Raag Darbari is a Sahitya Academy award-winning work of noted Hindi writer Sh Shrilal Shukla. It is probably one of its kinds book that describes the rural life of post-independence India in its entirety. And with a satire in the tone. I have had this book Raag Darbari for more than 5 years. But it was the death of the author that triggered me to pick up the book and read it as a tribute to him.
The story covers six months in the village of Shivpalganj, probably somewhere in UP. During which time a postgraduate from the city comes to spend time in this village where his maternal uncle is a de-facto head.
At regular intervals, the story keeps introducing characters of the village through their stories. And linkages with the main characters. It showcases how those in power dictate the lives of people. More importantly, how the power center is created. The college is a center for political activities, where trustees, principal, teachers, and students are key players. At times, it seems the whole purpose of college is to hone the political skills. Rather than teach or be taught.
Vaidya Ji, an Ayurvedic practitioner who is the managing director of the college is the power center of the village. He has two sons. Elder son a wrestler and younger a student leader. People meet at his place every evening and enjoy Bhang along with moving the wheels of the village politics. Then there is a common man who throughout the story tries to get a small job done without paying a bribe. There are people from the trading community who are not interested in doing anything but their business. Caste, although not very important, but is the first identity of the person.
This work is a documentation of the life as it existed in a village in India in mid 20th century. Just after the country became independent. It may have sounded very simple then. But today it is a mirror of those times. There are things like wrestling that must have been common in villages then but are now almost extinct. Surprisingly, there are almost no women characters in the whole novel, except a small incident involving a girl. Women do exist in the fantasy of men. But have absolutely no role in what happens in the day-to-day activities of the village. Even when the home scenes are described, women are not mentioned. It almost feels like that the village is devoid of women. Of course, the society was and probably still is absolutely male dominated. Looks like women always played their roles through men in their family.
There are interesting incidents like that of tying a knot in the village by the visitor and saying that it is the name of Hanuman Ji. By next day the story becomes a legend and the field is full of knots. You laugh when you read the cleverly written incident. But then you think is it not how many of the rituals around us may have been formed. Though a lot has changed in 40+ years since the book was first written, you can relate to almost everything even today. The core of our society has not changed, we might have changed completely on the surface. The power politics goes on in any place, which has more than a few members. More energy is spent on getting the power in hands and using it once you have got it than doing the actual work.
There is an excellent description of how the power changes the man through the character of Sanichar, common man becomes a pawn for the power brokers. There is a critical look at how Government schemes are targeted by the villagers. And how their professions change based on what Government funding scheme is being launched. This is so true even today. When you travel to villages you see how the villagers have milked all sources of funding including loans, irrespective of if they can repay it or not. In fact, in most cases, there is no intent to repay.
There is an intellectual analysis that the visiting nephew of Vaidya Ji tries to do. But in the end, he realizes that there is nothing that can be done. He observes himself getting rough and roguelike villagers and getting involved in their matters. He questions but gets no answers. Probably a satire at self-styled intellectuals who think they have all the answers sitting in their ivory towers but are far removed from reality. Confronted with reality, they are completely at loss, and at best can get absorbed in it.
Buy this book Raag Darbari by Shrilal Shukla at Amazon, or the English version at Amazon.
Read this by Gillian Wright, who translated this book Raag Darbari in English, for a more detailed analysis of the book.
Thank you, Ahsan Bhai for gifting me this book.
Glad you enjoyed Raag Darbari!


WASHINGTON – When Russian bombers approach American airspace and U.S. Air Force fighters are scrambled, Sarah Palin's phone doesn't ring.
The Alaska governor has no command authority over the guardians of U.S. airspace despite her recent suggestion otherwise.
"She doesn't have any role in that process," Air Force Maj. Allen Herritage, spokesman for the Alaska North American Aerospace Defense Command, told the Daily News.
"The authority to launch and respond to a Russian incursion lies with the Alaska NORAD Region commander" – Air Force Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, he said.
Palin said last week that her foreign policy experience includes facing the Russians.
"It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia, as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America – where do they go? It's Alaska," Palin told CBS' Katie Couric.
"It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation," she said.
Moscow's bombers have skirted Alaskan airspace 20 times, thugh they have not violated it, during Palin's governorship, officials said.
When F-15 and F-22 interceptors scrambled from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage in response, John McCain's running mate was not speed-dialed with the news.
"The commander does not call the governor," Herritage said.
Steven Biegun, a McCain foreign policy adviser, said Palin is informed of the fly-bys by her National Guard commander.
The Alaska Air Guard, which Palin oversees, performs airspace-watching missions only under NORAD command, and does not fly interception sorties.
Palin did get an annual Air Force briefing in February.
Famed conservative columnist George Will told a gathering of Senate aides on Monday that Gov. Sarah Palin is "obviously" not prepared to assume the presidency if necessary, two event attendees told the Huffington Post.
Appearing at a Senate Press Secretaries Association reception at the Cornerstone Government Affairs office, Will offered a harsh assessment of John McCain's running mate.
Will did state, according to a second source, that Palin has received rough treatment from the media; arguing that the Alaska Governor would have been "skewered" by the press if she had made some of the same gaffes as Sen. Joe Biden has in recent weeks. But his sympathies only extended so far.
Will has already been critical of the other half of the Republican ticket, calling McCain's handling of the financial crisis "un-presidential" just one week ago. And in offering his take on Palin, the longtime Washington scribe becomes the latest in a list of respected Republican officials who have now soured on the Palin pick.
Last week, Kathleen Parker of the National Review penned a column calling on the Alaska Governor to be dropped from the ticket. New York Time's columnist David Brooks and former Bush speechwriter David Frum have also expressed their doubts about Palin's capacity for the vice presidential post.
It seems that at least one independent witness in the Troopergate investigation has changed her tune once she was sworn under oath.
Murlene Wilkens, the private contractor hired to manage Workmens' Compensation claims for the State of Alaska at first released statements that no pressure was put on her in the case of Trooper Wooten, Sarah Palin's ex-brother-in-law.
it appears that Wilkens' story under oath suddenly changed, and after seeing hard evidence, including sworn testimony of one of her own employees, she admits to denying Trooper Wooten's previously approved claim at the direct request of Sarah and Todd Palin.
