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Semantic Web – Interoperability, Usability, Applicability an IOS Press Journal
Pascal Hitzler
Krzysztof Janowicz
Claudia d'Amato
Stefano Borgo
Boyan Brodaric
Philipp Cimiano
Oscar Corcho
Philippe Cudre-Mauroux
Bernardo Cuenca-Grau
Jerome Euzenat
Mark Gahegan
Aldo Gangemi
Anna Lisa Gentile
Rafael Goncalves
Dagmar Gromann
Armin Haller
Frank van Harmelen
Aidan Hogan
Eero Hyvönen
Werner Kuhn
Agnieszka Lawrynowicz
Freddy Lecue
Axel Polleres
Guilin Qi
Marta Sabou
Harald Sack
Christoph Schlieder
Tania Tudorache
Ruben Verborgh
GQ Zhang
Editorial Assistant
Cogan Shimizu
Directly deriving binary relation types from concept types, especially process or role types
Submitted by Philippe A. Martin on 06/16/2014 - 19:55
Tracking #: 692-1902
Philippe A. Martin
Jérémy Bénard
Responsible editor:
This article proposes an ontology design pattern for leading knowledge providers to represent knowledge in more normalized, precise and inter-related ways, hence in ways that help the matching and exploitation of (rather independently created) knowledge. This pattern is a knowledge sharing best practice that is domain and language independent and it can be used as a criteria for measuring the quality of an ontology. This pattern is: "using binary relation types directly derived from concept types, especially role types or types of process with nominal expressions as names". The article explains and illustrates this pattern, and relates it to other patterns and general ontology quality criteria. It also provides an ontology for automatically deriving relation types from concept types (e.g., those from lexical ontologies such as those derived from the WordNet lexical database). This derivation helps normalizing knowledge, reduces having to introduce new relation types and helps keeping all the types organized.
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By Simon Scheider submitted on 22/Aug/2014
Review Comment:
The article proposes a particular ontology design pattern (ODP)/ best practice, namely the idea of deriving binary relations in an ontology from concepts/classes, such as kinds of processes or roles. An example would be a relation which describes who is involved in an action, which can be derived from statements about the fillers of participation roles in a particular action. The authors suggest a set of derivation rules as well as concepts suitable for derivation expressed in the language of RIF FLD PR. They compare their suggestion with patterns on the ODP repository ODPC, and argue that many of the currently available ODPs could be derived based on the suggested approach.
The core idea of the authors has potential, even though it is not new: Namely to logically relate patterns in a type hierarchy based on derivations, in order to avoid redundancy, increase the flexibility and translatability of patterns. I also do not know of any comparable formal rules for pattern derivation that have been proposed by others, even though the best practices discussed in the paper are frequently applied and well known in the ontology community. Overall, I think that the intentions and ideas of the authors are definitely worth considering.
However, the paper leaves very much to be desired. First and foremost regarding clarity and completeness of the description, as well as regarding the arguments for the pattern. The text is in a condition which (honestly) makes it almost unreadable, even for experts on the topic. And this is not due to the complexity of the issues or the formalization, it is rather simply a consequence of a very bad style of writing. Here are some concrete details:
- The authors introduce their abstract ideas almost entirely without making examples. Even though the tables show a few of them, the text lacks illustrations and examples in almost all cases where new ideas are introduced, which makes it notoriously difficult for a reader to follow the suggestions or arguments made. For example: What exactly are types with singular nominal expressions? I could not find an example.
- Furthermore, the authors seem to struggle with their own (predominantly unexplained) terminology. Are they talking about types of relations or about concrete relations? Are they talking about concepts, processes and roles in the sense of classes or individuals? This remains unclear to the reader. For example, sometimes, they talk about processes in the sense of individuals (e.g. the particular "landing of Joe at Omaha beach on D-day") and sometimes, they explicitly talk about processes as types (classes). What exactly do they mean?
- The text contains many potentially interesting claims/conclusions regarding ODPs. However, they are not in any way systematically introduced, ordered, discussed, explained, and argued for. For example, the authors say that "DnS includes relation types which can be derived from process types". But they never make examples or illustrate such claims. Claims such as "People creating such types tend not to give them definitions with respect to a process" are unacceptable without references or further arguments. Another example for such an unsupported claim is "Most statements implicitly or explicitly refer to a process. ...". The authors also claim that the pattern was applied to the MSO database without further discussion.
- After reading the paper, I was still unsure what exactly belongs to the proposed ODP and what doesn't. Contents of Table 2? Table 3? Table 4? In Table 5, it seems that there is only one formal pattern proposed by the authors (in thick), whereas the other ones are informal statements distributed in the text.
- The goals, structure and methodology of the paper remain obscure. In the introduction, the authors claim that the proposed pattern should lead knowledge providers "to create more precise, normalized, well related and easy to understand KRs". I cannot see how this paper could convince a reader that this is actually the case. In order to do so, the authors would need to completely rewrite the paper: starting with a clear illustration of the specific challenge addressed (maybe based on examples from ODPC), and building up their arguments, always illustrated with convincing examples, which then eventually lead to their pattern proposal. The current version of the paper is far from this, which is why I can only reject it.
Anonymous submitted on 28/Aug/2014
Minor Revision
There are several very interesting points made in this paper, but overall it is very challenging to follow.
The paper begins by defining an ODP as a "modeling solution to solve a recurrent ontology design problem" and clearly explaining the criteria for a good ODP. Section 2 then describes the goal of the paper as introducing an advocated best practice for representing n-ary relations as binary relations and clearly explains why this is a useful thing to do. The authors do not claim that this transformation from n-ary to binary relations is original, but instead convincingly argue that it makes sense to have an ODP that guides this transformation. The paper also provides naming pattern advice in addition to the more traditional ODPs presented, which is very useful and not commonly done.
There are several high-level things about this paper that are concerning, however:
The paper conflates the concepts ontology design pattern and best practice. The authors argue that one source lists best practices as part of an ODP library, but not separating out these ideas in this paper makes the paper confusing. Whenever the authors make a claim related to ODPs, it is unclear precisely what they are including in that claim: just ODPs, just BPs, or both. In particular, Table 5 and the discussion related to it in the text are solely about BPs.
Section 6 contains several ideas that are confusing. For instance, the authors hypothesize that structuring an ODP library as a finely organized hierarchy or graph would make it easier to locate relevant ODPs and less likely for the library to contain duplicate ODPs. The idea would be to formally represent each ODP as a process, using the same base ontology. It is very unclear that it is possible to represent all types of ODPs, particularly all content ODPs, as a process. The authors also distinguish between subtype hierarchies and taxonomies in this section, but it is unclear what the difference between these two things is. In general, this section seeks to show the relationships between the ODPs presented in this paper to other existing ODPs, but it actually describes the characteristics of the collection of best practices advocated by the paper.
The overall organization of the paper makes it hard to digest. According to the conclusion, the paper presents various kinds of ODPs, including architectural, logical, content, and naming ODPs, all of which follow from similar derivation mechanisms. It would be best to introduce the general idea of these derivation mechanisms in the beginning of the paper, and then break each ODP out into its own section that explained the particular derivation, the ODP, the axioms underlying the ODP (which are currently entirely missing from the paper), and example uses.
Some more minor issues include:
Things that would normally be figures are referred to as tables (e.g. Tables 3, 4, and 5).
The second row of Table 1 seems to be missing a statement r_extended_specialization(?C ?C_at_time_T) r_time(?C_at_time_T ?time_T)
In Tablel 4, the label in the upper right reads "r__relation_to_another_spatial_entity" but should probably instead be "r__relation_to_another_temporal_entity". On the left side of this figure, the comment for r__predecessor_state lists r__cause twice.
The statement "It should be noted that the practical absence of "necessity to use non-binary relations" is compatible with formal proofs that "besides unary and binary relations, there must exist at least one ternary relation in order to generate all possible relations." seems to contradict itself.
It is unclear why the term "gradual pattern" was chosen to describe the "the more X, the more Y" relationship.
There are some grammatical errors (that become more frequent towards the end of the paper). For example:
There is no article prior to ABP throughout the paper, e.g. "ABP starts by advocating..." should be "The ADP starts by advocating..." and "Since ABP is language independent..." should be "Since the (or this) ABP is language independent...".
"... thereby also give more rationale" should be "... thereby also gives more rationale"
"only the third row is also about the focus of Section 3: deriving a relation from a concept" needs to be reworded
The caption for Table 1 "Examples of how and why defining a given relation type with respect to other types" needs to be reworded
"This is useful as a intermediary step..." should be "This is useful as an intermediary step..."
"First, it avoids that some knowledge providers develop..." should be "First, it avoids the problem that some knowledge providers develop distinctions only in the..."
"When genuine definitions or rules are manually given for each derived relation, as illustrated in the third row of Table 1, the advantages of the approach (over directly using relations without defining them) only come from the existence of this definition." needs to be explained more clearly.
The paper claims that concepts can be quantified while relations cannot (e.g. 3 landings can only be described via the concept "Landing" and not the relation "r_landing"). It is not clear why this is true.
In the caption to Table 2 "... signature associated to this concept type" should be "... signature associated with this concept type"
"... any type derived from noun-related part of the..." should be "... any type derived from the noun-related part of the..."
"... which are directly associated to certain top-level concept types" should be "... which are directly associated with certain top-level concept types"
"These rules permit to give a formalization of the framework" should be "These rules enable a formalization of the framework"
"... if a concept type is associated to two signatures..." should be "... if a concept type is associated with two signatures..."
"... amounts to loosing precisions..." should be "... amounts to loss of precision ..."
Please note that this list of grammatical errors is not complete.
Anonymous submitted on 13/Nov/2014
The paper proposes a new ontology design pattern for representing knowledge in a more precise way. The pattern is based on binary relations.
The title of the paper, in principle, shows a very interesting work about binary relations on processes and roles. However, the paper is too much vague: the main objective of both the paper and the pattern is not clear enough. In addition, the existing gap in the field in not well identified.
When a paper is about a pattern, what is expected is to find the pattern structure, the model (representing the solution the pattern gives to a particular problem), the requirements for using that pattern, the consequences on using the pattern, and some use cases or examples in which the pattern can be applied. However, this paper does not include any of this knowledge.
- Authors should explain why they are using strange acronyms for structures like 'adjective + BP'
- Authors should also clarify the difference they consider between best practice and pattern.
- Authors mention that most of the existing best practices are domain and language independent. This sentences should be explain in detail. In addition, there is a type of pattern called content ones that are domain dependent.
- In Section 2, it is not clear enough the need of functions.
- Some English mistakes should be corrected (e.g., "this pattern is: "using..."). In addition, authors should review the language used.
- "previous sections" should be replaced by the particular sections authors would like to mention.
Submission in response to
Permalink Submitted by Pascal Hitzler on 06/17/2014 - 19:19.
Submission in response to http://www.semantic-web-journal.net/blog/special-call-ontology-design-pa...
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* Matriarch
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Resilience, courage and determination of the matriarch
Lynn Richards has released another book, following the popular 'Breaking the Web' and 'The Irristable Web'. The latest from this Victorian author is 'The Matriarch'.
By: Donna Munro
Oct. 16, 2011 - PRLog -- This is the compelling story of an ordinary woman, born and bred in Melbourne at the very end of the 19th century. It is a journey of nostalgia through World War I, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, the shocking aftermath of World War II.
Rose is the fifth child in a family of six. Although circumstances dictate that Rose becomes the backbone of her family, she is swept into the arms of a handsome but devious young man-about-town. Rose suffers rape, betrayal and abuse.
Meanwhile her family is touched closely by the trauma of war, women's fight to vote, embezzlement, power struggles and the hardship of the Depression. Through all this, Rose is challenged, but she shines through with resilience, courage and determination. She becomes The Matriarch.
Lynn Richards has been passionate about Yoga and Esoteric Studies for most of her adult life. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother living in the outskirts of Melbourne, Victoria.
Her interests include singing, creative dance, reading, writing and designing mandalas for adults and children.
Her books include: 'Breaking the Web', 'The Irresistible Web' and now 'The Matriarch'.
'The Matriarch' by Lynn Richards ISBN: 978-1-921731-96-9 RRP $23.95 Fiction
If you would like to interview the author or require a review copy (limited) please contact Donna on (07) 55 755 141 or marketing@zeus-publications.com
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Precor's "What Moves You" catch phrase could move and motivate consumers to help beef up the company's consumer database -- if a draw of a "dream vacation," free equipment or discounts on purchases pays off.
Precor's "What Moves You" catch phrase could move and motivate consumers to help beef up the company's consumer database -- if a draw of a "dream vacation," free equipment or discounts on purchases pays off.
Go to the company's homepage at www.precor.com and not only does a large orange medallion in the bottom right announce "Save Big. Win a Trip," with an enticement to click there, but visitors are sucked in by spectacular pictures of swimmers with tropical fish in blue waters, skiers flying through the air with a backdrop of dramatic mountains, and relaxed (and fit) vacationers strolling beaches.
"What Moves You?" asks the website after each visual. "How about big savings and an exotic vacation?"
You're not only led to a page naming the dealers closest to you, but also to a link that takes you to a form to fill in to enter a sweepstakes for a vacation for two in Maui, Canada, the Caribbean or California, with 15 runner-up prizes of a choice of selected Precor home fitness equipment.
"Tell up to five of your friends about this promotion and you'll get another entry into the sweepstakes for each friend you refer. Enter their email addresses to the right."
"If Precor does a good job of providing relevant, interesting information, a customer might grant us the right to communicate with them via our quarterly eNewsletter," said Kevin Flaherty, marketing manager. "It certainly is a nice opportunity to communicate frequently with our customers, but it will only happen if we provide viable reasons to do so.
"The 'What Moves You?' sweepstakes and savings event builds upon our overall concept of relevant web content," he added. "And who wouldn't be interested in winning a trip of a lifetime or some great Precor product?"
The promotion allows entry through Jan. 31, 2004. The grand prize winner will receive his or her choice of a vacation at Maui's Grand Wailea Resort, skiing at Whistler Mountain with a stay at the Fairmount Chateau, a Caribbean Cruise on Radisson Seven Seas' Navigator, or a deluxe tour of California's Napa and Sonoma valleys, staying at the Villagio Inn & Spa.
"We believe that the traffic to the Precor website, the increased interest in Precor products, and the resulting traffic to the all-important Precor Dealer Network will result in a positive outcome for Precor and the dealer network," Flaherty said. "And, more importantly, it will get more people moving well."


