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Q&A: Think Big: Big Vehicles, Big Figures, Big Television, and Other Big Ideas
By Adam Pawlus — Sunday, April 8, 2012
So let's talk about vehicles, and get a little less optimistic for 2012 in that department. Why isn't Hasbro better exploiting TV series based on its core properties for new toys? A fine question. And why hasn't Hasbro given us a Marvel Legends-ish line yet? Would someone please tell me, because I'd like to know in this week's Q&A!
1. Any insight in to future case assortments for Class II vehicles? Any chance we'll actually see a Mandalorian Assault Transport vehicle at retail? I know you can/could buy these online, but I'm not sure I've heard of someone getting this at local retail.
I get that Hasbro is trying to milk old molds and repaints for fat cash, but the newer vehicles have been incredibly scarce. Along with the never seen Mandalorian Assault Transport, I don't think I saw the Republic Cannon more than once or twice at retail. I'm not sure why they don't put the newer vehicles in more case assortments.
In your infinite toy wisdom, can you explain?
--Dave
The last few months basically shows that when it comes to midsize vehicles, either we can't see the big picture or Hasbro's asleep at the wheel. The Vintage Class II vehicles are straight repacks, more or less dooming it to package completists and kids who missed the figures only. The new Phantom Menace vehicles are a mix of vehicles that are cheaper to buy on eBay, and two of them-- Sebulba's Pod Racer and Anakin's Pod Racer-- do not have compatible pilot figures available anywhere this year. Sebulba is only in a hard-to-find exclusive which basically has yet to be properly distributed, and no Anakin was sold to fit the cockpit. In short, Hasbro has successfully set the stage to kill this assortment by Q3 2012 if it wants to.
With that in mind, I don't know if Hasbro plans on repacking scarce vehicles or not. A Vintage repack of the Mandalorian Assault Transport makes a lot of sense-- it would look awesome-- but I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that I have absolutely no data in my hands right now indicating when (or if) future waves of Class II vehicles after the Naboo Fighter will ship.
We may be in the midst of a line shrink, much like we saw in 2003, with fewer SKUs available and some stores not carrying the full line. Walmart is already jettisoning a number of new-for-2012 assortments, so we might be looking at mini vehicles and basic figures in a hsort period of time. Hasbro is aware of the distribution problem, and all I can say for now is that when it comes to the Mando Transport, it's online, Canada, or bust. Multilingual packaging is quite common on eBay, and a reissue of the ship would undoubtedly be at least $25 before tax. With that in mind, if you can get one for $35-$40 on eBay, now may be a good time to do that. (It's a neat vehicle. It's not awesome, but it's fun and I wouldn't feel like a dunce springing $40 for it, if it comes to that.)
2. Why in the world does Hasbro not realize that shows like The Clone Wars and shows like their own GI Joe Renegades have opened up the proverbial flood gates on options for "new character" creation? Endless lists of new figures can and should be made from this show. They have done a good job thus far but what is there bases for the figure choices that they want to sell or feel are profitable? The reason I ask is Hasbro seems to have creatively tapped out (your line from last week's Q&A) based on collector choices yet they still say kids are their number one buyer? What is the deal here? Can you help me understand why they wont make some of these newer characters from the clone wars either as real style or animated figures? I wont list any because there's just too many to count....
--CAP
The Hasbro of 2012 is not the Hasbro of 1999, or 1984. Today's Hasbro fancies itself a media company and is increasingly obsessed with things like ratings for TV properties and, as always, suits seem to be dictating things in the line that aren't obvious to us from the outside. (This is my diplomatic way of saying "Derryl knows the score, someone must be undermining him or something.") So let's tackle this one by one.
Why no Renegades? G.I. Joe's new cartoon was pretty much stillborn and the figure line as a whole is having intense problems, with some characters like a new Storm Shadow being impossible to find (I want one and have never seen it) while others like the new Kwinn and Data Viper were canceled after Hasbro showed them to fans at one or more toy conventions. So that whole brand is a clusterfudge and right now, all we can do is hope the movie line is a rip-roaring success that is so hot, Hasbro has to get some of its unreleased figures and/or unreleased Renegades figures out in a hurry as line figure. (Spoiler alert: this will not happen.)
So new characters or no, it doesn't matter. Hasbro decided the show is dead and is moving on to the movie, and even "classic" stuff is suffering.
With The Clone Wars, again, the ratings are low and Hasbro (and Lucasfilm) are shifting their energies to the 3D movie reissues right now. Seeing the clearances and massive amounts of buy-one-get-one-half-off deals in the last couple of weeks, my guess is this didn't work. (I don't blame them for backing the movie, but well, look at it.) The animated line is packed with awesome new characters but Hasbro is hell-bent on not giving them the most sensible distribution, with some characters that should be poor sellers (Darth Sidious) getting the same awful distribution as clones that kids and collectors may actually recognize and ask for (Commander Bly). We've seen precious few figures given a second lease on life, with Aayla Secura and Hondo Ohnaka being two "rare" figures getting reissues in the last couple of years. Heck, if you look at the first two waves of 2012, pretty much everything is a new version of an existing character, with the only figure making its animated toy debut is Boss-- and this makes his third figure, although his first-ever non-exclusive release.
So I guess my answer is this: Hasbro isn't interested in exploiting the figures it made to the fullest extent possible, and most likely one of the suits say "Jedi and clones sell, so just focus on the big winners," missing the point of a diverse line being what draws in fans, collectors, and (hopefully) a returning collector generation after they grow up and get jobs. With this line Hasbro has left a lot of money on the table, and while I don't know the reasons for this (or if I do, I don't fully understand what it is I'm seeing and neither do any other collectors) all I can say is that it seems we're seeing the line handled in such a way that the armchair quarterback toy fans like me and you and the rest could see this as being a problem a year in advance. Like when they announced a new Malakili in 2009... what were they thinking? We don't know. But we do know the line is going to suffer a bit as a result, as this "only 19 figures, old or new" business is showing-- at this rate we're going to be done for the year before school lets out for summer.
The upside is a smaller selection of figures usually means better distribution. If you look at the three waves of Clone Wars at the online shops which sell by the case, you'll note that Cody, Anakin, and the ROTS-style clone got carried forward to wave 2, and the new entries from wave 2 (Boss, Rex, and Obi-Wan) actually are being brought back for wave 3. Assuming Hasbro holds to its 19 carded figure tally, there should be one more wave of basic figures with 2 "new" (possibly repackaged) figures.
So with that in mind, I guess what I'm saying is yes, the TV shows are basically massive treasure troves of fantastic newness, but that doesn't even matter because Hasbro can't quite seem to handle the lines in a manner that you or me or even worse, the average kid can handle. If we can't find stuff, kids can't find stuff, and if kids can't find stuff, they have no reason to pay any attention to the line. If I were a parent right now, I'd probably look at Clone Wars and say "No, don't get any of these, these are just like the figures we bought you last year." Clones and newly-sculpted Jedi of existing characters in existing outfits is not an enticing purchase, particularly when Hasbro could have (and should have) saved money just reissuing the 2010 Anakin and Obi-Wan again. (Even though, yes, the new sculpts look like they're pretty good.)
...all the doom and gloom aside, this is normal for the toy business. Hasbro has made it difficult to get several items from its Transformers, Iron Man 2, and Indiana Jones lines recently (yes, even more difficult than Star Wars) and Mattel's treatment of Masters of the Universe from 2002-2004 is textbook toy frustration. Generally, if a brand can survive these things it should come out for the better, although I'd say Transformers has been flailing since early 2011 as new product goes and the He-Man relaunch of 2002 really never got "better" during its all-too-brief run.
3. Adam, not sure if you have already touched on this but I am wondering if there is any differences (paint, parts, etc.) between the just released pod racer vehicles and the ones from the original Phantom Menace toys 10+ years ago. Also if you would also hit on the differences in the soon to be released Naboo fighter and the old one.
--Mattew
The Naboo Fighter is the only complete new mold, but the AAT is a heavily modified version of the original. (With some new tooling that renders one of the included stickers worthless.) The Sebulba Pod Racer has new labels and is more vibrantly colored, while Anakin's Pod Racer is brighter as well, and certain elements are molded in color rather than painted silver. You can definitely tell the difference if you put them side-by-side.
