text:
- Facts/reasons that support your argument
- Strong verbs
- Personal pronouns (I, I’m, you)
- Language features: rhetorical questions, adjectives
- Introduction, Arguments, Conclusion
- Present tense
Wednesday, 6 November 2013
why you should quit smoking.
Smoking you know it’s not healthy for you but you still do it. Maybe because it took over your body and you can’t stop. All you know that it’s not healthy and you don’t care about your body. One question is alway in my mind why. Why don’t you care about your Body why don’t you care about what will happen after if you and kids why. You need to stop it all is can kill you and you don’t want that to happen don’t you. What will happen if you had kid’s and you died what will happen to them they won’t have a mum to look over them. Two when you smoke you are making the air worst for other people if you don’t care about your body but what about other people’s body because the smoke goes in the air and other people will breath and get sick because smoking and it can kill them. Three smoking sometime can get you fired because they don’t want people that smoke’s and spent most of their money on smoke and not help you family. You can harm other people around you and care about them. You can ask for help if you don’t know how to stop just go and ask other people and i bet you that they will want to help.
This is my story for why you should stop smoking.


Jeep freeze! Two brothers lose their trucks after one tried to rescue the other after driving across Lake Winnebago's thin ice
- Robert Lobajeski became stuck while trying to pick up cones from the ice
- His brother Brett then also went through the ice as he tried to rescue him
- The pair were not far from recommended driving paths, but temperatures had caused the ice to soften
Two brothers lost their trucks after driving their vehicles on to the thinning ice on Lake Winnebago.
The Wisconsin pair had just finished riding their motorcycles on the ice when Robert Lobajeski drove out in his truck to pick up cones.
His truck however fell through the ice, while his brother Brett's also went in as he tried to rescue the first vehicle.
The trucks were not far off the recommended driving paths, but the ice had been softened after temperatures hit the 50s on Sunday.
Brothers Robert and Brett Lobajeski lost their trucks after driving them on to the thinning ice
A salvage crew attempts to free one of the trucks from the ice on Sunday, near Clarence's Harbor at the south end of Lake Winnebago
'We were finished riding for the day and I was out picking up the cones to get them back on the truck,' Robert told The Reporter Media.
'I just drove off the track and my truck sunk. I sat there stuck and I had him come out and to try and pull me out real quick. He just did a U-turn and his truck got stuck.'
The first truck became partially submerged with its plow and rear bumper above the water.
Brett's tires went through the ice about 100 feet away. His front end then sank under the water when crews tried to pull the truck out.
Brett managed to crawl through his truck window to escape. He said he does not expect the vehicle to run again. His brother eventually got out of the door on his vehicle.
The two were helped by snowmobilers and members of the Otter Street fishing club who were on the lake removing ramps.
'I wasn't scared at all,' Robert said.
The trucks were not far off the recommended driving paths, but the ice had been softened after temperatures hit the 50s on Sunday
The Wisconsin pair had just finished riding their motorcycles on the ice when Robert Lobajeski drove out in his truck to pick up the cones
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The spicy and delicious condiment that peps up mealtimes! Simple to make Gun Powder Chutney uses flax seeds as one of the ingredients. How else do I feed the reluctant family flax seeds?
- Combine the tomatoes, cloves, cashew nuts and oil with ¼ cup water and blend to a smooth puree in a mixer.
- Strain the puree through a sieve and keep aside.
- Melt the butter in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
- When the seeds crackle, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few seconds.
- Add the onions and sauté till the onions turn golden brown.
- Add the strained puree, chilli powder, cream, garam masala, kasuri methi.
- Cool and store in the freezer.

domain: food


When we first recommended Tesla (TSLA) in May 2013, we heard Elon Musk mention that the extensive use of aluminium was a critical decision for the success of the Model S. Now it seems that Ford’s F-150 pickup truck, the “best selling vehicle in North America by a large margin,” will soon be offered in aluminium as well.