text:
Picking the Best Baby and Toddler Walking Shoes
With these tips for picking baby and toddler walking shoes, you'll help your little one put her best foot forward.
By Lenora Jane Estes and Nicole Harris March 10, 2020
Closeup of toddler feet walking with parent
Credit: Halfpoint/Getty Images
Most parents love indulging in a brand-new pair of kicks, but it's quite a different story when you're buying footwear for your baby or toddler. First of all, your kid will probably wiggle out of your lap or have a kicking-and-screaming tantrum when you attempt to put on shoes. And even if you can get them on her feet without a fuss, it can be tricky to figure out whether they're actually the right size.
"A toddler or young child can't use words to tell you that she doesn't like the way something feels," says Ross Taubman, M.D., a podiatrist in Clarksville, Maryland. "To make matters worse, it's really important to find shoes that fit properly when she's learning to walk—otherwise, she could stumble more and take longer to develop the skill."
RELATED: How to Prepare Your Baby for Walking
The good news is we have your little one's tootsies covered. Follow these tips for finding the best baby walking shoes and toddler walking shoes.
When to Buy Baby's First Walking Shoes
You can put off buying shoes until after your child starts to walk (usually between 10 and 18 months). They're only for show before then, and your kid will be able to practice taking steps better when he's barefoot. That's because shoes make it harder to grip the ground and learn to balance.
For the first couple of pairs, go to an actual shoe store where you can find trained staffers who know how to measure the length and width of your kid's foot, recommends Kate Cox, Vice President of Product for the Kids Group of Wolverine Worldwide, which owns brands like Saucony, Keds, and Sperry. And wait until afternoon to make the trip because most kids' feet will swell during the day.
RELATED: Walking Timeline: From Crawling to Baby Steps
Finding the Perfect Fit
Cox stresses that it's important to find the right fit for two reasons. The first relates to physical development. "In the first five years of your child's life, feet are still developing. They're mostly cartilage and they're forming bone density," she says. "You need to encourage natural motion and allow your children to have as much room as possible, as well as the ability to wiggle the toes." Restricting a child's foot can lead to improper foot formation, she adds.
The second reason it's vital to find the perfect fit: performance. Little kids love running around outside, but if their shoes are too big, they might trip and get hurt, says Cox. If the shoes are too small, they might cause pain—and toddlers don't have the vocabulary to let you know.
RELATED: We Need to Stop Using 'Plus' and 'Husky' Size Labels for Kids Clothes
To check the fit of baby or toddler walking shoes, insert your pinkie into the heel (your finger should fit snugly) and into the point where the shoe meets the ankle (to rule out stitching that could cause blisters). Then, feel the shoe's tip while your child's standing to make sure there's about half an inch of space between the big toe and the tip.
You should also ask your child simple questions while trying on shoes (assuming he can speak): Can you move your toes? Can you flex your feet and stand on your tip-toes? Are the shoes comfortable? Do they slip off when you walk?
You can also evaluate how your child moves in the shoes. Watch for a loose, slipping heel when he walks and any red marks on his feet after you take the shoes off.
RELATED: Walking Worries: Common Concerns About Kids Walking
How to Choose Baby or Toddler Walking Shoes
The perfect fit is perhaps the most important factor for infant walking shoes, but here are some other shopping tips.
Choose the right material: "Good shoes for little walkers are made of lightweight materials, such as leather or high-quality mesh," says Ron Raducanu, D.P.M., president of the American College of Foot and Ankle Pediatrics.
Look for flexibility: "It's important to touch and feel the shoe. The best options should bend at the forefoot," says Cox.
Avoid arch and ankle support: Two features you don't have to worry about are arch and ankle support. Flat feet are normal for toddlers whose arches are still developing. Plus, your kid's ankles need to be free to build muscle and prevent injuries. "We don't recommend high-top shoes anymore because we found out there's more risk for ankle injuries when toddlers fall in these types of shoes," says Larissa Isterabadi, M.D., a pediatrician in Yorba Linda, California.
RELATED: Letting Kids Choose What They Wear
Consider functional features: If you want to inspire independence, Cox recommends looking for "easy-on and easy-off" Velcro shoes. You should also consider washable options—a lifesaver after your little one jumps in a mud puddle!
Don't use hand-me-downs: Kids' shoes can be pricey, especially since you have to replace them every couple of months. But resist the urge to give your child hand-me-down shoes while she's still trying to master motor skills (walking, running, and jumping). A new shoe will better adapt to your toddler's growing and developing foot," says Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D., author of Mommy Calls. No two feet are the same, and buying something new ensures that the inside isn't molded to someone else's foot.
When Does Your Child Need New Shoes?
Toddlers' feet grow rapidly, often sizing up every two to three months. "If your kid has been happily wearing the shoes for months and suddenly starts taking them off, hobbling around, or rubbing her feet, those are late signs that she's ready for a new pair," says Dr. Altmann.
RELATED: 12 Milestones You Shouldn't Overlook
By Lenora Jane Estes and Nicole Harris