Much more to Sarah Palin's abuse of power and her vendetta against the ex-brother-in-law is beginning to surface. And of course, goon-husband Todd is right in the middle of it.
Hugo Chavez is the leader of Venezuela, a country located in South America. Read more about McCain thinking Spain was in Latin America here and here.
Bush, Bernanke and Paulson Are Hyping the Crisis ?


The Pirates began the week with aspirations of getting back in the winning column, hosting three games in a busy week.
The week started on the MLK holiday with Vashon taking on Chimacum in a non-league matchup. From the start of the game the Pirates seemed disjointed and unable to get much momentum which continued for the duration of the game. The lack of energy came on both offense and defense as Chimacum pounded the ball inside, and was scoring fairly easily.
Offensively the ball stopped moving, and shots were hard to come by as the Pirates turned it over which led to easy transition baskets the other way. The Pirates tried to comeback but ultimately didn't have enough to make it all the way, losing 42 to 33.
Liv Larson led the Pirates with 9 points, while the team only shot 27 percent overall from the field.
There was a quick turnaround, which saw Vashon hosting undefeated Bellevue Christian last Wednesday. The Pirates started out the game struggling to score as they found themselves already down 12 to 2 after the 1 st quarter.
VHS made a great run in the second quarter, bringing the gap to 20 – 15 at halftime. But the Pirates only scored 7 points in the entire second half, and ultimately fell to Bellevue Christian 44 to 22.
Wrapping up the week, Vashon hosted Seattle Christian last Friday night and had a chance to move up in league standings — and a slim chance to make it to districts.
The Pirates started out aggressive and moved the ball well on offense, getting open looks and knocking down some 3-pointers early. The energy and excitement from a full crowd of students really drove the team as it was playing great defense and sharing the ball on offense.
Leading for most of the game, the Pirates found themselves up by 3 points heading into the final quarter. But Vashon was just not able to stop Seattle Christian, who ended up scoring 21 points in the quarter and winning 49 to 39.
Coach Rob Kearns was proud of the effort given despite the loss. Chloe Kuyper led the scoring for the Pirates with 13 points, while Ella Wheeler played great defense and finished with 10 rebounds.
After a great start, the Pirates now find themselves last in the league, heading into the final three games of the season. The team will traveled to Annie Wright on Jan. 29 and plays Cascade Christian on Feb. 1.


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If you want to improve your click-through rate from search results and rank your product pages higher, then you need to personalize the meta descriptions and give people a compelling reason to click on your page.
Here's what to keep in mind when you write descriptions for your product pages.
Think of the meta description as if you were writing a tweet (back when the character limit was 140 characters).
If you write more than that, then Google won't display any words that exceed the limit. Moreover, it will look bad if the description you wrote will cut off in the middle of a sentence.
There's a second option here, and that is to cut off the description on purpose. In that case, you need to plan it carefully so that the customer will be curious enough to find out more.
If you've optimized your product pages based on keywords that your audience uses for search queries, then we recommend including them in the meta description as well.
When someone does search using the same keyword you used, then it will get bolded in search results which will make your page stand out amongst the others.
The meta description for a product page should focus on telling the customer how much better their life could be if they would use your product. You need, however, to do this without exaggerating.
Mention a tangible benefit for the online buyer, or make a promise of how your product can solve their problem.
You also need to give them an idea of how your product is different and help them visualize what it would be like for them if they had it.
It may seem like you need to include a lot of aspects into just 160 characters, but it's most certainly not impossible.
The meta description for your product pages should be actionable, and the best way to do this is by starting with a verb. Don't add metaphors to it because it will make people confused when they read it.
Use verbs such as: discover, buy, find, shop, download, compare, etc.
Using a call to action at the end of the meta description is a sure way to entice the readers to click on your link.
This needs to act as an invitation which is why you need to use words such as: order today, learn more, get it now, try it for free and so on.
Even though Google will automatically display the first 160 characters from your page as the meta description, you should always edit them so you can increase your click-through rates and drive more traffic to your online store.
At the same time, be aware of duplicate meta descriptions. These can hurt your rankings so we recommend using an audit tool to find out if you have duplicates and fix them if necessary.
We hope these tips will help you write compelling descriptions for your product pages and that you'll start working on them as soon as possible.


A crystalline sheet-like specimen of Native Copper with arborescent crystal developments and rounded crystal standing proud of the sheet structure. Tiny colourless crystals of Calcite have developed on areas of the specimen. A rich native copper specimen from Ogonja Namibia.


The National Center for Assessment (NCA), Riyadh - Saudi Arabia, referred to also as Qiyas, is inviting nominations for the 2018 Qiyas Award for excellence in educational assessment. QIYAS Award applicants can be institutions (e.g. university or testing institution), or self-nominations upon endorsement by the institution of the applicant or by two respected academics. So we kindly request that you forward this announcement to the concerned department/person in your institution and all interested colleagues and researchers.
- 100,000 SAR (≈ 26,667 USD) for outstanding scholarly work (books, monographs, or published refereed research).
- 100,000 SAR (≈ 26,667 USD) for implemented programs and practices in educational measurement, assessment, and evaluation.
Note: Please click the above link or copy and paste it in your browser.


Mop bucket wringer combo blue side press wringer 35 quart bucket with casters. Made of durable corrosion resistant polyethylene. Available in five colors to support HACCP and SQF programs. Includes non marking casters. Mop bucket wringer combo unit is BPA free. 3 inch non marking casters keep the durable polypropylene unit mobile without sullying cleaned areas. Featuring an ergonomic handle for leverage and comfort. The 36908W14 side press wringer can accommodate 12 ounce to 32 ounce mop heads and rests within the bucket for space saving and compact storage. In addition the wringer and mop bucket combo is marked with an international caution symbol to easily communicate safety precautions. size is 16.5 inches deep x 16.5 inches wide x 20.5 inches long. Discounts for 5 or more Mop bucket wringer combo blue side press wringer 35 quart bucket with casters. Discounts will show when ordering.