If you want figures which can actually fit in the Pod Racers, you'll need to buy the 1999 originals anyway-- the pack-in Anakin and Sebulba were designed with the vehicles in mind. Hasbro's 2012 selections for the characters do not fit without a lot of cramming, Sebulba in particular is too large and Anakin's hands don't fit on the controls. If you get either vehicle and figure from 1999, they'll fit just fine. Oh, and they're like half the asking price of the new ones. Nicely done, Hasbro.
The 2012 Naboo Fighter is a completely new mold-- so it has an astromech socket, and I believe is slightly longer than the original.
4. I'm cool with the release of the MTT. I would have preferred animated Battel Droids but I'm good with it. Also would have rather had a Sith Infiltrator on the big scale as this is the year of Darth Maul, a Sandcrawler (really why not ...we are gettign the MTT) or another Clone vehicle but this is what we have. Do you know of any whispers of a big one for 2013? You may not be able to say what it is even if you have heard the slightest thing, but can you at least say you have heard there is something on tap? No doubt it would have to be in development right now if there is. Just hoping if the MTT does tank, Hasbro doesn't think the big vehicles are then off the table. They could just re-release the AT-TE since it is in AOTC (assuming it does arrive in 3-D) or Slave-1 or both. Well there's always another Republic Gunship to be made too.
Well, you can be cool with it, but what I don't get is why so many of you have been writing into me saying "Well we got our first-ever MTT, so Hasbro has got to make a new Sandcrawler!" Where is this leap coming from, particularly when the existing Sandcrawler mold could probably be reused again?
As to 2013? No whispers. Hasbro may be working on it right now, given most big ticket items could be in development for as long as (or longer than) 18 months before they hit stores. We really don't know how Hasbro defines success, or if it even matters with big-ticket items. For all we know these exist solely as a marketing icon to drive attention to the brand and to grab shelf space, propping up Star Wars as another Big Deal for a few more years.
I really really really doubt we'll get another Sandcrawler in the next few years. Hasbro's vehicle tooling library is packed with vehicles which, frankly, they can still exploit-- for the next 4 years alone we've got the AT-TE, Turbo Tank, and Millennium Falcon followed with another grab at the AT-AT. Hasbro may not need or want to do something new, and to be honest, I kind of hope they don't. Of course, if they do, my money is on-- as you mention-- a new Republic Gunship before anything else, that mold is golden and eBay prices seem to be high still.
5. You said that you weren't sure of the future of action figures considering the costs were rising while the price of video games is continually dropping, making them more and more an alternative for those hard fought kiddy allowance dollars. I wondered in the light of that what you thought of Skylanders.
They seem to have created something very popular with a foot in both the action figure and video game camps.
Given that Star Wars is popular as both action figures and video games, and that Hasbro likes to pull inspiration from other companies' hit new thing (Squinkies vs Fighter Pods, etc) do you think Skylanders might point to a possible future for Star Wars?
Maybe even something they could do in compatible scale to the existing 3 3/4" line?
--Zack
It will only happen if Hasbro and Lucasarts, the Lucas software division, play nice. I'm actually more surprised LEGO hasn't done this with the Kinect or iSight, integrating toys kids own into the game if they hold it in front of the camera. It's easy and (other than the long development times for games and toys) it's doable, but man I bet it'd be pricey.
With Skylanders, Activision pretty much runs the show-- they distribute the games and figures, and have the marketing muscle to do this with (more or less) an existing IP with Spyro. There's no reason this couldn't be done with anything, but you really do need to do it in a way that appeals to millions of kids, not tens-to-hundred of thousands of collectors. Oh, and Skylanders are really expensive. You need to buy a game system ($$$), a game package with a device to read the figures ($$), and then new, non-articulated figures ($) to play the game. It's a fad product, it might be a productive fad that lasts 3-5 years, but it's difficult to maintain long-term focus with kids (and their parents) buying and staying in a single brand.
So yes, to answer your question? Sure, this could be done, and Hasbro might even do this in a lower-budget way involving an ARG with a webcam, but Skylanders has a big chunk of software with one of the biggest publishers in the world behind it. The real question is, is it possible that something like this could make Star Wars action figures cool for kids again? I kind of doubt it. I don't get why they didn't do something with Kinect Xbox tying in with Hasbro lightsabers-- the possibilities are endless, Hasbro and Lucas' software teams just aren't going down that road right now.
There really aren't many competitors to Skylanders in the game+toy space right now, but my guess is there will be in the next year. Hasbro does like to follow trends (see: Furry Frenzies [Zhu Zhu Pets], Bot Shots [Bakugan], Kre-O [LEGO], Fighter Pods [Squinkies], and a few aborted attempts in the vehicle space) and odds are after the success of Skylanders in the last few months, they're working on one or more toy lines similar to it right now. That we may never ever hear about, because, well, most of what goes on at these companies doesn't necessarily see production. When you get right down to it, the success of Skylanders can be tied to engaging the young boy market-- this isn't really college kids or older collectors, but the same group that, over the years, has given life to Pokemon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other great properties. Nearly every toy company is working on some sort of iPad integration with its brands (games/movies/etc.) and you'll be seeing these in stores over the next few months. And on clearance racks in or by January. To date (as far as I know) Hasbro hasn't whispered about any Star Wars toys to integrate with any current software platform.
How is the new Republic Attack Dropship? A mix of "excellent" and "whoops." I've never seen Hasbro pack so many play features into a ship this small; the ability to "drop" two figures into battle with adjoining backpacks with big guns was incredibly clever. It can convert into a sort of "landing" mode and a "fighter" mode, it has firing rockets, and it can stand up nicely. Its main fault is figure compatibility, as the canopy is incredibly tight for the included figure and the backpack guns are a little awkward for figures to grasp. As a toy, it does more than most vehicles at twice the price, although since no kid will ever find it, they aren't going to have to worry about that part.
And yeah, at this point I think I'm going to start actively lobbying for a "larger format" figure from Hasbro. I'd like to see if they can out-Matty Mattel in terms of a quality larger action figure, and-- at this point-- I think a new scale, a genuine fresh start may be just the thing to pull in lapse fans and rejigger the system. I mean, I love my 3 3/4-inch babies. I really do. But while I had no problem displaying 100 of them, 2,000 gets tricky. But man, I'd love to see if Hasbro could take the slow approach and crank out something like 150-200 really good 6-7-inch-scale figures. Darth Vader should be able to pal around with Skeletor, the Joker, and Dr. Doom.
At this point, unless there's a licensing (or royalty-eats-the-profit-margins) reason I'm going to guess that Hasbro probably is going to see a point where the price for 3 3/4-inch figures gets high enough where a quality ("quality" means "minimum of 16 points of articulation per") larger figure line may end up being a really good idea, particularly if fans seem really warm to the idea.
This is where you come in.
Do you think this is a good idea? Write in the comments. Post in the forums of your choosing. Write a blog post on your web site, compose an editorial. Oh, and if you hate it? Do the same thing. As of right now I can't imagine being remotely excited for Attack of the Clones 3D product next January-ish. Oh boy, obligatory Clone repaints and if we're lucky, more vehicle reissues? I can't say I'm particularly excited over more of the same, and after seeing what we got for The Phantom Menace the new-to-old ratio wasn't so hot. So Hasbro, if you're reading, why not kick off with a swell 7-inch scale line? Kick off wave 1 with a mix of Attack of the Clones figures like Anakin, Jango, Dooku, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and follow it up with Ahsoka and a few Clone Wars characters in "real" style for wave 2. (And then wait.) I'm game now. I don't think I'd be happy to see another two years of figures with higher prices and reduced articulation-- there shouldn't be an inverse relationship here.
So how about it, Hasbro? For this year, you're giving us Amp'd and Fighter Pods, and while I don't want to sound ungrateful, well, c'mon. How about it?
I'm not afraid of new...