Anxiety. Depression. Insomnia. Three of the most common conditions facing adults in the U.S. today. Unfortunately, they all affect me personally. Five years ago, when I started my job at The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, I was on half a dozen different medications to help me manage them. As of today, I only take one (occasionally) to help me sleep. It happened gradually, and it wasn't obvious to me (as I was slowly removing prescriptions from my medicine cabinet) WHY I was able to eliminate the medications. Looking back I realize the answer was staring me in the face the whole time. The answer was kindness.
As I continued to learn more about how committing acts of kindness lowers blood pressure and increases energy levels, I learned the biology behind it as well. When a person commits an act of kindness, the hormone oxytocin is released which, in turn, releases a chemical called nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels.
Because of my depression and insomnia I had low levels of energy. I just wasn't interested in participating in many activities. I didn't want to go out with friends. I was tired all day at work and exhausted by the time I got home. When I started making an effort to be nicer in small interactions, like smiling at people passing by or making a point of stopping and saying "hello" to the security guard in our office, I felt a rush of joy. When I went out of my way to help someone, I felt even better. It wasn't major stuff. I helped an elderly woman cross the street, as I could tell she wasn't going to make it before the traffic light turned. I visited a friend who was going through a really tough time, even though I knew I needed to be home to help my daughter with her homework. This rush of joy is due to the 'helper's high' where our brain's pleasure and reward centers light up as if WE are the recipient of a good deed.
I remember a day when our entire staff stood on a street corner and held up big signs with positive messages for people driving by. One sign simply said, "You're Awesome." Another read, "Have an Awesome Day". My favorite, said "Honk if You Love Someone". I felt SO GOOD while we were doing it, and that feeling stayed with me for days afterwards. What I came to find out was that in moments like this the body produces more serotonin. This is the "feel good" chemical that makes us happy. And it can last a long time. In fact, people who do good for others on a regular basis are happier overall and tend to experience fewer maladies causing them to be more likely to live longer. Not only will I feel better, take fewer medications, but I'll also live longer.
Over time, I found that I was addicted to doing good. Not just because of my job, but because I was seeing health benefits I couldn't replicate through medication. I couldn't believe how years of struggling with mental illness and working with my doctors to find the right combination of medications wasn't working for me. What WAS working was my intentional efforts to be kinder to other people and therefore kinder to myself. I saw that my actions were affecting my family and friends as well. People who witness an act of kindness have a significantly improved mood and are more likely to pay it forward, just because they saw me do it. Read that again. Just by watching someone do something nice, you are potentially benefiting your own health.
It didn't happen overnight. On the contrary, it happened over a few years. I wonder - if I had spent more time focusing on intentionally being kind (in a much more concerted effort) early on, would I have felt better and thrown those medications out a long time ago? When I look at the body of evidence out there, I believe so.
The good news is that we all have the opportunity to amp up our kindness efforts this month! #RAKWeek is starting on Valentine's Day 2016. Please sign our #Pledge2BeKind and share your stories with us. Together we can spread kindness – and health – far and wide!