text:
Mireille Enos rises above the misses and makes the new Shondaland series 'The Catch' look good
Robert Lloyd Los Angeles Times
Whatever else there is to say about "The Catch," a new series from the Shonda Rhimes machine, it stars Mireille Enos. Everything dopey or weird or undercooked or overdone about the show that premieres Thursday on ABC — giving Rhimes' "How to Get Away With Murder" a midseason break — is secondary to that happy fact.
Enos, who spent four brilliant seasons in AMC's "The Killing" as the world's saddest police detective, is an actress of great intelligence, indelible presence and zero vanity; she let herself look awful in that show, every new worry adding a line to her face. Here she plays Alice Vaughan, a high-powered private investigator with a big L.A. office and spiffy modern digs. On the one hand, it is nice to see her out of "The Killing's" endless Seattle (actually Vancouver, Canada) rain, running free in the L.A. light and dressed up to go out — what she wears in most any scene would do for the red carpet. On the other hand, she is a thoroughbred yoked to a milk wagon — but she does make the wagon look good.
A spoiler, which isn't really spoiler at all but part of the premise, is coming. Alice, who is about to marry Christopher (Peter Krause), is on the trail of a certain Mr. X, who has been stealing information from her firm's clients and selling it back to them. Anyone who cannot guess that her fiance and her foe will turn out to be the same person (actually named Benjamin Jones), well, I am sorry, but you need to watch more television.
The series began with a treatment by British crime novelist Kate Atkinson, whose Jackson Brodie novels were turned into the Jason Isaacs series "Case Histories." Atkinson shares story credit on the pilot with "Case Histories" producer Helen Gregory; Jennifer Schuur, who has the teleplay credit, was replaced early as show runner by Shondaland veteran Allan Heinberg. Like other Rhimes shows, including "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy," it filters a lot of nuttiness through good actors who can make compelling what otherwise might seem absurd.
"The Catch," whose pilot takes place entirely in the sorts of places where a television executive might live and work, pushes audio-visual sensation — split screens, wipes, freeze frames, music mixed high on the soundtrack — to seem cool and exciting, but it comes off feeling nonsensical. Yet once things start to fall apart for Alice, you do begin to feel for her, to worry, along with her more sensible business partner, Valerie Anderson (Rose Rollins), about her bad decisions. This is largely down to Enos, who has a way of thinking through her lines that undermines their obviousness and a way of letting you see Alice's pain, even when Alice is not letting anyone see her pain.
Synopses of coming episodes suggest that the show will not surrender everything to the long arc relationship of the at least temporarily separated leads, though their best scenes are with one another; the detectives, including Rollins, will get fresh cases to work weekly, while Ben and his associates — Sonya Walger as the ringleader and Alimi Ballard as Ben's also more sensible Jiminy Cricket of bad — run their cons elsewhere. That could be a good thing; we'll have to see.
©2016 Los Angeles Times
Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This follows the SportAccord Technical meeting in St. Petersburg which was for the 2013 SportAccord Combat Games. One of the attendees to the Technical meeting was IFMA General Secretary and former World Champion Stephan Fox. In St. Petersburg he found a city with a rich and extensive historical background. The city has been recognised by UNESCO for its cultural value and the location could be a fitting one given the emphasis placed on cultural exchange by SportAccord and reflected in its Combat Games.
The infrastructure of the city with regard to its capability to supply venues of a sufficient calibre for the games was also investigated and found to be above par. The city has a number of stadiums and sporting arena's seen to be ideal for hosting multi-sport games such as the World Combat Games, indeed some of the stadiums have more than one venue ensuring that all competing sports will have sell out arenas.
After the resounding success of the inaugural 2010 World Combat games in Beijing St. Petersburg will have a challenge on its hands to attain the same high levels. Over 1000 athletes from all five continents participated and about the same number of volunteers helped to deliver the event. During the eight days of competition, 118 gold medals were awarded across 13 martial disciplines. IFMA is looking forward to the next World Combat Games and is sure that St. Petersburg has what it takes to present an event that will surpass the expectations generated by the largest martial arts competition in history, the 2010 World Combat Games.


text:
Overwatch: Legendary Edition
Our Review: Scroll Down
Overwatch: Legendary Edition Review (Switch)
Nerf this
Version Reviewed: European
review by Mitch Vogel Fri, 18 Oct 2019 14:00:00 +0100
Once upon a time, it would've been a cold day in hell before we'd see a Blizzard game on a Nintendo console. The traditionally PC-centric company broke its nearly twenty-year hiatus from Nintendo when it released Diablo III last year, and after making that port a reality, tongues got wagging about what else the company could bring over to the Switch. Overwatch was a name thrown around plenty, as the optimistic hero shooter seemed to be a great fit for the Nintendo audience, and evidently Blizzard was pleased enough with Diablo's performance that it saw fit to bring over its popular FPS to the Switch. As you'd probably guess, this is far from the optimal way of playing Overwatch due to some performance issues, but the flexibility offered by having it on a smaller device is nonetheless a compelling reason to jump in on this port.
For those of you out of the loop, Overwatch both does and doesn't have a story included. In other media, such as comics and short films posted online, there's some impressively-detailed lore surrounding this futuristic world, though this story isn't very much explored in-game. Rather it's all there as a backdrop that frequently shines through via character voice lines and oodles of easter eggs packed away in each of the maps. The basic gist of the story is that there was a textbook revolution by evil AI called the Omnic Crisis, which was quelled by an international organization called Overwatch, staffed by myriad quasi-superhero figures. After the revolution, ensuing events saw Overwatch disbanded and outlawed, as its members were scattered across the earth, but 'recent' terrorist acts by an organization called Talon and the threat of a second Omnic Crisis have spurred the former heroes to take up arms again and save the world.