Ace Fenyar | April 11, 2012 - 10:43am
...it's just that the smaller scale has always been my favorite since I was a kid. G.I.Joes and Star Wars figures have always appealed to me more in that size, and whether a toy line is in that scale usually plays a big factor in whether I buy into it. To me, that's just the definitive scale that a toy should be. Heck, I even picked up the Delorean from Entertainment Earth partly because they mentioned it was compatible with 3.75" figures. (Not that it did me much good, as it's still in the box...)
Edit: Oops... this was meant as a reply to Uki.
Same here, there's just
Sy_Snootles_Is_hot | April 11, 2012 - 2:57pm
Same here, there's just something so perfect about the 3.75" scale. I remember when I was a kid and I saw the first images of the POTF2 line, I for some reason expected them to be larger than the originals. When I finally got my hands on them, I was thrilled that they were the "proper" size.
...and that's perfectly fine! :)
Uki | April 11, 2012 - 3:11pm
I think we can all agree-the 3.75 inch line is legendary and awesome. Some of us just want it to feel fun again (while others are still enjoying it).
For me, a "Classics" line would pull me in. :)
Not another line!
Ace Fenyar | April 10, 2012 - 2:16pm
Alright. I may be in the minority here, but to tell the truth, I wouldn't want to start a whole second collection of figures. I like the 3.75" figures because we get to enjoy things like vehicles and creatures. And for those of you saying that you want a smaller collection of larger figures so it saves room... you can probably pick out those same characters and display them in a smaller space with your current 3.75" figures.
The only thing that's keeping me from being burnt out is the small trickle of new characters being introduced into the line. I know that Hasbro can't support characters that are too obscure, but I really think they dropped the ball on the comic two packs and I would gladly pay $20 to $25 a pop for a comic two pack with a pair or really cool figures. A Han Solo at Stars End pack with Han and Bollux or a Shadows of the Empire Dash Rendar and Leebo would have been great sets, but we never got the chance.
If the smaller scale line dies, I would probably be satisfied with what I had (it's been a great run) and stop collecting. If I did want to keep going, I'd probably go the direction of Star Wars Legos rather than 6" figures.
Well, truth be told, it's not
therealdub | April 10, 2012 - 2:48pm
Well, truth be told, it's not just the "wanting a smaller collection" driving this 6" Legends/Classics desire (for me, at least.)
I want a clean break from the 4" scale, which was only ever instituted as a companion line (aka a selling point) for vehicles. I'm all done with big vehicles, (although a select set of smaller scale vehicles - like the staggering MOTUC Wind Raider would be great - imagine a 6" scale Landspeeder or Speeder Bike.)
I also want the increased detail and quality that is possible at 6".
I want a reboot of the Star Wars brand, personally, and I think the Legends.Classics treatment is the way to go.
And most importantly: It doesn't have to replace the current "Vintage Collection".
It'd just be in addition to it. Just like Marvel Universe and Legends. You can go into many stores right now and have your choice of a 4" or 6" Constrictor or Steve Rogers. And one is clearly superior in the craft department then the other.
That's what I want, at least.
Dub, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
I agree on all points-this wouldn't have to replace anything. SW has always boasted multiple skus. Just now we have Movie Heroes, Vintage, Clone Wars, Transformers, Fighter Pods, and the preschoolers' Jedi Force. SWClassics could slip in as one of these as they go by the wayside. Vehicles such as a landspeeder, speeder bike, or even a ride-on tauntaun would be as far as I'd take vehicles here. I like the Collect-And-Connect notion-and figures could also come with great small-fry additions: mouse droids, mynocks, interrogation droids, holographic projections, Sith probe droids, kouhun centipedes... I'd love swappable heads too. For example, Vader could boast a normal helmet, removable helmet, and a Dagobah/Dark Side Spirit head with blasted open face to reveal "Luke!" Chewie could come with heads dedicated to his different looks. Leia could come with her cinna-buns and up-do from Empire's end. Han and Luke could get heads with gunner station headsets. I
I'd pack goodies in to make each release the definitive, no-do-overs version for that character (in that costume) for this scale. (Imagine Vader's robes and armor able to switch over/under to complete his ANH and beyond looks.) :)
This is fun to think about-I wish it would come true!!!
Has anyone else started stumping in other places to gauge interest? I'd love to help bang drums elsewhere...
I started a thread on
I started a thread on Rebelscum, but I think there's some hostility over there to this concept. But we'll see.
http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1080227/#post18787727
But Adam is one of the founders of the online Star Wars feast, so his weight might move some opinions. Would love to see this get floated up to Pawtucket.
I voiced my support Over at RS...
Uki | April 11, 2012 - 7:48am
Some people are just afraid of anything new, and we know what fear leads to... ;)
Ooh!!!
Uki | April 10, 2012 - 12:09am
Build-A-Figures! Imagine a collect-and-connect Jabba, Wampa, you-name-it! (You'd have to get a Jabba in the line.) I can't think of any other "musts" as far as that range would go right now during Hermione's 3am feeding...Porkins? ;)
Collect & Connect
therealdub | April 10, 2012 - 9:44am
A BAF or CNC concept would be a completely natural fit. Probot, Jabba, Wampa, Tauntaun, Muftak, Ephant Mon, etc. It'd be totally rad.
Just had the thought of a 6" Gammorean Guard enter my head. Epic.
Why keep pushing the prequel era?
showalum | April 9, 2012 - 6:57pm
If there's any proof that OT figures sell better than Prequel toys, just look at the pegs of Vintage figures. Sure, there might be 1 or 15 Dengars still there but you'll also see a ton of Phantom Menace figures Lucas is hellbent on selling. This is the first time since the Vintage collection debuted that you could still find a complete wave on the pegs months after their release.
And when they finally do something innovative like the light-up sabers, where do they put them first? On Prequel characters, not OT characters.
I just don't understand why Lucas keeps treating the Original Trilogy like a hated step-child.
I haven't done the math, but
Adam Pawlus | April 10, 2012 - 3:15pm
I haven't done the math, but if anyone would like to I'm quite curious what the ratio of OT to PT has been over the last few years. I know the answer is "never enough" when it comes to the OT, but in a prequel "movie year," I'd be stunned if they skipped Jango or Maul or Grievous.
I would argue that the vintage problem you're seeing with 2012 wave 1 is probably the same as Dengar-- remember, not just Dengar but many, MANY figures from 2010 Vintage Wave 1 were pretty common for a while, and they're all from ESB. With few exceptions, in any line, wave 1 is always a pain and overproduced-- and this TPM wave, with a new 5-digit SKU (and a new DPCI at Target) is a new wave 1 even though it doesn't look like it to the average fan. The computers don't know any better and new product gets good support, so yeah, argh.
About 50/50
I did the math a few months back, and prior to the unusually large (12 figures) TPM wave, the OT/PT split for TVC was pretty close to even. I think.
Prequel Stuff...
That's all selling fantastically in my area, so I suppose your mileage may vary. The kiddos eat that stuff up-but I would agree that I'd be more interested in seeing such a line launch with some ANH goodness. I'd love to see a "Wave 1" of Vader, Chewie, Luke, and Han. Just my thoughts though... :)
I really dont understand the
Jobacca | April 9, 2012 - 6:31pm
I really dont understand the people who say they wont buy this line because of space. Obviously a line like this wouldnt go as deep as the 3 3/4 line....look at stuff like Marvel Legends or DC Universe or Masters of the Universe. All you need are a couple of shelves and you can display 20-30 figures easy. I've got 150 DC Universe figures on 3 shelves of a bookcase EASY. Due to the cost of tooling and sculpting,I wouldnt even expect a line like this to GO that deep....no way would they be able to give us figures of Jabba or creatures or vehicles. But a line of the main characters? They could do that for a couple of years easy. Start with ANH...then do Lando and Boba Fett as well as the requisite Luke,Han,Leia re-releases for Empire. Throw in Slave Leia,The Emperor,and some Ewoks for ROTJ,maybe some Bounty Hunters and call it a day. I honestly think that a line like that would appeal to both collectors and casual fans alike and rekindle interest in the brand much like the return of the 3 3/4 figures in the 90's did.
