and various spiritual growth activities. Her many friends of all ages at Unity remember her smiles and jokes with them, as well as her loving outreach to both those she knew and those she didn't. She considerably enjoyed being part of the Artemis group she notes above, interacting around art with women who have served or are serving in the military. She was by far the oldest member of the group, and she both learned from and enjoyed sharing her experiences and expertise with her Artemis women friends. Finally, she was happy to be living at Parsons House for the last several years. The Parsons House staff and residents have been an important part of Kate's life, with the management hosting an art show at Parsons House for the Artemis group and supporting their ongoing meetings and get-togethers.
Kate was passionately patriotic. She always got a thrill from seeing the American flag flying high in the wind, and she loved wearing red, white, and blue on every holiday. She became an avid Texas Longhorn fan from the moment she moved to Austin in 2006. Friends enjoyed seeing her in her burnt orange attire after every game, and she chose to decorate her apartment at Parsons House wall to wall in UT orange, much like a college freshman. Kate was particularly drawn to the majesty and beauty of eagles. She created many wonderful paintings of eagles and other birds of prey. Much of her art, and her life, was also inspired by an immense respect for, appreciation of, and connection to Native American life, values, and themes.
Kate and Merv are survived by three daughters: Cathy Lynn Seeley, Patricia Carol Seeley (and her husband, Gary S. Charlson), and Janet Seeley Blouin (and her husband, Michael R. Blouin III). They have four granddaughters: Dawn Rebecca Marsh (and her husband, Nathan Marsh), Kelly Peeler (and her husband James Peeler), Miranda Jean Peavler (and her fiancé Josh Mueller), and Morgan Blouin Mayer (and her husband Chris Mayer). Kate and Merv also have seven great-grandchildren: Hanna Lynn Martinez, James Andrew Dornwell, Jr., Christian James Martinez, Blake Daniel Giddens, Maisey Dawn Peavler, Hailey Ann Giddens, and Braxton Alexander Marsh.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Unity Church of the Hills, www.unityhills.org, the Lustgarten Foundation, www.lustgarten.org, or a charity of your choice.
A celebration of Kate's life will be held at Unity Church of the Hills, 9905 Anderson Mill Rd, Austin, Texas, at 11 am, April 11, 2019, followed by an informal reception at the church.
During the late 1980's and early 90's, I was part-time associate minister at Brookhaven Christian. Knowing Kate and Merv was a delight. I have two of her water colors. One of them was done from a photo of my grandparents' barn. Thank you for putting the notice in the AJC obituaries. I shared the link with the current Sandy Springs Christian Church minister and with a few of the Brookhaven folks. We are all so grateful to have known Kate. Also, it is good to know how full her life has been in Texas.
Ken and I loved picking this Chatty Cathy up on Sunday mornings for church, I so enjoyed her each time we made a trip to the doctors, we both loved taking her to lunch and the precious gift of her friendship! She was an amazing woman, great encourager, and always up for adventure!


Whether it's a quick stop to explore the Medieval streets of Bratislava or a full-on family winter adventure, there's plenty to see and do in Slovakia. Take a tour with us to experience the highlights of Slovakia, plus some of our unique touches for an unforgettable holiday.
But Slovakia is deeply historical too. Thanks to its position at the heart of Europe, it has witnessed millennia of human activity, starting with a distant tribal past rooted in the Bronze Age. As an organised territory, however, present-day Slovakia roughly corresponds to the ancient Slavic Kingdom of Moravia, which reached its peak in the 9th century AD, before being incorporated into the Austro-Hungarian Empire for nearly 1000 years. Much of the wealth and opulence of this period is concentrated in the capital, Bratislava, a youthful and stylish place where you'll find a castle and churches, mansions and palaces and a trove of urban architecture that spans gothic, renaissance and baroque styles.
Czechoslovakia, formed in the aftermath of the World War I, lasted most of the 20th century, surviving Nazi occupation and several decades of Communist governance. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Czech Republic and Slovakia broke from each other to become independent nations. Today, Slovakia appears to have successfully weathered the shift to a market-driven economy.
Eastern Slovakia is the country's folkloric heartland, home to numerous wooden churches and traditional houses and places echoing with the legends of Slovakia's most famous folk hero, Juro Janosik, a Carpathian highwayman who robbed the rich to give to the poor. Don't miss a chance to stop at traditional taverns or rural guesthouses and enjoy some Slovak cuisine, hearty fare rich in pork, poultry, and game meat, all washed down with fine red wine. The best time to enjoy Slovakia's folk traditions is the Vychodna, the most important folk event on the annual calendar and a time when you'll be able to observe much singing, dancing and unrestrained merriment.