text:
October 6, 1963 (age 55)
Wellesley College, Harvard University
"The darker, more complex and emotion the part is, the easier it is for me. But I don't take any of that stuff home with me at the end of the day."
Elisabeth Shue Biography
Award-winning actress Elisabeth Shue has starred in 'The Karate Kid,' 'Leaving Las Vegas' and 'CSI.'
Elisabeth Shue began acting in TV commercials as a teen. Her first film was 1984's The Karate Kid. She followed up that success with the lead role in Adventures in Babysitting (1987). Shue was nominated for an Academy Award for the 1995 drama Leaving Las Vegas. More recently, she starred in the TV crime drama CSI from 2011 to 2015.
Born on October 6, 1963, actress Elisabeth Shue is best known for such films as The Karate Kid (1984), Adventures in Babysitting (1987) and Leaving Las Vegas (1995). She grew up with three brothers, William, Andrew and John, in South Orange, New Jersey. Shue was an athlete, competing with her brothers on the soccer field. She later became a gymnast.
While a student at Columbia High School, Shue started her acting career. Her first part was in a Burger King commercial when she was 16 years old, and she landed more advertising work soon after. She attended Wellesley College after graduating from high school in 1981.
Popular Film Star
In 1984, Shue made her film debut in the box office hit The Karate Kid. She played Ali, the love interest of the title character Daniel (played by Ralph Macchio), in the movie. With 1987's Adventures in Babysitting, Shue moved from a supporting to a starring role as the heroic babysitter in this popular comedy. The following year, she shared the screen with Tom Cruise in Cocktail. Shue suffered a tremendous personal loss around this time. Her older brother William died in an accident during a family vacation. Shue told Biography magazine that this tragedy changed her personal outlook. "What happened to Will taught me that human beings are fragile. His death taught me not to be afraid anymore of who I was."
Shue went on to appear in the two sequels of the hit sci-fi comedy Back to the Future in 1989 and 1990. Soon after her career slowed down until landing her breakthrough dramatic role in 1995's Leaving Las Vegas. She played a hooker named Sera who becomes involved with an alcoholic played by Nicolas Cage in the critically acclaimed drama. Shue told Entertainment Weekly that she "got lucky" when she landed this part. "If you're not a star, you usually don't even get to read for a role this complex and beautiful, let alone get it."
Her work in Leaving Las Vegas is perhaps her greatest work to date. Shue won several awards, including the Independent Spirit honor for best actress and also picked up her one and only Academy Award nomination thus far. Unfortunately, all of these accolades did not translate into more substantial film roles for Shue. She followed Leaving Las Vegas with less memorable films such as The Trigger Effect (1996) and The Saint (1997). Tackling a small part, Shue fared better with the 1997 Woody Allen film Deconstructing Harry.
Later Career
In 2007, Shue brought a personal story to the big screen. She and her brother Andrew, a former actor who found fame as a cast member of the popular 1990s TV drama Melrose Place, produced the independent film Gracie. The movie follows a young girl who loses her older brother in a car accident. She then sets her sights on taking his place on their school's soccer team. Both Elisabeth and Andrew also acted in the film, which was based in part on their late brother William. The director was Elisabeth's husband Davis Guggenheim, and her brother John was a co-producer.
After this deeply personal film, Shue chose an interesting mix of projects. She played a version of herself in the 2008 offbeat comedy Hamlet 2 and starred in the 2010 horror flick Piranha 3D. In 2011, Shue tried her luck on the small screen. She joined the cast of long-running TV crime drama CSI as Julie Finlay. She stayed with the crime drama until its cancellation in 2015.
Shue has been married to producer and director Davis Guggenheim since 1994. The couple has three children, Miles, Stella and Agnes. In addition to acting, Shue is a devoted tennis player. She is also a graduate of Harvard University, having studied there off and on again until she officially earned her bachelor's degree in political science in 2000.
(Photo: David Shankbone, via Wikimedia Commons)
https://www.biography.com/actor/elisabeth-shue
Actor John Krasinski rose to fame as Jim Halpert on the hit sitcom 'The Office.' He has also starred in such films as 'Aloha,' '13 Hours,' 'A Quiet Place' and Amazon's 'Jack Ryan.'
Matt Damon is an award-winning Hollywood actor, having earned a screenwriting Oscar for his work on 'Good Will Hunting.' He's also known for the Jason Bourne films as well as 'The Talented Mr. Ripley,' 'Behind the Candelabra' and 'The Martian.'
Angie Dickinson is an American actress best known for her roles in the films Dressed to Kill and Ocean's Eleven, and on the hit 1970s television series Police Woman.
Award-winning actress Kerry Washington has appeared in such films as 'Ray,' 'She Hate Me,' 'The Last King of Scotland' and 'Django Unchained.' She is also the star of the Shonda Rhimes TV series 'Scandal.'
Award-winning actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus is best known for playing Elaine on the sitcom 'Seinfeld.' She has also starred on 'The New Adventures of Old Christine' and the HBO TV series 'Veep.'
Diane Keaton is an Oscar-winning actress who earned early acclaim for her work in several Woody Allen films and her dramatic turn in 'The Godfather' series. She's also known for comedic hits like 'The First Wives Club' and 'Something's Gotta Give.'
Annette Funicello is an American singer and actress known for her starring roles on Walt Disney's The Mickey Mouse Club and in the Beach Party film series.
Julia Roberts is an Academy Award-winning actress and one of Hollywood's top stars, known for such films as 'Steel Magnolias,' 'Pretty Woman' and 'Erin Brockovich.'
Jerry Orbach was a Tony Award-winning American actor best known for his role as Detective Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order.


All Rosemary Johnson ever dreamt of was becoming a professional Violinist.
As fourth violin of the Welsh National Opera Orchestra at twenty-two, not only had she fulfilled her ambition, but many believe she was poised to become world class.
Then, in 1988, Rosemary was involved in a car accident. She suffered a devastating head injury, robbing her of speech and movement. Although Rosemary was forced to come to terms with the fact that her career as a musician was over, she never abandoned hope that one day she might once more play the violin.
Now, twenty-eight years on, she is learning to make music again, using only the power of her mind.
Thanks to an extraordinary ten-year project led by the Plymouth University and the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in London, Rosemary's brain has been wired up to a computer using Brain Computer Music Interfacing software. With a combination of thought and retina control, she is able to select notes and phrases to be played and alter a composition as it is performed by live musicians. She wears an EEG cap furnished with electrodes which can read electrical impulses from her brain. These instructions are sent instantly to a member of the string quartet who views the musical phrases on a screen. Rosemary can focus her thoughts to affect the intensity, timbre and tempo of the piece.
There's no doubt that the project has been emotionally rewarding for all those who have been involved. Professor Eduardo Miranda, the man at the forefront of the project, describes his experience: "The first time we tried with Rosemary we were in tears. We could feel the joy coming from her at being able to make music".
Just what this has meant to Rosemary herself, now 50 years old, is best illustrated in the recent performance in which Rosemary was reunited with her old friend and fellow member of the Welsh National Opera Orchestra string section, Alison Balfour Paul. They took to the stage alongside one another for the first time in nearly three decades as Alison became Rosemary's surrogate violin player.
The breakthrough technology is in its relative infancy. As it develops, it could provide the means for all sorts of patients to express how they are feeling without the ability to move or communicate with words. It could grant them the power, and joy, of expressing themselves through music.
For Rosemary, this is more than therapy. Music is her only motivation; it occupies her every waking thought now, just as it did back in 1988. Brain Computer Music Interfacing has opened up new possibilities to express herself creatively and make connections that were not possible before.
Rosemary and Eduardo's story is one of friendship, innovation and the brilliance of the human mind. But above all, it's a about the power of human spirit.
In 2017, Rosemary is to receive an MBE in recognition of her services to music.


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True, she was a sweet woman and an angel of a wife; but what if a Gorgon should return, amid the transports of our connubial bliss, and take the angel's place.
The basis of matrimonial bliss is secure, and all thy little defects and frailties are forgiven.
Even under these circumstances, Martha Pierson would probably have consented to unite her fate with Adam Colburn's, and, secure of the bliss of mutual love, would patiently have awaited the less important gifts of fortune.
The Stairs were then let down, whether to dare The Fiend by easie ascent, or aggravate His sad exclusion from the dores of Bliss.
We want to say a big thank-you to all Mirror readers who gave so generously," said a BLISS spokeswoman.
I look forward to working with Bob and continuing the growth and development of Bliss & Glennon.
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Bliss, who had been living in his hometown of Othello, Wash.
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The Blueberry Bliss brand was introduced last spring during the company's 14th birthday celebration.


text:
Die Schwarze Königskerze  (Verbascum nigrum), auch Dunkel-Königskerze genannt, ist eine Pflanzenart aus der Gattung der Königskerzen (Verbascum).

Beschreibung

Vegetative Merkmale
Die Schwarze Königskerze ist eine mehrjährige oder zweijährige krautige Pflanze, die Wuchshöhen von 50 bis 120, manchmal bis 150 Zentimetern erreicht. Der Stängel ist nach oben scharfkantig und oft dunkelrot überlaufen.

Die Laubblätter sind unterseits graufilzig, oberseits – im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Verbascum-Arten – jedoch fast kahl und dadurch frisch-grün wirkend. Die grundständigen Laubblätter sind meist langgestielt, am Grund herzförmig und ungleichmäßig gekerbt, die mittleren Stängelblätter sind einfach gekerbt und länglich eiförmig.

Generative Merkmale
Im verlängerten, drüsenlosen Blütenstand sitzen in ähnlich angeordneten Knäueln die Blüten. Der Blütenstand ist ährenförmig und unverzweigt, höchstens am Grund können einige wenige seitliche Trauben entspringen. Die längsten Blütenstiele sind jeweils doppelt so lang wie der Kelch.

Die zwittrigen Blüten besitzen eine doppelte Blütenhülle. Die gelbe, am Grund oft rot gefleckte Blütenkrone ist außen dicht behaart und hat einen Durchmesser von manchmal über 2 Zentimetern. Die Staubfäden sind purpurviolett wollig behaart.

Die Blütezeit reicht von Mai bis Oktober.

Die Chromosomenzahl beträgt 2n = 30.

Ökologie
Die Schwarze Königskerze ist eine Halbrosettenpflanze mit Wurzelrübe.
Blütenökologisch handelt es sich um homogame "Pollen-Scheibenblumen". Die Nektarabsonderung ist gering und vermutlich ökologisch ohne Bedeutung.