It's all very fascinating stuff if you keep up with the ongoing story, and while technically all multiplayer matches are 'non-canon', the excellent character design ensures that each hero feels distinct. Blizzard has done a fantastic job of crafting a nuanced and complex story that sees a few dozen characters so finely integrated into each other's histories, but it's especially noticeable how no two heroes play the same. This is a game where you can both play as a bog-standard soldier-type hero with a rifle or as a grinning hamster piloting a giant ball-shaped mech. There's a hero for virtually any playstyle you can come up with, and they're sure to have an interesting and possibly bittersweet story about how they acquired the powers or technology that give them their edge in the fight.
As a hero shooter, Overwatch places a much higher emphasis on team-based play. This isn't a game that's all about maxing out the K/D, but one in which individual success is measured by how well you were able to play your role. Each hero has a specific kit of abilities that are governed by cooldowns; knowing how to read the terrain and when to deploy certain skills will make the difference between victory and defeat. For example, D.Va is a flexible tank hero who specializes in flying around and either protecting individual heroes or erasing flanking attackers. She also has an ultimate ability that allows her to detonate her mech and cause a nuclear blast. The blast can be easily dodged on most maps or blocked by another tank, but if you wait to use it until the enemy team is all together and can't easily find cover, you can eliminate three or four at a time.
Coordinating attacks and balancing roles is key to victory then, something which may come as a hard lesson for some. Like it or not, playing the healer hero Moira like she's a DPS character will not only lead to you having a bad time, but everyone else on your team, too, because they won't be getting the benefit of the heals she's capable of putting out. Six-player teams are large enough that they help to mitigate any shortcomings offered up by a player not adequately fulfilling their role, but they're also small enough that everyone's individual effort certainly counts. Depending on how seriously you take the game, this reliance on others' performance can prove to be quite frustrating at times, but we rather enjoy the more diverse type of play being offered here. Victories and defeats both often feel well-earned, and there's something about overcoming a stiff enemy team by sheer teamwork that's simply unparalleled.
Along with an impressively diverse array of map lineups, Overwatch also has several objectives to fulfil in its main mode to keep games from becoming too stale. These rotate between assault, control, escort, and a hybrid of the three, each of which offer up unique challenges depending on who you're playing. Lucio, for example, is an area of effect healer who really shines in control missions, where he can camp out on the point and heal his whole team as they fend off the enemy. In addition to these main modes, Overwatch also has a collection of side modes in the 'Arcade', where you can play a rotating selection of more unbalanced and experimental game types, along with seasonal content. Considering the deep bench of characters and the diversity of game modes, there's quite a lot to do in Overwatch. This is easily a game that you can lose hundreds of hours to, once you 'get it'.
Part of this is driven, too, by the loot box system that lies at the heart of progression. At the end of every match, you're granted XP based on how well you performed, and once you level up, you're granted a loot box that'll give you four random cosmetic items for any heroes. These can be voice lines, skins, wall sprays, or taunts, and though none of them have any benefit to your performance, the collectable nature of this set up creates a need to collect everything you can for your main heroes.
If you want something specific, you can buy it directly for coins, which are granted for duplicate items or occasionally in lieu of an item. Naturally, it takes quite a while to get enough coins to buy the rarest gear, but this can be cut back more if you want to kick some money Blizzard's way and buy loot boxes with real-world money. Though some will no doubt still cry foul at the inclusion of loot boxes, we feel that Blizzard doesn't force them on you in any ways that feel overbearing. New boxes come by every few games, and the contents of them don't really matter to begin with; it's all just for fashion. Even so, this adds even more to Overwatch's replayability, as there's always an air of excitement around getting new boxes and chasing certain items for your favourite heroes.
Now, this being a Switch port, many are no doubt wondering how Overwatch holds up on the humble hardware. The reality is that it's somewhat middling. The drop to 30FPS is definitely felt, along with the simpler textures and character models, but Blizzard overall did a pretty solid job of keeping the experience consistent and smooth. Loading in at the beginning of a match takes some time, as character models are briefly replaced by floating orbs, but we otherwise didn't see anything that majorly affects the way you play. That being said, the drop to 30FPS combined with the limited travel on the Switch's sticks makes aiming a little more difficult – though this is greatly mitigated by the fantastic motion controls.
The long and short of it is that this is a difficult release to recommend if you intend on playing the game solely in docked mode. Performance is fine, but considering that you could easily pick it up on other platforms for your TV and get a better experience, it's tough to recommend from that angle. However, playing it in handheld mode proves to be a delightful experience due to how easily accessible it becomes. You can play it in a coffee shop. You can play it while 'sort of' watching a show on Netflix. You can play it on your toilet. As long as there's Wi-Fi you can play Overwatch anywhere, and though it may not be an optimal way to play if you want to get competitive with it, it's pretty tough to beat that level of easy access.
One other complaint that bears mentioning (which veterans will want to pay attention to) is that you must start over with a clean account when playing Overwatch on Switch. So, those of you that have been playing since the beginning on other platforms and have amassed quite a collection of loot will sadly have to start back over from square one. Indeed, this is a pretty deal-breaking aspect for some who were considering double-dipping, but we'd still say that it's worth picking up for the portability alone.
At its heart, Overwatch on the Switch was always going to be a bit of a tough sell. Those who somehow haven't played it yet could easily buy a better-performing version on other platforms, while those who have played it to death may be put off by the weaker performance and the lack of shared progression. Even so, having the capability to play a match of Overwatch while using the restroom is 2019 living at its absolute finest, and the kind of flexibility offered up by the Switch's portability is not something to be understated. We'd give Overwatch a recommendation, but with the caveat that you should consider first why you're buying it. If you intend on playing it plenty when undocked, we can't recommend it enough, but if you intend on mostly playing on the TV, consider first buying it elsewhere.
Fantastic character design and deep lore
Extensive roster of characters leads to diverse gameplay
Tons of replayability
Performance is okay, but not great
No cross progression
Good 7/10
Review copy provided by Blizzard Entertainment
About Mitch Vogel
Mitch has been a fan of Nintendo ever since he got his start on the GBA in 2005. When he's not busy playing games or writing, you can find him down at his local MMA training facility learning how to punish the unrighteous.
SalvorHardin
Fri 18th Oct 2019
Sounds like they already did!