text:
Home » Trump's new media company deal investigated by SEC
Trump's new media company deal investigated by SEC
December 6, 2021finance
Wall Street's top financial regulators are investigating Donald Trump's $1.25bn deal to float his new social media venture on the stock market, a filing showed on Monday.
Digital World Acquisition Corporation, the blank-check acquisition firm that agreed to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group Corp (TMTG), disclosed in a regulatory filing on Monday that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (Finra) were looking at the deal.
Digital World said the SEC asked for documents in early November relating to communications between it and TMTG, meetings of its board, policies and procedures relating to trading, the identification of banking, telephone and email addresses and the identities of certain investors.
The SEC stated in its request that its investigation does not mean that the regulator has concluded that anyone violated the law, Digital World said.
TMTG did not respond to requests for comment.
The Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren had asked the SEC to investigate TMTG's proposed merger with Digital World over potential violations of securities laws, including whether they had sufficiently disclosed when deal talks began.
The SEC declined to comment.
The investigations come amid excitement among Trump supporters and retail investors over the planned deal. Frantic trading of Digital World's shares has driven TMTG's valuation from $875m in October to close to $4bn.
Digital World, whose shares were down 1.8% to $44.14 on Monday, said Finra asked for details in late October and early November about "surrounding events", including a review of trading, that preceded the announcement of the merger.
Finra said in its request its inquiry should not be construed as an indication that any violations of Nasdaq rules or federal securities laws have occurred, Digital World added.
Finra declined to comment.
TMTG said on Saturday it had entered into agreements to raise about $1bn from a group of unidentified investors, bringing the deal's total proceeds to $1.25bn. But TMTG will receive the money only if the deal is completed. A vote required for Digital World shareholders to approve the transaction has yet to be scheduled.
Some on Wall Street have been reluctant to associate with Trump, and the Digital World filings did not disclose which investors backed the $1bn fundraising.
Trump was banned from top social media platforms after the 6 January attack by his supporters on the US Capitol amid concerns he would incite further violence. The Capitol attack was based on unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud in last year's presidential election.
Trump remains in legal jeopardy arising from both his lie that his defeat by Joe Biden was caused by electoral fraud and his financial affairs. His own personal worth has plummeted and the Trump Organization faces investigations in New York over its financial and tax affairs.
But Trump remains a vocal presence in national politics. On Monday he was in the headlines for an attack on the US press – which he called "crooked bastards" – in remarks to a conservative group at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night.
In a rambling speech, Trump also said "big tech" was "horrible" and had "taken away our press, they have taken away a voice".
Trump continues to send out statements, his chosen method of communication in lieu of the tweets by which he used to conduct much of his business.
In statements on Monday, Trump continued to complain about the revelation by his former chief of staff Mark Meadows, first reported by the Guardian last week, that Trump returned positive and negative Covid tests three days before his first debate with Biden last year.
In its first financial projections since the announcement of the merger, Digital World said it expected the average revenue per user of Trump's planned social media app, Truth Social, to grow to $13.50 in 2026, with 81 million total users.
That is despite the app not having reached even trial mode. TMTG plans to launch the beta version of Truth Social in the first quarter of 2022.
Digital World also said it expected TMTG to reach 40 million total subscribers by 2026. By comparison, Twitter has more 200 million daily active users.
Four-bedroom home goes on the market for FREE – but there is a huge catch
Former WeWork director hired by Scottish proptech start-up
Unions at French power group EDF call for Jan 26 strike
Martin Lewis warns Britain faces 'absolute poverty crisis' over rising energy costs
Scottish businesses begin four-day week trial
Boris Johnson will resign if he misled Parliament – but only if he did it 'knowingly'
Why Novak Djokovic's anti-vaxx stance could cost him more than just the Australian Open