Vorkommen
Die Schwarze Königskerze kommt zerstreut bis verbreitet in weiten Teilen Europas mit Ausnahme von Portugal, Irland und Südosteuropa vor. Darüber hinaus kommt sie auch in Sibirien vor.
Sie wächst auf Schuttplätzen, Böschungen, Straßen- und Wegrändern, Trockenwiesen und in lichten Wäldern. In Österreich ist sie in allen Bundesländern häufig anzutreffen, nur im pannonischen Gebiet fehlt sie. In den Allgäuer Alpen steigt sie an der Pointalpe in Bayern in eine Höhenlage von bis zu 1300 Meter auf.
Die Schwarze Königskerze kommt in Mitteleuropa in Gesellschaften der Verbände Atropion und Arction oder der Ordnung Origanetalia vor.

Die Schwarze Königskerze und die Eigentliche Österreich-Königskerze (Verbascum chaixii ) vikariieren ökogeographisch, d. h. in einem bestimmten Gebiet kommt entweder (fast ausschließlich) die eine Art vor oder die andere. Während die Österreich-Königskerze vor allem in trocken-warmen Lagen auftritt, wird sie in kühl-feuchteren Gegenden großteils durch die Schwarze Königskerze ersetzt.

Systematik
Die Erstveröffentlichung von Verbascum nigrum erfolgte 1753 durch Carl von Linné. Ein Synonym von Verbascum nigrum  ist Verbascum minutiflorum

Von Verbascum nigrum gibt es etwa zwei Unterarten:
 Verbascum nigrum  subsp. nigrum:
 Verbascum nigrum subsp. abietinum  (Syn.: Verbascum abietinum , Verbascum bornmuelleri ): Sie kommt in Albanien, Serbien, Bulgarien, Rumänien und Griechenland vor.

Literatur
 Bertram Münker: Wildblumen Mitteleuropas (= Steinbachs Naturführer). Neue, bearb. Sonderausgabe. Mosaik, München 1996, ISBN 3-576-10563-8.

Einzelnachweise

Weblinks

 Thomas Meyer: Königskerze  Datenblatt mit Bestimmungsschlüssel und Fotos bei Flora-de: Flora von Deutschland (alter Name der Webseite: Blumen in Schwaben).