I personally know A LOT of fans who dont even buy toys who would snap up a 6 inch Star Wars line in a heartbeat. Look at the success of the MOTU line(even with Mattels constant screwups). Those figures run over $30 with shipping,and they've managed to make and sell out of some of the most obscure characters in that line....and you KNOW there are way more people willing to pay that for a 6 inch Boba Fett than there are fans of characters like Fisto and Slushhead and whoever the hell that giant eye-ball figure was that they made a few years ago.This would be the biggest thing to happen to Star Wars toys in a longtime...if it were to happen.
Rekindling!
Uki | April 9, 2012 - 4:56pm
That's exactly right! The rekindling of stagnant fires for those of us who were simply burned out by the sheer magnitude of the 3.75 inch collection. I love it to death and appreciate it for all it's done, but something fresh is what it's going to take to get me back on board. Otherwise, I'm only good for the Ewoks from here on out, which could be sooner than later.
Sy_Snootles_Is_hot | April 9, 2012 - 2:18pm
While it may be a good way to help draw in a new crowd, personally there's just no way I would buy any larger scale figures. Like you mentioned, it's already hard enough to try and display what I have. How would I deal with a group of larger figures? Plus, I just really don't have it in me to start a whole new Star Wars collection. I feel exhausted just thinking about it.
I reached a point about six
therealdub | April 9, 2012 - 3:55pm
I reached a point about six months ago, which was the end point in a long series of downgrades, where I had just had it with 4" Star Wars figures. So I unloaded nearly everything I had (save for my run of Vintage Collection carded figures; I think they're on they're way too though), and broke about even (more or less) using eBay auctions. It was just too much crap sitting in storage. Now I have a select collection, and add one or two pieces a month, using the money I made off eBay. It brought in about $6000, all told, after fees.
And I will always unload some stuff once or twice a year, as my interests shift. I went from holding onto everything forever to just letting go, downsizing and enjoying a smaller stash. I have found it infinitely more pleasant, and whenever I eventually move life will be leagues easier.
So the idea of 10-20 superior 6" Star Wars figures totally rekindles my excitment for SW collecting, which is deader'n Dillinger at the moment.
Yeah, I've been doing that as
Sy_Snootles_Is_hot | April 10, 2012 - 7:32am
Yeah, I've been doing that as well. I pretty much have only kept figures from either the cantina or Jabba's palace and a few other figures. There's just something about larger scale figures that has never appealed to me, even as a kid. Apparently it's just me though, as everyone else seems pretty excited by this proposition :P
I have about 500 figures on
Topeka | April 9, 2012 - 5:19pm
I have about 500 figures on ebay right at this moment. Although it's a little painful to give up so many years in this hobby, the line has become a burden rather than an interest. The Vintage stuff will stay (new and original) but everything else just isn't worth hanging onto any more.
Star Wars Classics
Oh, heck yes-Greedo is a must! I just (well, right before taking a nice long nap with my newborn daughter) typed up a thread supporting this idea over at He-Man.org. Following the Vintage lineup could be cool-I'd even say using a modern update to the style it followed, with a bit less focus on likenesses. I know you like the toylike aspects of recent stuff, Adam. I agree. This could be a true Star Wars Classics-very much akin to our latest darling, the MOTUC line. :)
The thread for anyone
The thread for anyone interested:
http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/showthread.php?223433-Star-Wars-Clas...
Its time for Star Wars Legends!!!
Jobacca | April 9, 2012 - 10:39am
Longtime lurker,first-time poster just to throw my support behind this idea....I would LOVE to see Hasbro try their hand at a 6 inch highly articulated Marvel Legends style Star Wars line. I know they think they've already done this with the Unleashed line,but those were statues. Start slow and go from there...give us a Stormtrooper(which will inspire army buliders to buy LOTS) Vader,Luke,Han,Leia,Chewie and the Droids. The only problem I see for that is that Hasbro(and Mattel)like to reuse A LOT of the same parts/tools and a lot of SW figures would require all new tooling...which is a lot more expensive in the larger scale. So the real question is...how much would you be willing to pay for 6 inch Star Wars figures? $20? $25? What if they were sold online like the Mattel sub figures for $30 plus shipping? I think I'd be willing if they were done nice enough.....
Amen to a Classics-Style SW line!
Uki | April 9, 2012 - 9:58am
Adam, I'm throwing my full support behind the idea of a six/seven inch SW line akin to MOTUC, DCUC, or Marvel Legends. I contacted you about it last week too-I'm just burned out on the 3.75 inchers. Collecting it had become more work than fun, and I have been focused on the MOTUC line since its inception. As a SW fan first and foremost, however, I could be quite happy with getting a line of these-say 10-12 figures a year. The idea of starting out with AOTC figures next year would work, sure, but starting with the core cast of ANH would perhaps be a less risky approach. If the line failed (for whatever reason), at least we'd get the group of characters most fans would demand most. Forget all the scene-specific variations, too: this line would work based on the simplicity of the Vintage line. (I'd argue that it doesn't even need to get as in depth-I'd keep it to core characters and only get as obscure as certain cantina patrons and Ewoks or the odd podracer or Jabba's Palace goon.) just my 2 cents, though! :)
I'll start banging the drum at He-Man.Org, too! :)
I just think it needed to get
Adam Pawlus | April 9, 2012 - 1:56pm
I just think it needed to get to a point where, as some have said, we had to get where a $20 figure could be seen as decent. (I am pointing my fingers to Hasbro Marvel Legends as the model for pricing when it comes to a similar Star Wars line.)
And sure, Cantina guys and the like would probably be a good way to go. I would love to see Hasbro treat it like the vintage Kenner line from 1978-1985, with core players and a few other guys to keep things interesting. If I didn't get Greedo, I'd be disappointed!
1:12 Star Wars figures
metaphorge | April 9, 2012 - 9:15am
Not exactly what you have in mind, but did you see these prototypes for 1:12 Star Wars figures from ThreeA Toys last year? http://powet.tv/powetblog/2011/07/21/sdcc-2011-preview-night-6-inch-star...
(They have well-tailored cloth costumes and would cost about a bazillion dollars apiece, but they are pretty awesome.)
I don't know if they got a
Adam Pawlus | April 9, 2012 - 9:26am
I don't know if they got a license for this one, from what I gathered this was a pitch to Japan and I haven't heard much yet. And well, we already got bazillion dollar 1:6 scale cloth outfit figures. I'm hoping for plastic.
Ashley Wood & Co. did not get
Ashley Wood & Co. did not get the license. My understanding is that 3a was trying to swing a sub-sub-contract from Sideshow (which is now the distributor for 3A toys outside of Asia) in much the same way that Hot Toys did for their upcoming 1:6 Bespin Luke.
I agree that plastic would be the way to go, just figured these were worth mentioning since we were discussing 1:12 Star Wars.
Wow. Never seen those.
therealdub | April 9, 2012 - 9:47am
Wow. Never seen those. That's precisely what I want.
Look how shiny that Stormtrooper is!
http://www.actionfigurepics.com/2011/07/san-diego-comic-con-2011-threea-...
This is the first time I've
This is the first time I've seen these too. They look incredible, and if a line like that could be sustained for at least several years, I would buy into it. Definitely need something like this to compete for my dollars, which are going toward high-end statues and prop replicas as of late.
Star Wars Legends/Classics
I'm very glad you're getting behind this concept, as I think this should be the future of the collector end of the Star Wars line (and I've been stumping for it over on RS for about a year now.)
When I look at my MOTUC collection or "marvel" at those current Marvel Legends figures, and then try imagine what a 6" Greedo, Jawa or Stormtrooper would look like... it gets me really excited again in a way that I frankly haven't been for the brand in years.
4" has been a good 35 year run. Time for a reboot at 6"+. 4" was to support a vehicle line. I want a characters line.
(And for the record, I also want an ARAH-era "GI Joe Classics" 6" line as well.)
If they can improve upon
Mike | April 8, 2012 - 10:47pm
If they can improve upon their POTJ Mega Action figures, which if I recall didnt do fantastically well, with the quality of detail and sculpt seen with the 6 inch Unleashed figure (ines) it may work. But the strength of the 3.75 inch scale has always been the ecosystem with compatible vehicles and playsets. If they're figures just for figures sake, and compete with my diminishing budget for busts, statues, Sixth Scale figures, and such, it will be novelty/niche for me and Hasbro would have to commit and do something really special with a new assortment like this to compete for my dollars.