LME Aluminum Hits 18-month High on U.S. Data
Ese Erheriene, 8/29/14
LONDON–Aluminum hit an 18-month high for the third session this week at the close of London Metal Exchange trade Friday, reaching levels not seen since 2013, as signs of stronger U.S. economic growth could help boost demand.
The base metal closed up at $2,095 a metric ton at the PM kerb close, surpassing the highs of $2,083 on Tuesday and $2,086 on Wednesday. In February 2013, aluminum peaked at $2,168.
“The story of this week is aluminum,” said Stephen Briggs, an analyst at BNP Paribas.
Click here for the full article.


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domain: entertainment


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domain: artistic


According to Mkapa, he regularly receives complaints from public and private-owned universities and other higher learning institutions about the national education system being in a deep mess.
“As a former editor of a national newspaper, I know that the best way for people to register what affects them most is through letters to the editor, thus such protest notes about our education system should not be ignored at all" he said.
He was speaking on Saturday at the joint Chancellor-Council-Senate ceremony for the Valediction and Investiture of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Dodoma (UDOM).
Mkapa, who is also UDOM chancellor, said the matter should be taken seriously to help save the nation.
He noted that there are people who complain about language, lack of cooperation among education providers, and absence of a close relationship between government and private sector education stakeholders, among others.
The current state of affairs is that public schools are not doing well in national examinations and out of the top ten best schools nationally, it is common to find only one or two government schools, he remarked.
The ex-president suggested that the only way to get out of this quagmire is to conduct an all-inclusive dialogue on the matter as there are feelings that Tanzania may be lagging behind other east African countries like Kenya and Uganda in the provision of education.
"As a nation, we need to identify what is wrong and how we can correct it," he said, asserting that these are not his own views alone but also shared by other concerned Tanzanians.
"I do not own a newspaper, I do not have an NGO like Twaweza, but I am expressing views of those concerned with the national education system," Mkapa said.
On UDOM’s progress during his 11-year stint as chancellor, Mkapa said students enrolment has increased from 1,272 at its inception in 2007 to 10,000 at present, while the number of graduates has increased from 2,240 in previous years to 5,575 currently.
Outgoing UDOM vice-chancellor Prof Idris Kikula pointed out that UDOM is currently ranked the second-best university in the country after the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).
Newly appointed vice -chancellor Prof Egid Mubofu said he would seek to ensure a conducive environment for more research at UDOM to enhance its status as a centre of excellence that offers value added training.
"I'm informed that our university performs very well in teaching, but it's still faced with some challenges in research," said Prof Mubofu.
He also pledged to complete the construction of two colleges of natural sciences and mathematics and earth sciences at UDOM, saying President Magufuli has already promised to disburse the funds for the construction projects.
Prof Kikula had been UDOM vice-chancellor since its inception in 2007. His tenure officially ended on Saturday (March 17.)


Kang Daniel officially made his solo debut on July 25th. After a long legal dispute and the establishment of his own company, he released the title track ‘What are you up to‘ and special album ‘color on me‘. He will embark on a solo fanmeeting tour later this month. Due to his popularity, he will perform in large venues across Asia.
Daniel is the last former Wanna One member to make a debut.
‘What are you up to’ MV:
The MV is filled with a mixture of colours and highlights Daniel‘s talents. It has an R&B vibe and has a strong emphasis on choreography, which matches what he is known for – dancing. Since appearing on ‘Produce 101‘, Daniel has always been known for his skilled dancing. In this song, he also displays his vocal ability. Fans have not been disappointed with his solo debut!
What do you think about Daniel‘s debut with ‘What are you up to‘? Let us know in the comments below.
Keep following Officially Kmusic for more music updates!
Written by Lindsay
Edited by Lindsay
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Even though the Republican National Committee’s autopsy report after the 2012 presidential election urged the party to repair its relationship with Hispanic voters, few in the rank-and-file are paying attention.