text:
Report: WWE's Andrade To Undergo Surgery
He'll be out of action for a month...
By Aidan Gibbons
15 October, 2020 12:16 PM
During the WWE Draft, the likes of Titus O'Neill and Akira Tozawa were picked up by Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown. Other Superstars were later signed following the draft, but two wrestlers in Andrade and Mickie James remain free agents.
There was speculation that Andrade was set to leave WWE after he wasn't selected, but PWInsider's Mike Johnson later reported the current plan is for El Idolo to rejoin Raw.
Why he wasn't initially drafted has also seemingly been revealed. Raj Giri of WrestlingInc. reported the former United States Champion wasn't picked because he is set to undergo a minor elective procedure and will be on the shelf for approximately four weeks. Giri also noted Andrade will be on the receiving end of a push when he does return after surgery.
Why Mickie James went undrafted is still unknown. The six-time women's champion is currently on the sidelines after she broke her nose recently, but she is expected to return to the red brand in a couple of weeks.
Darby Allin To Challenge For The TNT Championship At AEW Full Gear 2020
Report: WWE Using Recorded Footage On NXT's LED Screens
Written by Aidan Gibbons
Cultaholic's resident newshound.


text:
Alberta-made product given greenlight for sale as fire-prevention method
Posted on December 9, 2020 by Eddy
EDMONTON — A fire-resistant mesh wrap made by a company in Acheson can now be used in home construction to protect homes from catching fire.
Over the summer, chemical manufacturer Genics Inc. built and set fire to three small, wooden structures to test what it calls Mythril Mesh.
The only building of the three tested to burn down was the structure without two of Genics' fire-resistant products.
The two standing structures had damaged siding and somewhat blackened soffits, the undersides of the roofs, but never did catch fire, said Genics co-founder Wes Wall.
The mesh uses a copper and boron solution which causes the mesh to expand to protect wood when it comes into contact with fire.
"As it heats… it expands and creates and entire thermal blanket… it plugs all the holes off," said Wall.
An issue with some fire-prevention products is that they trap moisture in wood, leading to fungus growth and rot, according to Wall.
"This system has holes in it so the wood can breathe… so now it's not going to rot."
In the burn test, the mesh was only used on the soffits of the structure, but the Genics team wanted to eventually expand its use to more aspects of new home construction.
The product was submitted to the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Safety Codes Council and recently received approval to be used in home-construction projects.
The company also makes fire-resistant painted plywood, which Daytona Homes in Edmonton already uses.
"There are multiple applications that something like this could be used in," said Brian Watters, Daytona Homes construction manager. "Various ways where we could improve the overall safety of the home without increasing the retail cost of the home."
The Mythril Mesh proved successful against wildfires, as well, when Genics used it in 2016 during the Fort McMurray wildfires.
"We actually wrapped some of the poles up there during that fire event, and that's when we realized we had something," said Wall.
The poles wrapped in the fire mesh were still standing after the wildfire burned through the area, according to Wall.
In the Northwest Territories, there are large blocks of land that are burned in order to study wildfires. Genics also brought their mesh to one of the tests there and left scientists impressed.
"As the fire went through that zone in a 10-minute period of time, the unprotected cubicle was on the ground and the one that had fire mesh on it completely survived the wildfire."
Currently there are more than 15 utility companies in the U.S. that use the Mythril Mesh. The CN trestle bridge in Mayerthorpe is also wrapped in the mesh.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's David Ewasuk
PULSE 3D Wireless Headset - Pulse 3D Headset Edition
Harry Styles (Vinyl)
Posted in CTV


text:
Konin – wieś w Polsce, położona w województwie wielkopolskim, w powiecie nowotomyskim, w gminie Lwówek. Konin leży na południowym brzegu Jeziora Konińskiego.

W okresie Wielkiego Księstwa Poznańskiego (1815-1848) miejscowość wzmiankowana jako Konin należała do wsi większych w ówczesnym powiecie bukowskim, który dzielił się na cztery okręgi (bukowski, grodziski, lutomyślski oraz lwowkowski). Konin należał do okręgu lwowkowskiego i stanowił część majątku Lwówek Zamek (niem. Neustadt), którego właścicielem był wówczas (1837) Antoni Łącki. W skład rozległego majątku Lwówek Zamek wchodziło łącznie 36 wsi. Według spisu urzędowego z 1837 roku Konin liczył 346 mieszkańców i 31 dymów (domostw).

Pod koniec XIX wieku Konin liczył 33 domostw i 333 mieszkańców. przeważnie wyznania rzymskokatolickiego. Był własnością Łąckich i należał do dominium wraz z kilkoma innymi wsiami i folwarkami.
W latach 1975–1998 miejscowość należała administracyjnie do województwa poznańskiego.