I do love Overwatch despite all the complaints about nerfs and playing on console against people with a mouse is really quite annoying. It definitely proves that Blizzard have some of the best character designers out there as they've built a genuinely lovable cast of characters. I don't think I'll double dip but it's great that more people will be able to join the community.
Judgedean
30FPS for a fast action FPS is a big negative - just like Fortnite. Drop the resolution and/or complexity until the Switch hits 60FPS.
Murbs
I played on the loo. Try telling me now that it's hardly the best way to play! #tmi
BenAV
I've never really had much interest in Overwatch and even being on the Switch doesn't change that so this will be a pass for me, too much else I'd rather be playing to get invested in it. Plus it's really expensive for a digital exclusive (fake physical releases don't count).
I played a ton of this on the Xbox but I definitely prefer the Switch version due to the portibility option.
TeslaChippie
I mean, I can play this version on my work break. That makes this the best version xD
NFreak007
How playable is Overwatch on a slow internet connection? I've recently moved somewhere where (for now at least) I can only get a 1mbps connection, and it frequently dips below that. Mario Kart seems to mostly work fine, but I tried two matches of Splatoon 2 and both times got a connection error after about 30 seconds. I've been curious about Overwatch for a long time now, but obviously I'm not going to get it if I can't actually play it!
"...could easily buy a better-performing version on other platforms"
Basically says it all. Every time I tried playing online on my Hotel or Bus WiFi - it has been awful. So this is useless on the GO anyway.
If home, I have better options to play this on.
YANDMAN
I played Paladins alst night for the first time in probably a yera, i forgot how much fun it is. The 30 fps will probably hurt this port.
Wildvine53
I've been tempted to jump in to over watch for a while, I may finally bite the bullet
TheDragonDAFan
Even if Blizzard hadn't pulled the crap they did over the last week, I still wouldn't have bought this game because they had the gall to release a "physical copy" of the game while not even providing a cartridge.
Cyrax77
Got the game and I love it..... But only in handheld. I also played the game on the PS4 Pro for a long time so I certainly see and feel the difference when it comes to the Switch version.
It's amazing how it looks on the Switch (handheld). It plays nicely and I really enjoy it. I paid like € 20,00 for the game, so no biggy. I tend to play more handheld so I won't have to battle for the TV all the time.
I like the game a lot, but again. Only in handheld. If you want to play Overwatch on the bigscreen... Play the PS4/PC/One version.
I love playing this on handheld. Huge fan of hero shooters. Even liked Battleborn and would love to see that on Switch, but I know it'll never happen.
sword_9mm
I've only played the game a few minutes a couple times but it requires a mouse/kb to be competitive.
Maybe they have rooms for the console folks to jiggle stick around in but the real meat is on PC.
progx
I played a couple rounds last night. It plays pretty well on the Switch. Didn't really notice too many graphical differences, but I haven't played my original game on my Xbox One S in well over a year.
With time, this game will be an excellent fit with the Switch. I can't remember, did they add local multiplayer to this game?
sanderev
@AJ81 Indeed handheld play is where this game is at. Runs smooth handheld, at least to my experience.
danemord
"I played on the loo. Try telling me now that it's hardly the best way to play! #tmi"
@Murbs Isn't that just the only true way to play the game? 😂
I'm quite surprised how great the game plays on Switch... if I am able get more than one kill, it means that they have done it preeetty well!
I can't justify paying for ps+ and switch online, so this is perfect to go with Tetris, Splatoon, Rocket League and MK8.
We're a one tv household so the switch has essentially taken over from the PS4 as my primary console anyway. At least until my daughters are in bed anyway (which is getting late these days)
dougphisig
I really still don't understand the point of selling games with digital copies inside and no physical cartridge, while having a box is nice it's the cartridge that makes it worth it. This new age of digital physical stuff is quite stupid. I enjoyed Overwatch on the PC, but did get bored of it after awhile, and I just am so irritated with Blizzard as a whole (though some of it is less blizzard and more EA). I miss the days when Blizzard was an infallible beast. I'm just hoping we get D4 announcement this year and they can right the ship a bit. Overwatch is definitely a game worth playing through some, though I just don't know how it will play on consoles since I only ever played it on PC.
I agree man @TheDragonDAFan, was going to get it too when I heard about the rumor that it's coming for Switch but saw that the cover said case only contain download code, no game card. That really grinds my gear and prevented me from buying this. To me this is an insult to owning physical.
Savino
I wonder if this free hong kong stuff is actually honest or is just a bring hong kong back to the UK.
DiscoDriver44
I give this 7 Winnie the Poohs
Riderkicker
Got a 7 while Paladins got an 8. That's about right.
Jokerwolf
Just remember where all your stuff is made everyone, #FreeHongKong is great for awareness but you support China every day and there is 0 way to avoid it. Just look under anything you own where it is made and you will be saddened.
@betterbygames It's a legit question. I mean why are the human right violatiors of countries the West happens to not get along with the only ones people seem to care about?
And UK could want them back just to tax the hell out of them post-Brexit.
Kasma88
I'm on the fence about getting this. I've not played Overwatch past a couple of matches a few years back, and the portability of having it on the switch appeals. My only concern is communicating with team mates on switch without any voice chat. How can you coordinate in a game like this without it?
Morgan19
@dougphisig Because it's not about the cartridge in this case, it's a box sitting on the shelf tempting traditional shoppers--parents/grandparents/whatevers--to buy it. Regardless of what's in it, if there's no box, retailers lose that sale to people who aren't digital-market savvy.
BarefootBowser
Given it is totally online I'd only play it at home anyway so might as well get it on X1X...
gaga64
" Those who somehow haven't played it yet could easily buy a better-performing version on other platforms"
Not true. I've never played it, and currently have no other platform to play it on. "Easily buy" for me will be a couple of hundred quid to get another console / decent PC. Jog on, reviewer, not everyone can afford multiple same-gen platforms.
KoekiieWoekiie
@gaga64 it goes without saying that the reviewer meant if you have an other platform...