That was the line with the
That was the line with the 1:12 Droideka, wasn't it? That was a pretty great toy.
They were great toys. It also
Mike | April 9, 2012 - 6:28pm
They were great toys. It also included a Darth Maul and Obi Wan Kenobi. Again, if they infuse Unleashed type detail, we may have something here.


What a melancholic world it would be if all letters to the editor and all contributions to a debate were devoid of humour, rhetoric and, yes, even sarcasm. Sadder still if it was up to the editor of the paper to filter out all correspondence with even a hint of these attributions. Yet that is just the world that Southern Highland News letter writer N Pryor would have us inhabit.
N Pryor, (stated firmly as of Bowral's east), responded recently to my letter about proposals to re-name East Bowral to something else.
I am not ashamed of myself to have brought some levity to the debate. It is one that should be had with a twinkle in the eye as we are not discussing sending troops to war, or methods to alleviate poverty or anything nearly so serious.
I have lived in the Southern Highlands for (nearly) all of my 26 years, and I adore it. I would not live nor work anywhere else if there were opportunities to stay and contribute. Sadly, for many people of my age, this area offers little in the way of employment or education. Nonetheless, I have stayed thus far because of the region's beauty, safety and community spirit.
I did not claim that any of the options to formally rename East Bowral were endorsed by all residents, and I too eagerly await the outcome of the community survey.
If N Pryor is relying only on the community newsletter for his/her information, then he/she is as informed as I on the matter and ought not cast mindless aspersions on my knowledge.
I began volunteering in this community at 13 years of age. I have spent thousands of hours since in activities with a wide variety of community-based organisations. Should N Pryor or anyone else be interested in further details of this volunteering, they would find Google or the search engine on this paper's website to be a useful tool.
I look forward to N Pryor's continued engagement through the pages of this paper, or online. However, I will not be inclined to respond again if the personal attacks, ignorant aspersions, and lack of humour evident in the first letter is still on display.


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Home > JOURNALS > HASTINGS_CONSTITUTIONAL_LAW_QUATERLY > Vol. 17 (1990) > No. 2
Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly
A Kinder and Gentler Supreme Court
Arthur J. Goldberg
Out of Sight, out of Danger: Procedural Due Process and the Segregation of HIV-Positive Inmates
Lynn S. Branham
By What Authority: Reflections on the Constitutionality and Wisdom of the Flag Protection Act of 1989
The Supreme Court's Bifurcated Interpretation of the Confrontation Clause
Daniel Shaviro
The Role of Special Interest Groups in the Supreme Court Nomination of Robert Bork
William G. Myers III
Prohibition of Public Funding for Abortion Counseling: Government Violation of Women's Constitutional Right of Privacy
Catherine Hebert
Experimenting with State Constitutional Limits on Punitive Damages in California: Application of the California Excessive Fines Clause
Thomas Preston Klein
HCLQ Website
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Balkan Odyssey 2009. Part I: Zadar, Split, Hvar, Korčula, Dubrovnik
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Under:
Balkan Odyssey, Balkans, Travel, Travel: Eastern Europe
Balkan getaway – route planning
My holiday is finally over! Thank goodness. In fact, I am not sure if it was a holiday at all. In just over two weeks of zooming around Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro, I managed to sleep in 11 different locations, travel the distance of close to 1,700 kilometres, use every means of transport available (airplane, bus, ferry, train and car) and take over 5,000 photos (of which only about 30% turned out above the passing mark). That in addition to covering a walking and swimming distance possibly comparable to that travelled. While most of my friends would have a different definition of a holiday, the time I had was truly wonderful. Below is the brief description of my route and the main impressions from the trip.
I had initially pondered entering Croatia through Split or Dubrovnik with an easyjet flight, but discovered, months in advance, that low cost airlines' price levels to those two destinations were already comparable to flag carriers. Imagining an airplane bursting at the seams with (already drunk) British tourists, I opted for Ryanair, which, for the summer only, was flying to Croatia's most underrated city – Zadar. Tickets were booked and filed. Bingo.
My next big challenge was route planning. I tend to get carried away with these things. Friends had explained to me repeatedly beforehand how unrealistic it was trying to cover more than a few spots on the Adriatic over two short weeks. I bent to peer pressure and preliminarily decided to stick to Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik and a couple of Croatian islands. When I started putting my route on paper, however, I realised that the Adriatic could only fill up one week of the two I had at disposal, no matter how hard I'd try.
I had to take some emergency measures. My itinerary was expanded to include Bosnia & Herzegovina's beautiful Mostar and the capital city of Sarajevo. I then unexpectedly received a full commitment from a friend in Montenegro to drive all the way to Dubrovnik to see me and tour Montenegro's Kotor Bay together for a day. Montenegro was duly squeezed into the route. Then another friend jumped in to offer a visit to Karlovac and Plitvice National Park in Croatia. The only way to accommodate that was by undertaking a 9-hour transfer from Sarajevo to Zagreb towards the end of my tour. Then I remembered a good friend was now living in Zagreb and could spend an evening hanging out in town after my killer journey. Finally, the first friend got cold feet about driving into Dubrovnik with Montenegrin plates and asked me to take a bus across the border. The bottom-line was drawn there, the absolute highlight of the route being not two, not four, but EIGHT Croatian border crossings. With an almost virgin passport, I boarded a plane in London. My holiday had begun.
Finally here!
My arrival in Zadar set a good start to the entire odyssey. The cutest passport control officer I had ever seen made prolonged eye contact, deprived my passport of virginity, smiled and said "dobrodošla" ("welcome"). I have to admit people from the back of the queue had to push me forward from the precious spot in front of Mr. Cute. I will always be flying through Zemunik airport from now on!..
A beautiful town on the Adriatic coast, Zadar was every bit as expected, and more. A group of klapa singers were performing on Narodni Trg main square that night, filling the air with melancholic Dalmatian folk melodies. After receiving close to queen's welcome from Sandra and family, I really could not have wished for more. That in addition to much milder temperatures on the Croatian coast compared to London.
St. Donat's Church and St. Anastasia's Cathedral, Zadar
The next day brought a visit to Nin, a small coastal town on Nin Bay, famous for its rich royal history and salt production. After Nin, I bid farewell to Sandra and transferred to my next destination – Split.
Split is the largest Dalmatian city, second largest urban centre in Croatia and a busy point of departure for several Croatian islands and Italy. Again, I was impressed. I still remember the year 2000, when Croatia first started to be advertised by Latvian tourism agencies as the "new Italy". With the communist past, the recent war and all, most of us remained very sceptical back then. I had also spent eight months of the past year travelling and living in Greece, that paradise of a holiday destination, so held my standards rather high.
Cathedral in Nin, the smallest in Croatia
All that summarised, I repent to say that I had expected much less from Croatia in general and Split in particular. But the city was simply amazing. The old town is built inside a real palace (Diocletian's Palace), except that the chunk of this one is not a closed museum but an open area where normal people still reside. The Split harbour is always busy with ferries and boats zooming in and out. The riva (waterfront promenade) offers fantastic leisurely strolls and people-watching. Finally, the Marjan Hill on the west side of the city takes a pair of strong legs to climb, but awards one's patience with truly breath-taking views of the city and the surrounding Adriatic, especially around the sunset hours. Absolutely recommended.
Split harbour by night
From Split with love!
Sunday fish market, Split
New day, new transfer. After attempting a relaxing swim off one of Split's beaches and cutting the back of my knee literally open (Croatian beaches can be quite rocky), I was off to the island of Hvar. The island of the glamorous, the rich and the trendy. Despite not fitting any of these categories, I thought it would be good fun, anyway. And it was! I was absolutely inspired by the sapphire-coloured sea, the amazing Venetian Španjola fortress overlooking the Hvar town and harbour, the views along the old road from Hvar town to Stari Grad and by the cosy evening city bustle. I was less inspired by the uninterrupted party noise during the night. Seriously, by the time the noise would end, my alarm would go off and the new exciting day of my holiday would begin. Either I get up too early, or go to sleep not late enough.