In fact, it seems they’re on their way to making the problems for their party worse.
Top Republicans on Capitol Hill tell Politico that the comprehensive immigration reform bill — which overwhelmingly passed the Senate last month — “will die a slow, months-long death in the House."
Rick Klein sees the same dynamic forming: "As unfathomable as it seems that a bill supported by two-thirds of senators never comes up for a vote in the House, that's now clearly the path we're on."
The conventional wisdom suggested Republicans would pass immigration reform to improve their political position with Hispanics. But that ignored the important political reality that few House Republicans rely on Hispanic votes to win re-election.
House GOP leaders meet with their rank and file today but members acknowledge to Roll Call that "it's unlikely to produce a unified path forward."
We’re now at the point that immigration reform will not happen unless President Obama and Democrats can find new pressure points.
First Read holds out hope that the legislation is not dead until it’s dead, and that House Republicans might not "budge until very late in the year when finally budging becomes their best card to play. But even immigration supporters have to admit that they probably didn’t think they’d be in the position of trying to make House Republicans have to budge late in the year."


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- What is the deepest instrument?
- What is the world’s best selling instrument?
- What was the first instrument?
- What is the lowest sounding instrument?
- What is the world’s most expensive instrument?
- What is the easiest instrument to play?
- Which is the king of instruments?
- What is the most annoying instrument?
- What is the rarest instrument in the world?
- What is the cheapest instrument to play?
- Is guitar in the string family?
- What instrument is hardest to play?
- What is the most romantic instrument?
- Who is considered the greatest violinist of all time?
- What instrument has the most notes?
- What is the most relaxing instrument?
- What is the longest instrument in the world?
- Why do some violins have 5 strings?
- What is the lowest stringed instrument?
- What is the most beautiful instrument?
- What is the happiest instrument?
- Is there a single bass?
- What’s the coolest instrument?
- What is the oldest stringed instrument?
- What is the oldest violin in the world?
- What instrument has the biggest range?
- Who owns the most expensive violin?
- Who owns the real Red Violin?
What is the deepest instrument?
GREAT STALACPIPE ORGANTHE GREAT STALACPIPE ORGAN The Great Stalacpipe Organ is billed as the world’s largest musical instrument, located deep underground in Luray Caverns in Virginia..
What is the world’s best selling instrument?
HarmonicasThe harmonica is the world’s best-selling musical instrument. Harmonicas originated in the early 1800s in Europe. They gained popularity in the 1920s in the U.S. and were used in blues recordings.
What was the first instrument?
Researchers have identified what they say are the oldest-known musical instruments in the world. The flutes, made from bird bone and mammoth ivory, come from a cave in southern Germany which contains early evidence for the occupation of Europe by modern humans – Homo sapiens.
What is the lowest sounding instrument?
tubaThe tuba is the instrument with the lowest range in the standard orchestra.
What is the world’s most expensive instrument?
1) The Vieuxtemps Guarneri Violin – $16million/£10.5million Its new owner anonymously donated the historic instrument to violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, on loan for the rest of her life.
What is the easiest instrument to play?
The Easiest Instruments for AdultsUkulele. Inexpensive to buy and super fun to play, the ukulele is one of the easiest instruments to learn. … Harmonica. Be it blues, jazz, rock, folk, or country music, the harmonica (also known as the “Blues Harp”) is a great choice for adult beginners. … Bongos. … Piano. … Glockenspiel.
Which is the king of instruments?
pipe organsThe pipe organ is considered the “King” for reasons of its size, complexity and power. Unlike mass-produced musical instruments, pipe organs are more akin to snowflakes, with no two being the same.
What is the most annoying instrument?
OtamatoneThe Otamatone is an instrument developed by Japanese engineers that emits sounds which aren’t very melodic.
What is the rarest instrument in the world?
HydraulophoneHydraulophone. The hydraulophone is one of the rarest musical instruments in the world. This instrument is a sensory device that is primarily designed for low vision musicians.