Königskerzen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Home > Old Game Hermit
A word on emulation
Published date December 11, 2022
Last modified date January 25, 2023
Ever since I started this blog I've always made it a point to campaign against piracy. It should go without saying that I, like so many of my readers, love video games. And aside from a few indie titles, the majority of games are created by big development companies. These companies spend a huge amount of money on research and development so that they can create games that will sell enough units so that they can make a profit. It's a win/win for everyone involved. The company creates an entertaining and quality product. The consumer enjoys the games that are being created and pays money so that they can play them at their leisure. The better the game is, the more units of the game are sold, and the more money the developers make. It's a cycle that's beneficial for both parties.
Of course, as is the case with anything, there's always people who are inclined to get something for nothing. In the old days, this often meant stealing a physical game from the store shelves. These days, however, stealing a game can be as simple to downloading a ROM file off of a website. I want to be clear and state that I have never, nor will I ever, condone the act of video game piracy. If everyone started pirating games, then the companies that make them would struggle to profit from all of their hard work. If such things happen too frequently then there's little motivation for that company to continue their efforts in game development. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this line of thought. Too much piracy means the end of good video game development.
For this reason, I've always been very careful to review games that I can physically get my hands on and play. Whenever I select a game for a review, I either play the game on its original hardware or I play a legally obtained digital version. There's only been a few exceptions to this rule over the years. And these exceptions have only been made for extreme circumstances. Examples of these exceptions include abandonware, or obscure titles that were no longer available through any other means.
Today, I want to announce a slight change to this emulation policy. Going forward, when reviewing certain legacy titles, I may begin playing these games using emulation instead of playing them on their original hardware. I'm doing this for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I ran out space on my entertainment center quite a long time ago. A Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4 or 5, and an Xbox One or S/X each take up a single HDMI connection. Add in a Blu-ray player or a satellite box and you're at four or five devices. To make this work, I had to start using an HDMI switcher box a while back. Now, when you add in playing all these legacy games that are not compatible with modern consoles, I find myself having to swap out devices. Many PS2 games, for example, are not available digitally. So that means I have to unplug one console so that I can hook up my old PS2. It's become a burden that I'm just not willing to take on anymore.
Secondly, a lot of the online services needed to purchase and play some of these older games are slowly being decommissioned. Purchasing classic PS titles on the PS3, while still available, has become quite restrictive. Similarly, Nintendo has shut off the online store for a number of their older consoles.
To workaround these issues, I've decided to openly embrace emulation for certain legacy titles. Now, to be clear, the titles that I will emulating are all games that I either own physical copies of or I have bought digitally on one platform or another. For me, playing via emulation is about convenience. The majority of games that I'm going to be emulating are PS2 titles. Ever since my original fat PS3 bit the dust, I've had to play PS2 games using my original PS2 console. Quite frankly, it's a pain in the butt to drag this thing out for just a few days worth of play. The downside to this is that unless I play on a PS style controller, the playcontrol I'm experiencing isn't going to be as accurate as it would on the original hardware. On the upside, emulators often include the ability to render older games at a higher definition. This means that games will look better than ever before. So expect some higher quality screenshots in the near future. Also, embracing emulation will make it easier than ever to stream retro titles.
As always, I try to be as transparent with my reviews as possible. For this reason, I wanted to take a moment and explain my reasoning behind this sudden change.
Categories:Old Game Hermit
Tags:emulationsite news
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text:
Ultima IV and Magic
The awesome Ultima IV Book of Mystic Wisdom page for the "turn undead" spell.
Quick: what game am I describing? In this game, your character has a certain number of "hit points" that increase as you become more powerful. Enemies' weapons and spells, poison, and sometimes falls and other accidents damage your "hit points." The game provides spells, potions, and other items that help you regain them, and you can always regain them by waiting or resting. If your "hit points" fall too low, your character dies.
Anyone? If you guessed Wizardry, you're right. Of course, you're also right if you guessed Phantasie, the Bard's Tale, Ultima III, Morrowind, Baldur's Gate, Diablo, Might and Magic II, or just about any CRPG in existence. Among all CRPGs, there is extremely little variation in the way the game treats your health. In a posting a few months ago, I talked about hit points as the glue that holds all CRPGs--indeed, all RPGs--together. "If anyone ever makes a movie about CRPGS," I said and still maintain, "They ought to call it Hit Points."
Systems of weapons and armor are also remarkably similar across RPGs. Certain weapons do more damage than others. Certain armors protect more. Some weapons and armor you buy, some you can find in the game. There are both ranged and melee weapons. Different classes can wield and wear different weapons and armor. And so on. Very little variation from this basic template from game to game.
Now contrast this with magic systems. Fully describe the magic system of any game, and there's a decent chance that your description applies only to that game, or at least only to games in that series. The ways in which CRPGs vary magic are astounding. Think of all the different dimensions involved:
Spell acquisition: Some games allow players to cast every spell from the outset, provided they have enough magic points (Ultima III) or can afford them (Ultima I); others require you to achieve certain levels to acquire spells (Wizardry); still others require you to find or purchase the spells in-game to make them part of your spellbook (the Dungeons & Dragons games, at least to some extent).
The spell book in Might and Magic VII. I'll get there eventually. The game requires you to find or purchase spells to populate your book. As you cast them, your magic points (the blue bar next to the character portrait) decrease.
Spell limits: In some games, there are no practical limitations to the number of spells that you can cast (Ultima I); in some, you can cast a certain number per level (Wizardry; sorcerer classes in D&D games); in some, you have a certain number per level and you must memorize them first (most classes in D&D games); and in some, you have a pool of "spell points" or "mana" that depletes depending on the strength of the spell (Might and Magic VI; Morrowind). In these games, your spell points may be dependent on your attributes alone (Ultima III), your level alone, or your level multiplied by your attributes. In a few rare games, spells exist only in scrolls or potions that are depleted as you use them.
Spell regeneration: Some games require you to rest to recharge your spell points or renew your access to spell levels (D&D games); some regenerate continually as you walk around (Oblivion). Games of the latter type might have potions that help restore your spell points (Might and Magic VI-VIII).
Spell access: In some games, you access your spells by selecting them from a "spell book" (Ultima VII), while some require you to type the name of the spell (Wizardry) or a letter or numeric code (Might and Magic I).
In the Wizardry series, you must know a spell's name, plus have the appropriate spell level, to cast it.
Character limitations: In some games, every character can cast at least some spells (Morrowind; Oblivion); in others, there are non-magic-using characters who can cast no spells (D&D games). Usually games of the former type give more spell access to certain classes.
Physical objects: Some games require physical objects, like talismans and reagents, to cast spells, regardless of levels or magic points (Ultima IV-VII); others depend solely on innate ability.
Spell stratification: Most games make at least a distinction between arcane and divine spells (D&D games), but some do not (Ultima IV). In some games, there are further distinctions, with spell schools like necromancy and illusion (D&D games) or alteration and conjuration (Elder Scrolls games). These games vary as to what types of spells are available to which classes.
Custom spells: Most games restrict you to a list of pre-defined spells, but a few (e.g., Oblivion) allow you to create custom spells that combine various pre-defined spell effects.
Items as spell proxies: Many games provide magic items, like wands and scrolls, that have the same effect as spells (The Bard's Tale); others uses spells for all of their magic (Ultima IV).
Magic as a requirement: In a few games, you cannot progress in the game without the ability to cast certain spells (e.g., Phantasie and the teleport spell that takes you to the city of the gods); in some, spells are essentially superfluous--you could just as easily play the game with fighters only (Ultima II). There are many that occupy a middle ground where magic is theoretically optional but, unless you want an extreme challenge, functionally necessary.
I'm sure I've missed a few of the facets of magic systems in this brief list (please comment if you can think of any more), but the overall point is that the various combinations of these elements create unique magic systems for each game. Occasionally you find game series that are consistent in their uses of magic (D&D games of the same editions; Might & Magic VI-VIII; Wizardry I-III), but very often even series are inconsistent in the way they treat magic. The Ultima series is probably the most egregious offender here. If I recall correctly:
In Ultima I and Ultima II, you buy spells and can cast them until you run out.
Visiting the spell store in Ultima I
In Ultima III, your characters have different numbers of spell points depending on their class. Spells are divided into priest and wizard classes. You cast them by specifying the associated letter. Spell points recharge as you move around, at different rates depending on class.
In Ultima IV, all characters have access to the same spells. There are 26, one for each letter of the alphabet. Spell points are dependent on your intelligence and a multiplier based on your class (but not on your level). To cast spells, you must first "mix" them using reagents which you must buy and find (more below). Spell points regenerate as you walk around and sleep.
Ultima V (this is to the best of my recollection) works like Ultima IV except that there are many more spells. Spells are based on syllables ("AN" for negate; "NOX" for poison; "IN" for creation), and you cast them by combining the right syllabus (e.g., "AN NOX" would be cure poison, but "IN NOX" would cause an enemy to become poisoned). You need your reagents, but I can't remember if you have to mix them first.
Ultima VI and VII, on the other hand, use spell books. You must first find or buy spells and put them in your book before you can cast them. You still need your reagents, but these just deplete automatically as you cast the spells.
In the Ultima Underworld games, you have a pool of "mana" that depletes as you cast spells. The syllable system is back, but you need the correct rune to use each syllable. There are no reagents.
Spell runes and mana (the blue potion bottle) in Ultima Underworld
I never played Ultima VIII or Ultima IX, so I don't know how they differ, but the overall point is that every Ultima introduces a new twist in the magic system.
Let me explore Ultima IV's magic system in a little more depth. The first thing that's important to know is that spells are almost completely optional. There are a couple of characters you cannot talk to, and a few places you can't go, unless you can cast "dispel field," and I suppose you'd die a lot without the "cure poison" spell, but otherwise you don't really need magic. I'm about half way through the game already and I've yet to cast a single offensive spell.
As I mentioned, to cast spells you must first "mix" them using the appropriate reagents. As with everything else in the game, there are eight of them: sulphurous ash, ginseng, garlic, spider silk, blood moss, black pearl, nightshade, and mandrake. The first six can be readily bought from different magic shops around Britannia, but the latter two (necessary for the most powerful spells) you must "find" in the wilderness. A series of characters give you hints as to where they can be found, and ultimately you need a sextant to find the coordinates for the specific location of nightshade, while you can only collect mandrake by standing on a particular patch of poison. You can only pick them when the dual moons are dark, so amassing a lot of either is quite difficult.
Finding mandrake--and getting nice and poisoned (it grows in a patch of it)
The game is ingenious with the specific uses of the reagents. Rather than just require a random selection of reagents for each spell, the reagents each have specific purposes, floridly described in The Book of Mystic Wisdom. For instance, the book has this to say about ginseng: "Long praised for its strength-giving and medicinal properties, the root of the ginseng plant is immediately recognizable for its forked shape, and to those initiated in the mystic ways, by its overpowering rose-colored aura. It has been used for centuries by peasants who chew it or brew tea from a powdered preparation of the root in order to gain strength and stamina as they toil in the fields." This is all fluff, of course, as you never actually "see" the ginseng in the game (there's no icon for it), but still fun to read.
So ginseng is required for healing, sulphurous ash for fire and "flash," garlic for warding (illness or beings), spider silk for binding, blood moss for movement, black pearl for projectiles, nightshade for poison and illusion, and mandrake for general power. Thus, the "cure poison" spell requires a combination of healing and warding (ginseng + garlic), while "fireball" requires fire and projectile magic (ash + black pearl), and the powerful "negate time" spell requires a bit of flash, some warding (of time, I guess), and a lot of power (ash + garlic + mandrake). Genius. For a few spells, the book does not give you the ingredients, or gives you incorrect ingredients, and you must find out the right combination through experimentation or from NPCs.
Once you mix a batch of spells, you have them in your reserve to cast them when you need them, provided you have enough magic points. The game is a bit vague on how many points are needed for each spell, so it's been a bit of trial and error. So far, the most useful spells for me have been the aforementioned "cure poison" and "dispel field" plus one that allows you to exit a dungeon immediately.