Panoramic view over Hvar from the Španjola fortress
St. Stjepan's Square, Hvar
Another less invigorating aspect of life on Hvar was the number of sticky Italians. The "ciao bella" was already echoing in my ears by the time my ferry to Korčula was due. I used to compare those individuals to a chewing gum stuck to the sole of your shoe on a hot summer day… but enough of that. After a day excursion to the idyllic Pakleni islands (some of Croatia's best swimming spots are there), I left the shining Hvar to its legitimate owners.
My next stop was Korčula, Croatia's second most populated island after Krk. The island generally popular with families (as opposed to party animals), Korčula turned out much more peaceful than Hvar. Within seconds of arriving there, I was flooded with Marco Polo memorabilia. The legend says that the famous globetrotter was born on Korčula in 1254. The island is also famous for moreška sword dance, which used to be performed all around the Mediterranean Sea but is now unique to Korčula. I happened to catch one bi-weekly performance of moreška, and was much entertained. Even more so because I understood every word spoken in Croatian and one of the actors looked like a good friend of mine. I kept on imagining my mate Ivan dressed as a Red King and dancing around with a sword. My resulting giggling distracted not one a co-visitor.
Sun-kissed Korčula facades
Moreška sword dance, Korčula
A major achievement during my stay on Korčula was the discovery of an authentic YUGO car in the village of Lumbarda. The star vehicle of the former Yugoslavia, it has almost gone into oblivion in more developed parts of the region. My child's joy at facing the real one could not possibly be put into words. I bid farewell to the sweet Korčula, promising myself a return one day. Next visit's mission will be to hit Vela Luka, the hometown of some of Croatia's most famous singers. Next time.
I then jumped on a bus to Dubrovnik. Korčula is quite close to Croatian mainland, which enables a scheduled bus connection with some Croatian cities. The bus loaded itself on a smallish car ferry, was safely transported to Orebić, and continued its way southwards along the Pelješac peninsula. I had only heard third-party praise for some amazing beaches on Pelješac, but can truly say that some of the most amazing sea views during my trip were indeed there. The peninsula is also known for its wine and a regular sea connection with Mljet island. Next time I will even make sure to get off the bus while there.
Heading deeper south
My first night in Dubrovnik was deprived of any glamour. After making the week's most stupid decision of walking from the bus station to the westernmost tip of the Lapad peninsula (which took me just under one hour) and checking into the hotel, I had strength for little else than a quick shower. As exhausted as I was, I could not help noticing a disproportionate number of Russians populating the place. I even had a momentary suspicion that my Croatian was getting fluent enough to give me this illusion. Wrong; the words flying all around me were indeed my native. I went to sleep that night thinking about my following morning's mandatory return to the hapless bus station. Montenegro was waiting!
The morning brought with it a minor entertainment. While checking out at the hotel reception, I was asked where I was from. "Latvija" I said and, unsure whether Croats and Serbs were calling my country the same name, added "Letonija". "It's Latvija in Croatian", said the receptionist. "It's Letonija in Serbian", I remarked. "Yes", was the answer. "Serbs always get it wrong". Well, I did not expect anything less in Dubrovnik.
The bus to Montenegro was loaded with Russians. At the border, passport controllers (notably below my Zemunik standards) collected all non-Russian passports, only casting brief glances at Russian ones. I was only waiting for something like a "welcome home, druzja", but perhaps I was being too sarcastic. Oh, and the road between Dubrovnik and Herceg Novi may be short, but the sea views are some of the most unbelievable on the Adriatic. Not for those scared of heights, though.
After a tearful reunion with Tanja in Herceg Novi, off we went to explore the Kotor Bay (Boka Kotorska), the only fjord-like formation on the Mediterranean (despite actually being a ria, a flooded river valley). We initially planned to dedicate the hottest and least comfortable part of the day to Herceg Novi and Perast and then hit Kotor, but unforeseen circumstances made us reconsider. Boccan Night (Bokeška Noć), an annual crazy event in Kotor, was something both Tanja and I would rather avoid. Hence Kotor was relocated for the hottest part of the day. Even then, it was amazing. Perast was likewise very cute, but I found the distance between the sea and the high-rising mountains – the actual area of the town – far too short. Apparently Russians feel so claustrophobic there that they skip it altogether and proceed all the way to Budva instead. Don't ask.
My only evening and night in Montenegro were spent discussing the Montenegrin national identity (which some would probably question), Montenegro's church dispute with Serbia, specifics of Montenegrin language (which has recently seen an addition of two new letters – ask your Serbian friends for details), politics and sharing romantic gossip. Seriously, all the ingredients for my unconditional happiness. When it comes to little ex-Yu tweaks, I could listen and talk forever. Perhaps I should have been born in the region, but I am never sure which republic I would then choose.
Perast, Kotor Bay
Kotor City walls I was back in Dubrovnik in the early hours of the following day, met Paula, was told that Kotor Bay used to be part of Dubrovnik Republic back in the days (diametrically opposite to what my Montenegrin buddies had told me the night before), decided not to argue and just enjoy the city. Regardless of how congested and overpriced Dubrovnik was, I could not but agree with Lonely Planet putting it among the top Croatian highlights. It just has to be experienced at least once.
Especially recommended is a stroll along the entire perimeter of Dubrovnik's city walls. The angles onto the old town, the Adriatic and other parts of the city are magnificent. Go after 4pm to avoid sweating off in the shade-less heat.
I was much entertained while buying the entry ticket to the city walls. By some unexplained phenomenon, the language database inside my head gave a false signal, and, instead of a proper Croatian "jednu kartu, molim", I said "jednu kartu, prosim". "Slovenka!" screamed the ticket seller. I insisted that I wasn't actually from Slovenia. "Znamo, znamo, odakle ste" ("We know where you are from") was the answer. Whatever. I had been accused of many things in my eventful life, but being called a Slovenian was something new. Sometimes it just helps being flexible with things.
Panoramic Dubrovnik
Sisters on Luža Square
On top of the city walls, I was lucky enough to bump into a Spanish guy who, armed with the most professional camera I had ever seen, was taking pictures of his girlfriend. I quickly mobilised him into taking pictures of myself on my very own Nikon. The exercise resulted in a few proper photos of myself, which otherwise take a role secondary to landscapes, random people and city views.
Also recommended is sitting on the Luža Square just observing people. Food in Dubrovnik might be good, but, being in town pretty much alone, I skipped that part. I was already crossing the border with Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH) in my mind… to Mostar, my next destination.
Sweet 30: Best 30 places visited
A day in Chernobyl
Sunsets I will never forget
Why I love travelling alone
Welcome to ANJCI ALL OVER!
My name is Anna and welcome to my blog! I work full-time in London and spend most of my free time travelling the world and taking pictures, with the aim to see as many of the world's less visited places as possible. My favourite parts of the world include Afghanistan, Chile, Falkland Islands, Greece, Myanmar and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Take a look at my stories and photos!
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The Weekly: Musk Bots Blocked, US Crypto Candidate, a Herd of Institutional Investors
bitcoin in brief
July 29, 2018 bitcoin in brief, Blockchain, Elections, Elon Musk, institutional investors, Mike Novogratz, N-Featured, Ross Ulbricht, scambot, The Weekly, This Week in Bitcoin, Twitter coins 0
In this week's daily editions of Bitcoin in Brief, we reported about Twitter blocking ETH scambots mimicking Elon Musk, a US presidential candidate who accepts crypto donations, the expected arrival of a 'herd of institutional investors' and much more. The most commented-on article during the week covered the latest development of the ongoing legal battle in the Ross Ulbricht case.
Also Read: The Iranian Government Is Preparing to Launch Its Own Cryptocurrency
TCAP Explores Market
On Monday, we reported on another indication that mega banks are looking to enter the crypto dealing market. TP Icap plc (LSE:TCAP), one of the largest connectors between banks' traders in the financial, energy and commodities markets, has set up a 'working group' to explore how it should approach cryptocurrencies. The crypto working group includes some of TP Icap's most senior executives. Additional stories included: Hashflare stoping its SHA-256 cloud mining contracts, encrypted email service Tutanota integrating cryptocurrency support and Huobi launching a new service for companies that wish to offer a white label exchange of their own.