What is the cheapest instrument to play?
The cheapest band instrument is the flute. However, depending on which brand you buy, the clarinet and trumpet can also be affordable options. Buying second-hand instruments is also cheaper than buying new ones.
Is guitar in the string family?
A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. … The most common string instruments in the string family are guitar, electric bass, violin, viola, cello, double bass, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and harp.
What instrument is hardest to play?
Here are the hardest and easiest instruments to learn:Violin. The hardest instrument on the list. … Organ. … French horn. … Accordion. … Harp. … Drums. … Guitar. … Piano.More items…•
What is the most romantic instrument?
Wagner TubaThe most romantic instrument is clearly the Wagner Tuba. It’s the most intimate instrument – very quiet, can be extremely soft -, it can be played anywhere and solo because it’s a polyphonic instrument, and it’s, like the lute, very often associated with intimacy.
Who is considered the greatest violinist of all time?
9 Top Classical Violinists of All Time…and WhyNiccolo Paganini (1782-1840) … David Fyodorovich Oistrakh (1908-1974) … Itzhak Perlman (1945-) … Hilary Hahn (1979-) … Friedrich “Fritz” Kreisler (1875-1962) … Pablo de Sarasate (1844–1908) … Nathan Mironovich Milstein (1904-1992) … Sarah Chang (1980-)More items…•
What instrument has the most notes?
PianosPianos Contain More Notes It’s the only instrument with 88 separate keys, and you can play the lowest and highest notes all at the same time, a trick that can’t be achieved by many other instruments. The range of notes that can be played on the standard piano is staggering.
What is the most relaxing instrument?
HarpThe Harp. If you’re looking to calm your nerves, harp music might do the trick. A University of Arizona study explored the healing powers of music and showed that patients are most eased by the harp.
What is the longest instrument in the world?
Earth HarpSubscribe to Strings on This year NAMM’s Museum of Making Music will offer a special treat to Make Music Day participants when it hosts the Earth Harp, the world’s longest, playable stringed instrument, created by maker William Close.
Why do some violins have 5 strings?
A 5-string enables one to play violin, viola, and even cello parts (an octave higher than written). If you like to improvise in any musical style, whether it’s bluegrass, jazz, hip-hop or rock, and wish you had a little bit more range to do so.
What is the lowest stringed instrument?
violinThe strings are the largest family of instruments in the orchestra and they come in four sizes: the violin, which is the smallest, viola, cello, and the biggest, the double bass, sometimes called the contrabass.
What is the most beautiful instrument?
The Violin is the most widely known because it usually has the melody in classical pieces, but the best and most beautiful instrument is the Cello. If you really want to see for yourself, look up Prelude to Bach’s First Cello Suite. This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music in the history of music.
What is the happiest instrument?
A piano can create the most haunting, sad music imaginable, but equally has been responsible for some of the happiest and jauntiest ever made. The same goes for most if not all instruments. Why is the ukulele any different?
Is there a single bass?
The name contrabass comes from the instrument’s Italian name, contrabbasso. IMO, “the sounding pitch of the double bass is an octave below the bass clef” is the best reason offered for calling it the double bass: Its voice is in the ‘bass-bass clef’ range, although we use the ‘single bass’ clef to notate its music.
What’s the coolest instrument?
Coolest Instrument to Play?Drums. If you are a percussion lover, this is one of your best options. … Xylophone. Another percussion instrument for enthusiasts that are looking for something more melodic; this is the instrument. … Sweet Flute. … Harmonica. … Ukulele. … Piano. … Guitar.
What is the oldest stringed instrument?
2) String instruments The actual oldest piece is a plucked string instrument known as the ‘se’, dated to 2,700 years old, found in the Chinese province of Hubei. That was a board instrument fitted with 25 strings of twisted silk, which was used by the elite in rituals and sacrificial offerings.
What is the oldest violin in the world?