@EasyDaRon it is a pay to play game (40 euros/dollars)
rjejr
crashnnburn
@Jokerwolf
Technically we're just buying stuff in the U.S. which happens to be made in China. We can't control where stuff is made. But what we can do is talk with our hard earned cash. And if a company we have supported for a long time is against free speech then they are against us. So deciding to boycott them makes sense. At least that's my take on the whole situation.
Brady1138
Yeah already deleted my Battle.net account. They're never getting a dime out of me ever again.
@crashnnburn You have to also realize, that corporations moving into a country also has positive effects, it also allows those corporations to take money out of that economy. doing no business at all can actually hurt more than help. It really is a double edged sword.
@Kasma88
There are ingame voice chat
Noticing how many people downvoted people's freehongkong comments. If you did you're weak and pathetic. You're the gutter of our world and should be ashamed of yourself. This isn't political, it's a fight for their lives and freedom. You're lower than filth and if you don't support Hong Kong's freedom then your best course of action is to stay silent.
DaCh33f
Paladins has a free crystal event this weekend
Misfit410
Performance is 100% Solid in handheld, for some reason it suffers docked.. took me a while to understand why people were complaining about performance while mine was incredible, I only play handheld.
the_beaver
We REALLY need a patch with the option to play 60 fps with worse resolution! Come on Blizzard!!
KitsuneNight
@EasyDaRon
It's right there on the right side of the review, in a big red box.
As for me, I'll skip this.
Not a huge fan of FPS games.
Even less of online only games.
teixeiras
I played on PC, I have on Ps, still loving it on switch.... Really alot better than paladins... Really loosing the best team fps... I come here to play not to make polítical statement
Kienda
@Jokerwolf we are not against Chinese people or even Chinese companies. We can make a stand for Hong Kong without hating a country and without being extremists and having to give up everything we own.
Personally, I am against the authoritarianism of the Chinese government and their censorship that is restricting free speech outside of China (and inside for that matter). My main thing is at Blizzard for their actions in bowing to this pressure.
Trust me, I'm not boycotting everything made in China or I'd have to boycott family members.
Donutman
@TeslaChippie that's is what I have been doing last 2 days. I have no complaints with it's performance. Never played it before as with Witcher 3 which I have been playing in the evenings this week.
@gloom I just want to take a break from politics on my nintendo site. I don't think its a bad cause but the game is not directly related to it
leathco
Hold up, the US physical version is just a case and no cart? Guess I'll wait on an eShop sale of at least half off or more.
@Kienda Ya I agree, problem is I have invested too much into Blizzard to care about what they do. There are enough SJW's on this issue that they don't need my voice.
LeatherCorpse
Until the people of Hong Kong are free from the clutches of tyranny, I'll never support Blizzard or any other company that exploits people for cash.
Ragdoll72
I don't see how no cross progression is a con for the Switch review since there is no cross progression on any console
Really guys, this is about having fun. Stop mixing this with political stuff, please.
YourGoodFriendly
@Judgedean One shot hitscanning is very rare in OW. While 120 fps makes sense in CS:GO where that's a thing, or in 2d fighters, it's not really an issue in games like this with frame skipping
@Ragdoll72 Because the Switch version came out after the other versions and fills a different role as a mobile way to play. Many times this happens in an MP game it allows transfers. Like in Destiny, upcoming Halo MCC, Grand Theft Auto, likely Red Dead 2 when it releases, etc
@AJ81 That makes like 10 of us. I wish Battleborn didn't try competing with OW, they are very different games, and Battleborn coulda been great
@EasyDaRon IMO, neither. It's a fully priced game, though it's online multiplayer only. It's not bad, but I think it's a tad overpriced for it's monetization model and the content it offers
LordVal
Bought it for just 20€ on cdkeys and it's just awesome. I played the hell out of it on PS4 and I'm glad to see this one on Switch, so I can play it wherever I want. Even with the lower performance I have so much fun.
@YourGoodFriendly see I still don't find that valid. If they released cross progression on the other platforms and left switch out, then yeah.
Seananigans
This game was DOA for me being only 30 fps. In a competitive game like this, you NEED that smooth fidelity. Nothing else will cut it. So I won't be picking this up unless there's a performance patch.
Oh and if Blizzard could stop supporting a communist regime and stand up for human rights, that'd be peachy too.
antdickens
To address the elephant in the room... we're all well aware of the recent Blizzard news story (as we ourselves reported on it). Whilst on this occasion we're happy to allow people to discuss the topic in these comments (even though it's not specifically related to Overwatch), we'd like to remind people to respect the fact that it's a complex political issue and isn't a simple black and white situation and reaches far beyond just Blizzard.
Therefore anyone simply posting a political hashtag without any context is not adding any value to these comments and will be removed for that reason, likewise anyone unable to have a civil discussion will also see their comments removed.
The bottom line is, respect each other regardless of each other's point of view.
@the_beaver you haven't been paying attention, have you? Shame on you.
RiasGremory
Sat 19th Oct 2019
Going to pass on this.
TDRsuperstar2
I've played on PlayStation when it first came out. I'm loving it now that I can play on handheld!
@Ragdoll72 Lacking an important feature elsewhere doesn't mean it's not bad that it lacks it here. Other consoles all released OW at the same time, you didn't have a lot of people buying both XBO and PS4 OW. Now you have a later version on a MOBILE platform, so many who had OW before are buying again for that benefit. It's not the same as not having it before because it would make sense to now.
@TDRsuperstar2 for an example. He's not alone, a lot of people did that
I'll buy this when I feel like undermining freedom of expression.
mylamyla
brandonbwii
I only play games on Switch so I guess I should get this? I'll have nothing to compare it to.
Jive_Talking
Personally I think these motion controls combined with the stick cancel makes this the way to play the game. After three years of playing the game its like a huge refresh
Hooked!
the8thark
@antdickens
Do the staff at NintendoLife respect the opinion that some of their reviews fail to understand who people why graphically inferior ports of games on Switch. This review is a good example of this. This review says "don't buy this game on Switch because it's inferior".