A 'Herd of Institutional Investors'
The main story on Tuesday was that Michael Novogratz expects more financial institutions to be coming into the crypto space soon. A "herd of institutional investors" is headed towards cryptocurrencies, the prominent hedge fund manager said in a speech at Blockchain Week Korea. Other headlines included an upcoming crypto-custody service meant to answer increasing demand from high-net-worth and institutional clients in Hong Kong, and a study which reveals that about 30% of Brazilians are interested to invest funds in cryptocurrencies in the near future.
Crypto Crime Blotter
In Bitcoin in Brief on Wednesday, we covered a number of stories related to crime from around the cryptosphere. These included an exchange operator that plead guilty to securities fraud for trying to hide that hackers stole approximately 6,000 bitcoins from his venue, a scammer that was fined over $1.9 million for bitcoin and binary options fraud, London City police academy adding a cryptocurrency course for teaching cops on anti-money laundering related purposes, and a new type of bitcoin-demanding ransomware attack against porn viewers in Israel.
Skrill Launches Crypto Trading
On Thursday, we reported that Skrill, the online payments service formerly known as Moneybookers, has enabled its wallet users to instantly buy and sell cryptocurrencies, including BTC, BCH, ETH and LTC, using more than 40 supported fiat options. The new service is available in over 30 countries and the company plans to roll it out to additional markets and extend the service to its mobile app and Paysafe's Neteller digital wallet in the next few months. In other news: The White Company, a concierge and luxury marketplace, surpassed $100 million in cryptocurrency sales and transactions; Bitmex, an exchange offering cryptocurrency trading with very high leverage, reported more than 1 million BTC traded on the platform in the 24-hours period closing July 24; and AMD suffered a decline in GPU mining related sales in Q2, 2018.
Musk Bots Blocked
The big news on Friday was that Twitter is now finally automatically locking any unverified account that changes its display name to Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and Spacex. This only came after Musk recently pointed out the impressive skills of the scammers who are designing bots to mimic high profile people like himself and flood the social network with fake ETH giveaways. In other news, an "anonymized" currency that can fluctuate wildly does not deserve to be considered as a medium of exchange, according to Mastercard President and CEO, Ajay Banga, who called cryptocurrency "junk."
US Crypto Candidate
On Saturday, we reported that Democrat Andrew Yang's campaign has begun accepting crypto donation for the 2020 US presidential election. The announcement released by his team to "our crypto donors" reads: "We currently accept Bitcoin and anything on the ERC20 standard." It also comes with instructions on how to donate cryptocurrency and notes that the maximum for individual donations is set at the fiat equivalent of $2,500. We also reported that Kickico experienced a security breach, with 70,000,000 KICK stolen – equal to $7.7 million. According to an announcement from the company, Kickico restored full control over the its smart contract and will return all stolen Kickcoins to their holders.
No Murder-for-Hire Indictment in Silk Road Case
The most commented-on article during the week covered the latest development of the ongoing legal battle in the Ross Ulbricht case. The Maryland district US Attorney filed a motion to dismiss a 2013 three-count indictment against the online marketplace Silk Road operator which included murder-for-hire allegations. Join the discussion.
This Week in Bitcoin Podcast
Catch the rest of this week's news in the This Week in Bitcoin podcast with host Matt Aaron.
What other stories in the Bitcoin world caught your attention this week? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
The post The Weekly: Musk Bots Blocked, US Crypto Candidate, a Herd of Institutional Investors appeared first on Bitcoin News.


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Coyote 'stalked,' attacked mother, toddler walking in park
Posted 8:22 pm, June 14, 2019, by Tribune Media Wire, Updated at 08:25PM, June 14, 2019
FAIRFIELD, N.J. — A New Jersey mom and her two toddlers were walking in a park Thursday when they were attacked by a coyote.
They were strolling through the Hollywood Avenue Park when another park visitor shouted that a coyote was following them.
Fairfield Police Chief Anthony Manna said the coyote was described as "stalking" the woman as she pushed a double stroller at the recreation area along Hollywood Avenue. The coyote bit the woman and one child, and the stroller was knocked over, leaving them with minor injuries. They were evaluated at a local hospital.
The walk is routine for the mother and her children. It wears out her energetic kids. But this time it was anything but routine.
"I turn around, I first started walking, thinking it may run past me," said Tatiana, who asked to be identified by her first name only. "Then, when I turned around with the double stroller, it bit me."
She saw the coyote jump on top of her 3-year-old son and bite him; it didn't harm her 18-month-old daughter.
The mother and son were both bitten and each have gotten rabies shots, but it could've been much worse.
"My motherly instinct kicked in," she said.
Shortly after the ordeal, Fairfield police killed an aggressive coyote nearby, but they're not able to say whether it was the same coyote. There are at least two other coyotes in the area, and officials are warning the community to take precaution.
An orange fence has blocked off a portion of the park. Police are doing it temporarily, but long-term, they're looking to put up signs and even a panic button to help warn others.
Topics: animal attack, coyote
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Medical Advise
Fitness & Food
Rapid increases in air pollution may increase risk for heart attacks – Medical News Bulletin
June 2, 2018 by admin 0 Comments
Heart attacks are responsible for 20% of deaths in Europe. Very little is known regarding the day-to-day variation in air pollution and the effects it may have on heart attacks. A research team in Germany evaluates the risk in a multivariable study.
Twenty percent of all deaths in Europe are attributed to acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as heart attacks. Although there are classic risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, and age that increase chances of heart attacks, exposure to air pollution from human factors are also related with increased risk of heart attacks.
The European Union has taken measurements to instill regulations on air pollution, however, these do not take into account the rapid increase of air pollution at once. It is well established that rapid variation in other environmental aspects such as temperature and air pressure can cause significantly increased risk for of cerebrovascular disease.
What happens during rapid fluctuations in air pollution?
Short-term exposure to high concentrations of air pollutant nitrogen oxides is known to be linked to increased rates of heart arrhythmias. It is becoming increasingly important to understand the biological basis of what happens during times of rapid fluctuations in air pollution and how this could affect the risk of heart attacks.
This study is relevant because people living in European cities that are following pollution regulations and are deemed to be "clean" cities may still be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease because air pollutant concentrations can vary from day to day, and in fact, it could be those rapid variations that might prove dangerous for heart attacks. More data and research studies will prove useful in understanding the effects of rapid air pollutant concentrations and their risk for heart attacks.
A research group from Jena University Hospital in Germany recently published their findings in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, in which they used a multivariable model to evaluate whether there is an association between fast changes in air pollution, specifically between nitrogen oxides, and the risk for heart attack. The research team used a hospital-based case-crossover study to monitor the effect of changes in nitrogen oxides within 24-hour periods and the risk of heart attacks in 693 patients.
Rapid increases in nitrogen oxides correlated with an increased risk of heart attacks
The study found that rapid increases in the overall concentration of nitrogen oxides in a 24-hour span were correlated with a 121% increased risk of heart attacks. More specifically, the rapid increase of nitrogen dioxide alone was associated with a 73% increase in heart attacks, and the rapid decrease in nitrogen dioxide concentrations was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of heart attack by 60%. It seemed that there was a nearly linear relationship between nitrogen dioxide concentrations and the risk of heart attacks.
Dynamic changes in concentration levels of nitrogen oxides have massive effects on the risk of heart attacks, signifying another risk factor for heart attacks. Although there are EU regulations on acceptable levels of air pollutants, there are none that take into account the rapid variation in air pollutants from day to day. The results of this research call for changes in regulations as well as further validation of these results in other regions of Europe.