As I said, there are 26 spells--one for each letter of the alphabet--and 23 of them begin with a sensible letter, so they're easy to remember: (c)ure poison, (f)ireball, (l)ight, and so on. The three exceptions are the three dungeon movement spells, which are (x)it, (y)up, and (z)down. The Book of Mystic Wisdom has some fun with the fact that these don't follow the pattern: "The most elementary forms of transportation both have strange names and may be used only when underground. The more difficult of the two is known by the letter 'Y' in honor of the mage Yenthak Gnor, who first crafted the enchantment... The origin of the [name for the (z)down spell] is uncertain, but it is believed that the letter 'Z' is the first letter of the unpronounceable Truename of the Lord of the Underworld, a demon of much power."
Now, this wouldn't be Ultima IV if there wasn't a virtue angle to the spell system, and it comes when you purchase your spell reagents. For some reason, all of the reagent vendors in Britannia are blind. You go to buy garlic for 4 gold pieces a clove, specify that you want 10 cloves, and the seller asks for 40gp. The game then gives you the option to pay whatever you want. Cheat her, and your honesty (and perhaps some other virtues) suffers; overpay and your compassion and sacrifice go through the roof.
The Avatar does not cheat blind women
On to my own Ultima IV game: I've finished visiting all the cities, towns, and keeps, collecting mantras and runes, and finding clues. I bought a sextant (which allows you to identify your coordinates) and used it to collect the bell of courage, the book of truth, and the candle of love, which I need at some point to enter the Abyss. I also hauled Mondain's skull from the depths of the ocean--this is a powerful item that will instantly kill all your enemies, and everyone else in the area, but at the cost of all your virtue. An NPC told me the only virtuous way to use it is cast it in the lava outside the Abyss.
I spent a lot of time on bridges fighting trolls and gathering enough gold to purchase a decent number reagents. I also went and gathered a little nightshade and mandrake although I've yet to mix any spells that require them.
The seer Hawkwind in Lord British's castle tells me I'm ready for avatarhood in a few virtues, so my next step is to travel around and meditate the shrines. After that, it's time to hit the dungeons--I've got my eye on a magic wand and magic bow at the weapons shop in Buccaneer's Den, but I need piles of gold for both. In my next posting, I'll talk about shrines, meditation, and avatarhood.
Labels: magic, Special Topics, Ultima IV
That was a great post on magic. I like that you add lots of screenies (You can never have too many screenshots!).
CRPG Addict June 5, 2010 at 2:29 PM
Thanks, Stu. Finding appropriate screenshots for games I'm not actively playing is sometimes difficult, but it's nice to know that people appreciate them!
You're making me think now. I play a pen&paper game occasionally called Ars Magic. What is interesting about that is the breakup of magic.
You have things like your elements + extra (Air, earth, fire, water, beings/animals) and then your 'effect' (Create, remove, modify, mental) etc etc.
The idea being you can mix and match elements and effects.
eg.. To skin a cat you could mental/animal (Convince the cat to skin itself) remove/animal (Remove the skin from the cat) modify/animal (The animal now has now skin).
The release date of Ultima IV? 1990. Ars Magica? 1991.. The proximity of times makes me suspicious.
After all. Those 'words' associated with the spells and their effects...
Could be happy coincidence (Correlation != Causation)
Loving your blog. Later on I'll sort out a profile. In the meantime, I gave you the hint of healing with bards in bards tale with internal party fighting.. :P (To give you some continuity with visitors)
AD June 9, 2010 at 8:20 AM
and finally (As a follow up to my anonymous post). I typo'd.. Ars Magica NOT Ars Magic.
Just got up-to-date on your blog..
Keep going. This is fantastic.
Jonothan November 10, 2010 at 12:31 AM
Does Hawkwind have anything particularly memorable to say, such as quotes from the band of the same name?
CRPG Addict November 11, 2010 at 9:24 AM
Ha! I'd never heard of this band. Unfortunately, you can't interact with Hawkwind the same way you do with the other characters; all he does is tell you where you stand on various virtues. If there are song lyrics in here, I didn't notice them.
Calibrator November 14, 2010 at 3:29 AM
"The release date of Ultima IV? 1990. Ars Magica? 1991.. The proximity of times makes me suspicious."
Ultima IV (as in "4", according to "Know Your Roman Literals, Lesson 1") came first to the market in 1985. I should know - thanks to the C64-version I nearly blew my school exam in '86/'87...
Either you meant a different Ultima or it's pretty clear who stole where.
Morbus Manflesh January 31, 2011 at 4:28 PM
Mondain's Skull is very much like the one ring. (Guess that's obvious) but U4 makes it tempting to use as the ring was in LOTR because it will kill your enemies easily but also your soul!
CRPG Addict February 1, 2011 at 9:41 AM
As someone who never read LOTR--I just saw the movies--I always wondered exactly what the "one ring" DID. I mean, I know it turns you invisible, but is that it? Why does Boromir want it so bad? How does he plan to "use it against the enemy"? Have a spy sneak invisibly around Mordor trying to learn the enemy's secret plans, all the while having this giant eye going, "I see you!" at him?
Ryan Jones February 1, 2011 at 11:01 AM
All the rings- the 9 for humans, 7 for dwarves, and 3 for elves, magnified their power and influence, and allowed them to achieve great things. The One Ring was secretly made to rule them all- to dominate the other ring bearers, and to control their works. For instance, Galadriel held one of the elven rings- if Sauron regained the ring, she and all her works would have fallen under his control.
In general, the hobbits were able to use very little of what the ring was capable of, but in the hands of a powerful individual like Gandalf, Galadriel or Sauron, it would have been earth shattering. Boromir could have become a devastating general, perhaps. But everything the ring was used for would have been corrupted.
CRPG Addict February 1, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Thanks for the explanation. I probably could have just looked that up. My wife and I re-watched the entire "Rings" trilogy recently, and I was struck by how little sense a lot of the plots made. There's all this talk about the rings given to the elves, dwarves, and men, but then no mention is ever made of them again. Then there's the passive voice that the rings "were gifted" to them. Who gave them? Sauron? Why did they take them?
Then there's the business about Gimli not knowing his cousin and all his followers had been slaughtered what looks like decades ago, given the condition of the bodies. And how Gandalf seems to know about the balrog before they even go into the mines but doesn't bother to tell anyone. And how when he first meets Aragorn et. al. in the second film, he's so confused he doesn't even know his own name, but then literally in the next scene, he's back to his old self again. And nothing about what's happening with Arawen makes any sense. God, I need a whole blog for this. I suppose the books explain it all better, but I could never get through them.
Carl March 5, 2012 at 2:34 AM
Sorry for being late, but some other blog I've been following in my RSS feed just recommended your blog and I've been hooked from the first minute.
I am currently reading every post of yours, from the first going upward and wanted to answer your unanswered questions about LOTR:
Yes, the books do give more details, but not only the LOTR books (my favorite is the Silmarillion, telling events from the old ages).
Sauron was a master craftsman and, under a disguise or some kind of magical illusion, he came as a benefactor to the Elves of Middle-Earth (he had t hide is real person since he already caused mischief, even then).
He helped the Elves to forge the 9 rings later given to humans and the 7 given to dwarfs. However, Sauron secretely forged his One Ring in secret to have control over these. Celebrimbor, the Elves' leader, forged alone the Elves' 3 rings of power, so they remained out of Sauron's One Ring grasp.
Gandalf and the balrog: although there could be historical explanation (armies of Balrogs existed ages ago, which Gandalf knows about since he's knowledgeable of the past, being himself centuries-old), it is just simpler to think that he didn't want to terrorize the party by telling them (also, he probably didn't know if the Balrog was free or not...moreso he would hope they cross the mountains quickly so they don't get spotted by anything, less a Balrog).
As for Arwen, she is mostly forgettable in the books. Peter Jackson put her in the front scene probably just to push a love story so girls would like the movie better (my own cheap judgement). In any case, Arwen having so much time was a liberty Jackson delivered by himself. You will see the same kind of liberal creation from him with Legolas being part of the Hobbit movie, which the book never mentionned first hand.
Sorry for littering...back to reading and talking about CRPGs now. :)
CRPG Addict March 6, 2012 at 1:12 AM
Thanks. I do appreciate the clarifications. I'm not sure it excuses the lack of these explanations in the film, though!
Canageek March 6, 2012 at 1:56 PM
As for his cousin getting slaughtered; Remember that all contact was by messenger. It wouldn't be unusual for a distant outpost to go a few years without sending someone on a long and dangerous journey to talk to the rest of the dwarves. If Gimli had been travelling or in a further distant hold it is entirely plausible that he wouldn't have gotten news that the normal messengers hadn't been seen.
Gandalf certainly knew why Moria had been originally abandoned (They dug too deep and uncovered Balrogs) but he probably didn't know if any of them were still there and free--It had been a hell of a long time since anyone had been there, so long that even the Dwarves had forgotten what had driven them from Moria.
Paul April 9, 2015 at 11:36 AM
This will be sacrilege to a lot of people, but I always liked The Hobbit better than LOTR. At least the book. I thought The Hobbit movie (though TBF I only bothered watching the first one) was crap.
The Hobbit had a simple plot and characters you could identify with. The Dwarves came off as kind of average Joes. You'd read the events and think, 'Yeah, I could see that.'
LOTR has a lot of meandering plot points and there are too many over the top superheroes. After Gandalf returns you never get the impression that the characters are in danger. They're just too powerful and mow everything down. None of the bad guys, even someone like the Witch King, gets 'over' on me as being a threat. You get that sense in the movie as well.
IMO there are a lot of things that happen in Lord of the Rings where I think, 'If this wasn't Lord of the Rings I would never buy this'. I'm not saying it isn't worth reading. It's a classic after all. But it's treated like some kind of a Bible and it's not THAT good.
PetrusOctavianus February 1, 2011 at 12:11 PM
The LOTR films are more style than substance. Visually and technically brilliant, but the plot and characters are weak.
The Elves at Helms Deep and Aragorn killing a diplomatic envoy (Mouth of Sauron) is so totally out of character that I'm glad Tolkien himself was in no position to witness the travesty.
Canageek March 8, 2011 at 10:48 PM
Hawkwind could have been a tribute to the Micheal Moorecock character of the same name: As I recall the band was named after him.
I never thought about it before, I read this, but it has been bugging me since. Tabletop RPGs have thought up many new systems for magic and HP that CRPGs don't seem to have payed attention to, despite the common origin of the games. Tabletop RPGs have a lot of limitations on the amount of math the players are willing to do, while CRPGs can do that sort of thing in the background, so it seems to me that CRPGs should naturally have evolved much more complex combat systems then tabletop RPGs, however the opposite seems to be true. The math in tabletop RPGs has been getting more and more complex, while CRPGs seems to be mostly static. I think it is because in a tabletop RPG the mechanics are A) More open, so everyone has to deal with the underlying system a little, B) You generally play a tabletop RPG a lot more then a CRPG, since there is no 'winning' the game.
Still, you think there would be some CRPG designers who would have played GURPS or HERO or something and made CRPGs based totally on point buy, or where you don't have HP, but each wound you take adds penalties to your rolls, with some sort of death trigger when you gain a certain negative penalty. Now, on the other hand you do see a fair number of games with wound locations: Fallout being the first one to come to mind, but I'm sure there are others.
Still, it seems odd that given the freedom to make the computer do the math for you that you wouldn't experiment with things more. Heck, there have been tabletop RPGs that tried to do exponents and logarithms as part of the game: no one played them, but there is nothing inherently wrong with the idea if you make a computer do the math.
The Sega Genesis Shadowrun does play like the pen and paper version for magic, using force that may deal damage to you. No smoking though but it's different from a lot of CRPGs
The magic system for Ultima 8 is one of the many cool things about that game. I look forward to reading your review of it (in a few years time??)
In Arx Fatalis (2002) you use mouse gestures. That was quite some time before touchscreens and us starting to use actual gestures on them.
John Pile July 22, 2019 at 12:57 PM
Stumbled onto this while looking for images similar to Ultima IV's magic book and ended up reading the post. I really appreciate your first steps into summarizing the various CRPG magic systems.. I have not seen a similar overview. Also, I was surprised because I had not remembered the use of spell points in U-IV. I am currently developing an Indie game based on old-school CRPGs and have just started thinking about the magic system. I would like it to be a cross between U-IV and U-V.. but something that is not so complicated that it will keep the attention of a modern audience while also being accessible on a console (U-IV without a keyboard is tough and I am not sure players are willing to keep notes like you had to when we were kids).
If you have other thoughts on what you like best/worst about old school CRPGs, I would love to hear them (feel free to reach out directly).
I completely forgot about this entry. I should expand this into a bigger entry now that I have more experience with RPGs in general.
As for your last point, that's really what my entire blog is about.
Ultima IV: Shrines, Meditation, and Avatarhood
Two Books on CRPG Histories
Ultima IV: Dungeons
Ultima IV: Getting Ready for the End
Ultima IV: Won!
Ultima IV: Final Ranking
Game 17: Wizard's Crown (1985)
Wizard's Crown: Ultra-Tactical Combat
Wizard's Crown: Packing It In
Game 18: The Bard's Tale II (1986)
Bard's Tale II: Waiting for It to Get Difficult
Game Economies
Bard's Tale II: Not Feelin' It
Bard's Tale II: Hiatus