Also another opinion is reviews like this fail to understand the comprimises that need to be made to port the more modern games to Switch. Overwatch on Switch, this fact along is amazing. The Switch is getting so many great newer games, all on mobile hardware. Of cause it can't do 1080p at 60 frames for these kinds of games, but that's expected. Only a fool would whinge that their Swirch port does not do 1080p/60 frames. If that's what you want, don't buy the Switch port.
The third opinion is reviews like this review the games based on what the reviewer wants, not what the purpose of the game is. The purpose of the game is a modern game on portable hardware. It achieves this pretty well.
However it does not achieve the reviewer's unrealistic wants so the score gets dropped.
The last opinion - reviews of games like this will never imprive in quality unless the above opinions are taken seriously by NintendoLife.
@brandonbwii
Quite a few people want to know this question. The above review didn't answer this question unfortunately.
@Ragdoll72 I think it's considered a con because the game launched on other platforms all at once, so you wouldn't be missing out on some of the content you get through events since everyone would have access to the same stuff, whereas on Switch, where it's launched over three years later, a significant amount of unlockables are just completely unattainable now.
@antdickens I take exception to this.
You have not restricted political statements on previous articles with no relation to Hong Kong and allowed them for months but have purposely removed them in relation to Hong Kong.
Is it only political statements you disagree with that get removed? Or are you also in contract with Blizzard to protect their image?
It seems odd and is bad form in my opinion.
@MisterKorman during the anniversary event all unlockables are available.
@Ragdoll72 Not ones that aren't attainable through loot boxes. I don't think there'll be a way to get the Lego Bastion, for example.
"The long and short of it is that this is a difficult release to recommend if you intend on playing the game solely in docked mode. Performance is fine, but considering that you could easily pick it up on other platforms for your TV and get a better experience, it's tough to recommend from that angle."
True with almost any 3rd party port.
JDig
Mon 21st Oct 2019
Worth highlighting that this is the only console version to use motion controls, which can really help if you have disabities.
I imagine it's easier to rig something up on PC.
@the8thark I'm not sure I agree with what you are saying here. The review firstly recommends the game with a "Good" score, it doesn't say "don't buy it on Switch". Secondly, it clearly says that if you want a portable version then it's great, "If you intend on playing it plenty when undocked, we can't recommend it enough, but if you intend on mostly playing on the TV, consider first buying it elsewhere."
@Kienda sorry if I wasn't clear, the policy here is the same on other articles. We don't condone simply posting political slogans in any articles (nor this one). However, we will allow relevant political topics to be discussed constructively. Usually, discussions that descend into politics are completely unrelated and therefore get removed, in this case, there is a valid discussion to be had. Hope that clears things up!
Not everyone to plays games via the television owns a console other than a Nintendo Switch. You don't need 1080p to have a great time. Of cause it's desirable but not a hard requirement for fun.
Remember the NES and SNES? 240p goodness on a CRT.
Finally you know as well as we all do that review scores are worthless and always have been. It's the actual review content which matters. Most of the time the review content here is quite detailed. That's one reasons I'm still on this website. Of cause we can nit pick that review content but the fact is, the content is there. Lots of it and it's in quite some detail. That should be commended and that I will do. Thank you. I appreciate it.
Is a game worth a 7/10? Maybe. However that's question doesn't help anyone.
Why is this game worth 7/10? Now this is a good question and that's what the whole review tried to do.
The famous monologue at the end of the movie Ratatouille sums things up well. More people should watch it and understand it.
Also we as readers should not condone bad practices also. Fair is fair. It works both ways. Everyone, on both sides should do the right thing.
@the8thark certainly, I'm always for everyone to improve on both sides We've had many debates about review scores, however, we're sticking with our system, we've added things like pros/cons recently to help inform the more casual reader too. So we're always making efforts to try and make the reviews useful to all different kinds of readers.
alasdair91
Really enjoy Paladins from time to time, but can't get over how blurry it is. This seems to strike a fair balance and look much better. Also, it's only £18 at the minute (including 3-month online membership and £1.80 back in gold coins). Would be silly to pass it up.
Random: Ring Fit Adventure User Discovers A Healthy Way To Play Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Link Fit Adventure
Action, FPS
Review Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times - Passable Fantasy Role-Playing Action
Review 198X - A Fabulous, If Fleeting, Celebration Of Arcade Gaming's Golden Era
Review Hypercharge: Unboxed - Lighthearted FPS Action That Mixes Toy Story With Small Soldiers
Review To The Moon - A Powerful Interactive Story You Really Need To Experience
Review AO Tennis 2 - A Decent Tennis Sim Ruined By Woeful Performance On Switch


text:
Australia dismisses reports of relaxed cricket bans
Steve Smith (Gallo)
Warner takes over as captain of Winnipeg T20 team
4 Proteas in Steyn's best Test XI
Markram must prove himself outside of SA
Sydney - Cricket Australia (CA) has denied reports that former Australia captain Steve Smith and batsman David Warner's suspensions had been relaxed to allow them to participate in domestic first-class cricket ahead of the 2019 World Cup.
CA handed 12-month bans to Smith and Warner while batsman Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month suspension after the trio were found guilty of ball-tampering during the third Test against South Africa in March.
"At no stage have we, or are we considering lessening the current sanctions in place for respective players in relation to the incident in South Africa," a spokesperson from CA told cricket.com.au.
"The CA Code of Conduct does not allow for reversal or lessening of sanctions once players have fully accepted the charges.
"The current articles published are purely speculative."
Media reports suggested that Smith and Warner could be allowed to play in the Sheffield Shield for the 2018-19 season, but CA's bans do not end until late March, with the final scheduled from March 28-April 1.
Bancroft should be available for selection for Western Australia for the final four rounds of matches, which start in late February.
The ban does not prevent the trio from playing domestic cricket overseas and Warner and Smith are currently playing in the inaugural Global T20 Canada league.
Read more on: cricket australia | steve smith | david warner | cricket
bloubul_15
Santemarie


Councilman Jason Ellering has announced he will be seeking another term to Sauk Rapids City Council this fall.
SAUK RAPIDS — City councilman Jason Ellering will be seeking another term this fall.