The oldest confirmed surviving violin, dated inside, is the “Charles IX” by Andrea Amati, made in Cremona in 1564, but the label is very doubtful. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has an Amati violin that may be even older, possibly dating to 1558 but just like the Charles IX the date is unconfirmed.
What instrument has the biggest range?
organOverall, the organ has the widest range when you take into account the eleven octave span it has. Tom Slocombe, 50 years diverse musical involvement.
Who owns the most expensive violin?
Anne Akiko MeyersThe Soul Of The World’s Most Expensive Violin : Deceptive Cadence After being stored under a bed for a half-century, a $16 million violin is now in the hands of Anne Akiko Meyers, who’s recorded Vivaldi’s vivid Four Seasons.
Who owns the real Red Violin?
Elizabeth PitcairnElizabeth Pitcairn (born December 5, 1973 in Tinicum Township) is an American classical violinist and heiress to the PPG fortune. She has concertized widely as a soloist and is noted for performing on the 1720 Red Mendelssohn Antonio Stradivari violin that is said to have inspired the film The Red Violin.


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The aerospace and defence sector is among a range of industries cherry-picked by the South African government as part of its new three year Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP). The sector has previously been so graced, leading government to invest in the Airbus Military A400M airlifter programme as well as the Centurion Aerospace Village.
Announced by trade and industry minister Rob Davies late last week, the plan, dubbed IPAP2, builds on the National Industrial Policy Framework (NIPF) and the 2007/08 IPAP. “It represents a significant step forward in scaling up our efforts to promote long term industrialisation and industrial diversification beyond our current reliance on traditional commodities and non-tradable services,” Davies told Members of Parliament Thursday.
The minister added aerospace and defence forms part of a cluster of industries that his department believes has “the potential to develop long-term advanced capabilities”. Also in this group is nuclear technology and advanced materials manufacture: titanium, nanotechnology, advanced composites and bio-ceramic applications.
“Its purpose is to expand production in value-added sectors with high employment and growth multipliers that compete in export markets as well as compete in the domestic market against imports. In so doing, the action plan also places emphasis on more labour absorbing production and services sectors, the increased participation of historically disadvantaged people and regions in our economy and will facilitate, in the medium term, South Africa’s contribution to industrial development in the African region,” the minister continued.
“As a country, South Africa has no alternative to the course of action we propose. Manufacturing and other productive sectors of the economy are the engines of long-term sustainable growth and job creation in developing countries such as our own. However, South Africa’s recent growth was driven to too great an extent by unsustainable growth in consumption, fuelled by credit extension.
“Between 1994 and 2008 consumption driven sectors grew by 7.7 percent annually, compared with the productive sectors of the economy which grew by only 2.9 percent annually. This has meant that even at the peak of our average annual growth – 5.1 percent between 2005 and 2007 – unemployment did not fall below 22.8 percent.
“Manufacturing – which constitutes a sizeable chunk of our value added production – has not enjoyed sufficient dynamism,” Davies added. This is mainly because the relative profitability of manufacturing has been low as a result of a number of factors that include avolatile and insufficiently competitive currency; the high cost of capital relative to SA’s main trading partners, particularly that channelled towards value-added sectors such as manufacturing, resulting in a too limited allocation of capital to these sectors; the monopolistic provision and pricing of key inputs into manufacturing; an aged, unreliable and expensive infrastructure system; a weak skills system; and the failure to adequately leverage public capital and other large and repetitive areas of public expenditure.
Davies says the negative, unintended consequences of this growth path are manifold. “They include large and unsustainable imbalances in the economy, continued high levels of unemployment and a large current account deficit. These weaknesses have been exacerbated by the global recession.”
The minister says the 2010/11 to 2012/13 IPAP rests on four cornerstones:
“First, government intends to develop proposals to enhance access to concessional industrial financing for investment in IPAP priorities and other productive sectors on terms comparable to those of our major trading partners. Increased investment in these sectors will generate a mix of import replacement and exports which will help to lower the current account deficit and reduce balance of payments risks. Increased supply in productive sectors will help lower price pressures and hence will assist in moderating inflation. It will also contribute to the medium-long term objective of diversifying the structure of our economy.