This chapter describes the hardware and features of the current IBM System Storage DS4000 and the DS5000 family, including the new IBM System Storage DS5020 Express. This section details the DS5000 products, which include the DS5020, DS5100, and the DS5300. The DS4000 product covered in this section includes only the DS4700 model; for more details about the older DS4000 models, see IBM System Storage DS4000 and Storage Manager V10.30, SG24-7010.


text:
Єгор Крімець (,  27 січня 1992, Ташкент) — узбецький футболіст українського походження, захисник клубу «Пахтакор» і національної збірної Узбекистану.

Клубна кар'єра
У дорослому футболі дебютував 2011 року виступами за команду клубу «Пахтакор», в якій провів один сезон, взявши участь у 39 матчах чемпіонату.

2013 року на умоах оренди захищав кольори команди китайського «Бейцзін Гоань», згодом протягом 2016—2017 років знову був орендований в «Бейцзін Гоань».

До складу клубу «Пахтакор» знову повернувся 2018 року.

Виступи за збірні
Протягом 2010–2012 років залучався до складу молодіжної збірної Узбекистану. На молодіжному рівні зіграв у 4 офіційних матчах.

2013 року дебютував в офіційних матчах за національну збірну Узбекистану.

У складі збірної був учасником кубка Азії з футболу 2015 року в Австралії, кубка Азії з футболу 2019 року в ОАЕ.

Титули і досягнення
 Чемпіон Узбекистану (6):
 «Пахтакор»: 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021
 Володар Кубка Узбекистану (3):
 «Пахтакор»: 2011, 2019, 2020
 Володар Кубка узбецької ліги (1):
 «Пахтакор»: 2019
 Володар Суперкубка Узбекистану (1):
 «Пахтакор»: 2021

Посилання

узбецькі футболісти
Гравці молодіжної збірної Узбекистану з футболу
Гравці збірної Узбекистану з футболу
Гравці кубка Азії з футболу 2015
Гравці кубка Азії з футболу 2019
Футболісти «Пахтакора»
Футболісти «Бейцзін Гоань»
узбецькі футбольні легіонери
Футбольні легіонери в Китаї
Уродженці Ташкента


Benefits: Transportation to the camps and host communities, flexible working hours.
"We are supporting you in what you are already good at, yes, but more importantly, we're supporting you to use your judgment and act in the best interests of vulnerable young people to create transformational change".
Capoeira4Refugees (C4R) is not a capoeira school. C4R is a social organisation that supports grassroots capoeira initiatives to help traumatised children and youth, particularly refugees. C4R's approach is respectful to all capoeira styles and traditions, and we do not follow any particular school.
Our goals include using principles of capoeira training, such as the development of confidence and self-respect, to produce positive social impacts, such as decreased levels of violence and aggression, improved mental health, better school performance and increased positive behavioural choices.
Capoeira4Refugees was founded in 2007 working with street children in Syria (where it still has projects). C4R has been active in the West Bank, Palestine, since 2011 and in Jordan since 2014.
This is a hands on role, where the trainer must show initiative and be able to work closely with volunteers and partners to get the job done. You will build strong relationships with your students to support them in benefitting from the capoeira classes. Independent actions could include finding venues for training, advertising of classes, engaging volunteers, taking photos of the classes for marketing purposes (and editing the photos), using social media to manage and build a community, capture stories and information from the projects. The success of the role will depend on your own resourcefulness, hard work, and inspiration.
The social capoeira trainer will receive a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) training as well as ongoing M&E support. As the main point of contact to the students, they will be expected to provide a range of essential material on the progress of classes and students. This will include verbal feedback, class registers, stories of change, photos, films and short surveys. Active observation, an inquisitive mind and relationship building will be vital in order to gather the necessary information.
You will be responsible for coordinating and implementing the project's activities (also the implementation and development of a community class on the weekends/evenings). T This includes coordinating, and liaising with local organizations and communities. You will also organize and coordinate workshops, trainings and be an active advocate on social media tools to raise awareness. You will be supported by the C4R in implementing these activities.
Support other Capoeira Teachers in planning and implementing workshops, performances and events according to the programme goals and milestones.
Basic level of spoken and written English with the drive to improve!
Knowledge of Arabic language with the drive to improve!
Email the application to mail to: Jobs(at)capoeira4refugees.org.
In order to minimise administrative costs, Capoeira4Refugees will only contact short-listed candidates.


text:
Q: Weird mouse behavior in games (official Steam client) I'm playing Counter-Strike Source on KDE Neon 5.21, within official Steam client.
What I noticed is that in game mouse sometimes doesn't react to left/right clicks at all - or the mouse button seems to jam, so the weapon I'm using continues to fire despite I lifted the finger.
Problem is not hardware, as it occurs for both mouses I'm using + doesn't happen when playing the same game in Windows.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This paper discusses the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the New Testament.
In this article, the writer notes that most people enjoy reading the New Testament over the Old Testament saying that the Old Testament is no longer important. The writer maintains that this is simply not true and discusses that the Old Testament has many prophecies that are fulfilled in the New Testament.
"Many prophecies point to the birth and death of Jesus. These prophecies include the seed of the woman, seed of Abraham, seed of Isaac, and many more. "Messianic prophecy is the collection of over 100 predictions in the Old Testament about the future Messiah of the Jewish people" and most of these have been fulfilled in the New Testament. It is important to read these prophecies because they ..."
A review of the book "Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament" by Christopher J.H. Wright.
This paper summarizes the Old Testament, emphasizing the sovereignty of God and the doctrine of redemption.
This paper presents the writer's perspective on the purpose of the Old Testament.