Written by Ingrid Qemo, PhD
Reference: Rasche, M., Walther, M., Schiffner, R., Kroegel, N., Rupprecht, S., Schlattmann, P., Schulze, P.C., Franzke, P., Witte, O.W., Schwab, M., Rakers, F. (2018). Rapid increases in nitrogen oxides are associated with acute myocardial infarction: A case-crossover study. European Journal of Preventative Cardiology. doi: 10.1177/2047487318755804
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3 books in 5 days: a venture into update sprints
By faith May 19, 2019
Technical Sprint
In April, we facilitated our first series of Update Sprints for Cisco on three different books we had produced for them in the last few years: SD-Access, Wireless and Catalyst Switches. We took two days per book and worked with a mixed group of original authors and newcomers who collaborated to refresh the outdated content of the book. The updated books are available for download here.
It required an adaptation of our typical method and we are pretty happy that it worked as this fulfils a significant need amongst many of our clients. Particularly those like Cisco who are producing software solutions which change constantly. Sometimes the technical documentation is outdated as quickly as 6 months after publishing.
Updating existing text can be a little nerve-racking. You have a book which was produced through a week of long workdays and includes 100s of decisions made by a group of dedicated authors who by the end usually feel like protective parents. And then you want to bring new people into the mix and let them go wild on the text? For this reasons, there are two things which have proved to be essential to the success of an update sprints: the presence of some of the original writers who can act as gatekeepers and really clear parameters on what kinds of changes can be made, agreed with all of the authors at the start of the book.
And a lot of check-lists!
Once you have that agreement and the group has a clear list of what needs updating, it's pretty straightforward. For the most part the Cisco writers just put their heads down and did it. An extra chunk of work on our side involved updating the multiple diagrams which had been produced for the original books. To do this we also adapted our workflow a little, designing a new workflow which allowed the writers to work more collaboratively on the illustrations with each other and directly with our illustrators.
The Update Sprints were conducted as part of Sprint Lab our new space for more experimental facilitation methodology design.
Celebrating "Hybrid Environment for Universities", the book launch webinar
Academic Sprint
"Hybrid Environments for Universities: a shared commitment to campus innovation and sustainability" was our last Book Sprint facilitated onsite. It took ... read more
What happened to the book? Updates on VMware SD-Wan 1:1
What happened to the book
One year ago in July 2019, we spent 5 days in Miami Beach with a fabulous crowd of VMware Book ... read more


WASHINGTON — The assertion of presidential power was remarkable in scale. With the flick of a pen just before Thanksgiving in 2014, President Obama ordered that nearly five million illegal immigrants be allowed to "come out of the shadows" and work legally in the United States.
Standing at the same lectern where he had announced the death of Osama bin Laden three years earlier, Mr. Obama insisted in a speech to the nation that his plan for immigrants was a fully legal response to a Republican-controlled Congress that had refused his plea for an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws.
But on Thursday, the Supreme Court disagreed. In a 4-to-4 decision, the justices let stand a lower court ruling that Mr. Obama had overstepped his authority. The decision freezes the president's actions for the balance of his term, leaving the future of the program — and millions of undocumented workers — in limbo.
My personal view is that this was a very cowardly decision on the part of the US Supreme Court -- as evidenced by the fact that none of them wanted to sign it and so it was published as a one sentence Per Curiam opinion.


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Local and National Bishops: Supreme Court Ruling is a "Tragic Error"
Bishop James S. Wall June 26, 2015 News
"Marriage, then, is far from being the effect of chance or the result of the blind evolution of natural forces. It is in reality the wise and provident institution of God the Creator, whose purpose was to effect in man His loving design. As a consequence, husband and wife, through that mutual gift of themselves, which is specific and exclusive to them alone, develop that union of two persons in which they perfect one another, cooperating with God in the generation and rearing of new lives."
– Humanae Vitae
"Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Please find below the official statement from the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding today's nationwide legalization of same-sex "marriage". I stand in solidarity with my brother Bishops and the teaching of the Church on the true nature of marriage, that is – the unity of one man and one woman, who come together in a loving union to support one another and raise a family.
Please pray that we as Catholics continue to remain faithful to God and His plan for humanity.
The Holy Family, a model for all families.
The U.S. Supreme Court decision, June 26, interpreting the U.S. Constitution to require all states to license and recognize same-sex "marriage" "is a tragic error that harms the common good and most vulnerable among us," said Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The full statement follows:
"Regardless of what a narrow majority of the Supreme Court may declare at this moment in history, the nature of the human person and marriage remains unchanged and unchangeable. Just as Roe v. Wade did not settle the question of abortion over forty years ago, Obergefell v. Hodges does not settle the question of marriage today. Neither decision is rooted in the truth, and as a result, both will eventually fail. Today the Court is wrong again. It is profoundly immoral and unjust for the government to declare that two people of the same sex can constitute a marriage.
The unique meaning of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is inscribed in our bodies as male and female. The protection of this meaning is a critical dimension of the "integral ecology" that Pope Francis has called us to promote. Mandating marriage redefinition across the country is a tragic error that harms the common good and most vulnerable among us, especially children. The law has a duty to support every child's basic right to be raised, where possible, by his or her married mother and father in a stable home.
Jesus Christ, with great love, taught unambiguously that from the beginning marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman. As Catholic bishops, we follow our Lord and will continue to teach and to act according to this truth.
I encourage Catholics to move forward with faith, hope, and love: faith in the unchanging truth about marriage, rooted in the immutable nature of the human person and confirmed by divine revelation; hope that these truths will once again prevail in our society, not only by their logic, but by their great beauty and manifest service to the common good; and love for all our neighbors, even those who hate us or would punish us for our faith and moral convictions.
Lastly, I call upon all people of good will to join us in proclaiming the goodness, truth, and beauty of marriage as rightly understood for millennia, and I ask all in positions of power and authority to respect the God-given freedom to seek, live by, and bear witness to the truth."
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Like any good ideas, Flying Circus started off "accidentally" whereas Audiofly gather their peeps and friends for a small gathering which eight years later, transformed itself into a worldwide renowned party concept which to this date, preserves the friendly and intimate vibe, only, to a larger scale.
Centered at the forefront of Audiofly's and Supernature's vision of throwing an immensely accredited party, they base themselves not only on the high regarded names that are being thrown onto the line-up, but purely on the fact that friends and large groups of confrères offer a party that well deserved buzz. Started off in 2006, Flying Circus to this date hasn't disappointed once and continues to host selected and well thought events worldwide, either if it's Europe, Asia, Africa or the Americas in locations such as Watergate Berlin, Fuse in Brussels, Miami's Villa 221, Moscow's Kazantip or Amsterdam's ADE event.
2014 sees Flying Circus back on the Ibiza isle for their second year at Sankeys, where they host their weekly showcase every Friday from July 11th till September 26th, bringing together artists such as Dj Tennis, Blond:ish, M.A.N.D.Y., Thugfucker, Martin Butrich and Audiofly themselves among other notable names.
Celebrating life with good people for a change and enjoying music simultaneously, Flying Circus compiled a series of mixes from the likes of Audiofly and Blond:ish bringing together, love, family and friends all with the purpose of surrendering our bodies to pure auditory joy. "Flying Circus Ibiza #01" features tracks by DJ Koze, Eduardo de la Calle, Dance Spirit, The Mole, Jonny White, Ultrasone and Audiofly & Blond:ish themselves. The compilation Flying Circus Ibiza was released though Seamless Recordings on August 4th and it can be acquired in a double CD format or digitally through all major webstores.
August 8th is the inaugural release party at Sankeys in Ibiza where Audiofly, Blond:ish, Martin Butrich(live) and Geddes will be taking over the esteemed night club.


Break down the bigger project into similar-sized tasks to the one that's keeping you distracted. Big responsibilities can be daunting. However, once you break down big projects into little pieces, they get easier to work with.... Breaking a Task into 'Chunks' The first place to look is in the area of research around how we group similar items , so that we can think of them at a higher level of abstraction as a single unit.
Just to be clear: Scaffolding a lesson and differentiating instruction are two different things. Scaffolding is breaking up the learning into chunks and then providing a tool, or structure, with each chunk.
I'm working on a project that sends communication via a satellite. The communication sizes are limited to 430bytes. What I'd like to do is take an image and split it up into ~430 byte chunks and send them to be reconstructed on the other side.


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