Ellering currently holds a Sauk Rapids City Council seat he was appointed to in March 2017, when Kurt Hunstiger vacated his council seat to become mayor.
"It's kind of a unique way to get started in local government," Ellering said of his appointment.
Ellering thought his appointment was a long shot. So long, in fact, he almost worked through the council meeting when they announced it, before being convinced by his wife Nicole to go.
"I walked in late, sat in the back row, and much to my surprise..." he said of his appointment.
That makes this year Ellering's first time running for the seat via election. He said the short amount of time he has been in office has not been enough, which is why he's running for election.
"I truly, honestly feel like I'm just hitting my stride," he said. "It takes a while to get involved in some of these projects... I really want another four years of doing this so I can see some of these projects through that are just on the forefront now, just starting."
Ellering said in the time he's been on council, the city was at the tail end of a lot of projects. The ones he said he has been most involved in are dealing with roads and infrastructure as part of the public works committee.
"Developing capital plans for equipment replacement, infrastructure replacement," he said. "Things like that is where most of my time and energy has gone into with my time on council."
Ellering has four children all elementary-age or younger. His wife, Nicole, is a preschool teacher in Sauk Rapids. He also works as a project manager and sales representative for St. Cloud Refrigeration, Inc. Before that, Ellering said he worked in road construction for 10 years.
It's because of this experience Ellering said his work on council has come full-circle.
"One of the first meetings that I attended, I'm sure everyone thought I would sit there and be quiet at first," he said. "I remember we talked about some of these new road projects the city does every year…I piped up and started asking questions."
Going into the election, Ellering wants to continue emphasis on economic development in Sauk Rapids, like with some of the apartment projects the council has worked on this year.
"It wasn't easy to be a developer in Sauk Rapids in the past — that's changed," he said.
He said he also wants to keep focusing on the city's infrastructure and working with residents to decrease and manage assessments, and continuing Sauk Rapids' ability to have what he called "premium services," like police and fire, while maintaining the city's current tax rate.
"If re-elected, I'd like to continue to do all these things that I've mentioned," he said. To actually come through and fulfill what I say we're going to do. And I would like to see our tax rate not budge at all."
Two Sauk Rapids Council seats are up for election this year: Ellering's and councilwoman Ellen Thronson's. Council members are elected to a four-year term. Public filings for office are open May 22 to June 5.


text:
Texas Man charged with murder after admitting to throwing baby across the room
by Ellen Killoran
Allente Edwards waited hours to call the police after the infant became unresponsive
An Irving, Texas, man has been charged with capital murder on suspicion that he threw a 17-month old baby across the room while he was caring for her and her two siblings, one who also displayed signs of assault.
Allante Edwards, 19, was taking care of his girlfriend's three children on January 4 when he called 911 to report that Olivia Cangemi was unresponsive. The infant was taken to Children's Medical Center where, according to a police report obtained by a local Texas news station, she was found to have a severe head injury including brain swelling, healing rib fractures, and abdominal injury.
Edwards reportedly confessed to police that he had thrown the infant across the room before she became unresponsive. She died at the hospital after being removed from life support.
One year old Olivia Cangemi died from injuries sustained at her home last week. Her mom's boyfriend is in custody. pic.twitter.com/kV4kVOQ5Po
— Diana Zoga (@DianaZogaFox4) January 9, 2017
It is unclear if Edwards is the father of any of the children under his care. A six-month-old baby identified as Allente, Jr., also exhibited signs of assault, with bite marks on his face. Police told a local CBS affiliate that Edwards waited five to six hours after Olivia became unresponsive to call 911.
Investigators told WFAA that Edwards had a record of domestic abuse, but did not provide further specifics. The deceased child's mother and grandmother spoke to the news station about Olivia.
"She was the most sweetest, smart, beautiful little girl I have ever seen in my life," the girl's mother, Jennifer Cangemi, said. Her grandmother, Karen Cangemi, added, "It's not fair to this world. We lost a child. She was just a joy to the world…"We want justice for Olivia. We want justice from what has been taken from our family."
Jennifer Cangemi arranged to donate her daugher's organs in order to help save other children's lives.
Photo: Irving Police Department


ok, now it has been exactly a year since this was posted... can we get an updated roadmap?
New puzzle? Aye, I say new puzzle!
Don't Starve Together Update - "...In with the new"
First of all, Seasons are defined on this planet by the equinoxes and solstices. The first day of summer is June 21/22, the First day of fall is Sept 22/23, the first day of winter is December 21/22, and the first day of spring is March 22/23 (which only vary by 1 day because of the inconsistency of the Gregorian calendar we are foolishly still using). We do not measure seasons according to meteorological events because they are inconsistent and vary. Seasons are measured by the tilt of the earths axis which causes to days to vary in length and have been the same for a very very long time (before the rise of ancient civilizations and the after the creation of the moon). The weather that makes the seasons feel as they do historically lags behind the equinoxes and solstices, but is for the most part subject to climate (macro and micro). Second, Now that the issue of when the end of summer is (September 21stish), i have a question of my own. @JoeW Is the alpha going to be an open alpha?
i would find a herd of beefalo and become beefalo-man! and slowly but surely lead the beefalo to dominate all the lands and rid them of the impure!!! (perhaps even myself as a martyr/after i go insane).
don't be sorry, it was still awesome: and who cares what other people post, this is what you wanted to post.
Update Trailer: Strange New Powers!
im in! i do think the naughtiness system needs to be fixed so that he comes more often, for those of us that hunt profusely. BUT KEEP THE KRAMPUS!
i always sleep through winter evenings, and nights. love the tent, and always seem to have plenty of silk without even trying . I love playing with wickerbottom, but i think that her insomnia and picky eating are good balances for her perks.
Here's my most recent base, i died on day 41, damn spiders (it was a stupid fight and totally not worth it, like they always are). I like to make pretty gardens Pig village always nearby, this one was directly to the south.
if you are making it to day 100+ you should maybe try to win adventure mode... you aren't supposed to live that long, which is why the hound mobs get larger each time.