Na terenie wsi znajduje się park krajobrazowy (pomnikowe lipy i jawor) i pałacyk zbudowany w II połowie XIX w.. W Koninie jest też murowana kaplica pw. bł. Michała Kozala.

W Koninie urodził się Wojciech Cybulski, językoznawca i poseł.

Zobacz też
 inne miejscowości o nazwie Konin
 Konin Żagański
 Konina
 Koninek
 Koninko

Przypisy

Lwówek (gmina)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Main Title Preliminary Report on Nationwide Study of Drinking Water and Cardiovascular Diseases.
This study was designed to further investigate the association(s) of cardiovascular diseases and drinking water constituents. A sample of 4200 adults were randomly selected from 35 geographic areas to represent the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the contiguous United States. Each participant was interviewed and given a thorough physical examination. A tap water grab sample was collected from each participant's residence and analyzed for 80 inorganic chemical constituents. This paper is limited to measures of association between mortality rates and mean inorganic chemical constituent levels for the 35 study areas. Limited statistical analyses of associations among some of the chemical constituent levels are also included. Hardness and calcium appear to follow the normal trend of negative associations with the mortality rates for most groups of cardiovascular diseases, whereas the area means for copper and lead are positively associated. Zinc and cadmium associations were examined, but the range of constituent levels in the sampled drinking waters is too small for meaningful interpretation of the results. Unexpectedly, the area sodium means were negatively related to the male and female cardiovascular mortality rates; the associations were statistically significant (P<0.05) for both the male and female total cardiovascular-renal and ischemic heart disease mortality rates.


This is the perfect ballet-based class for a creative, curious child who loves to whirl and twirl! With structured play, there's lots of room for self-expression and creativity. Class size: 8-13 with assistant teachers. Class length 30 min.
There's lots of hoppin' and boppin' with friends in this tap and jazz-based combo. Kids love making tap sounds with special shoes as we explore movement with lots of energy. Class size: 8-13 with assistant teachers. Class length 30 min.


text:
Joseph Conrad: Storyteller of rich, exotic and dangerous adventures
Joseph Conrad was an English novelist and short-story writer of Polish descent, whose works include the prolific works Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness, Nostromo etc. Conrad was admired for the richness of his prose and his renderings of dangerous life at sea and in exotic places.
Conrad's father, Apollo Nalęcz Korzeniowski, a poet and an ardent Polish patriot, was one of the organizers of the committee that went on in 1863 to direct the Polish insurrection against Russian rule. Conrad's first experience with the english language was when he spent time with his father when he translated works of Victor Hugo and Shakespeare. After his father's death, Conrad was sent to his maternal uncle, Tadeusz Bobrowski, a lawyer, who provided his nephew with advice,admonition, financial help, and love. In 1874 Conrad left for Marseille with the intention of going to sea.
Conrad's Life At Sea
Conrad sailed to numerous countries including the West Indies, Venezuela and France, from where he came back heavily enmeshed in debt. Conrad became heavily enmeshed in debt upon returning to Marseille and apparently unsuccessfully attempted to commit suicide.
Conrad then went on to serve 16 years in the British merchant navy.
Conrad's Writing Career and Personal Life
Back in London in the summer of 1889, Conrad took rooms near the Thames and, while waiting for a command, began to write Almayers Folly. In 1889, he went to Congo. What he saw, did, and felt in the Congo are largely recorded in "Heart of Darkness," his most famous, finest, and most enigmatic story. The story is central to Conrad's work and vision, and his experience there left him traumatised and in ill health for the rest of his life.
In 1895 he married the 22-year-old Jessie George, by whom he had two sons. His life as an author was plagued by poor health, near poverty, and difficulties of temperament which was alleviated after 1910, when his work: Lord Jim (1900), Nostromo (1904), The Secret Agent (1907), and Under Western Eyes (1911), became financially stable. He was awarded a pension of £100. Conrad was hampered by ill health for the rest of his life but he continued writing till his death in 1924.
He was praised for his power to depict life at sea and in the tropics and for his works' qualities of romance, which in this context means his ability to use an elaborate prose style to illustrate a sordid event, albeit with an illusionary splendour.


information referent to lymph flow to the tissues in rats and humans.
But we did not succeed on it.
J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2012 Feb;39(1):37-54. Epub 2011 Dec 10.
for the lymph flow to all organs, and whether they are similar or not.
of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics Volume 34, Number 5, 687-709"
this helps along with following reference.
Modify Cmax or any other pk param?