“Second, government will revise procurement legislation, regulations and practices to enable the designation of large, strategic and repeat or ‘fleet’ procurements in a range of sectors. This will aim to sequentially increase competitive local procurement and supplier development opportunities, minimise ‘leakages’ from the domestic economy and support meaningful Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) in all three spheres of government and in state owned enterprises (SOEs).
“Third, government will deploy its trade policies more strategically. This includes intensifying the campaign led by South African Revenue Service (Sars) against practices such as customs fraud, under-invoicing, smuggling and illegal imports – all of which profoundly undermine productive capacity and employment in the economy. Trade policy instruments such as tariffs will be deployed on a strategic basis underpinned by the imperatives of our sector strategies. Standards, Quality Assurance and Metrology (SQAM) institutions and practices – otherwise known as technical infrastructure – will be strengthened to support the development, accreditation and enforcement of standards and bolster other measures to create, scale up and resuscitate certain industries.
“Fourth, anti-competitive practices will be targeted, particularly where these concern intermediate inputs to downstream labour absorbing production as well as consumer goods to low income households. This applies especially to products such as carbon and stainless steel, chemical polymers, fertilisers and aluminium, amongst others and will build on the very positive achievements of the competition authorities in the recent past.”
These cross-cutting interventions will underpin focussed and significant interventions in three clusters of sectors.
“First, sectors including metals fabrication, capital and transport equipment, green and energy saving industries and agro-processing, will be qualitatively new areas of focus of industrial policy.
“Second, we will build on and broaden interventions in sectors which were identified in the first Industrial Policy Action Plan, namely, automotives and components, medium and heavy vehicles, plastics, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, clothing, textiles, footwear and leather, bio-fuels, forestry, paper, pulp and furniture, cultural industries and tourism and business process services (or call centres.)
“The third cluster focuses on sectors in which we have the potential to develop long-term advanced capabilities: nuclear, advanced materials and aerospace.
The IPAP2 document notes the aerospace and defence sector “is a critical and pervasive generator of new technologies and is key to future innovation in SA. It also enhances Government engagement across substantial parts of manufacturing, services and primary sectors of the economy to achieve long–term intensification of the country’s industrialisation processes and movement towards a knowledge economy.”
The document says significant progress has been achieved in developing recognition and confidence from global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in aerospace that South Africa has capabilities to extend components and parts manufacturing as well to enter the high-value global supply chains on advanced materials such as titanium, avionics and electronics.
Key opportunities include government procurement, including that by state airline SAA, direct offsets and competitive supplier development programmes as well as airports development and the upgrading of activities including services.
Constraints identified are:
- Loss of critical skills
- Rapid technology changes
- Development of a sustainable supplier base
- Lack of infrastructure funding
- Lack of financial assistance or incentives regarding non – recurring costs in aviation manufacturing
- Lack of investment in airport capacity resulting in reduced baseline level of passengers
The document describes the purpose of the Centurion Aerospace Village (CAV), adjacent to Air Force Base Waterkloof – as the development a sustainable supplier base, adding the economic rationale is to create “high tech industry clusters through the selection of higher levels of sub-tier supply on the basis of established core competence, and established supply to the higher tier suppliers, with subsequent phases increasingly offering opportunities for new SMME [small,medium & micro enterprise] entrants in the aviation sector.”
The CAV will support the sustainability of lower level SMME suppliers through:
- Resource sharing,
- Mentoring of lower tiers of supply by higher tiers,
- Directing of commercial base load to common sub-tier suppliers,
- Direct assistance of emerging lower tier SMME suppliers, and the
- Selective support re redeemable supplier financing for SMME`s.
The expected outcome, the document says, is a “strong and sustainable local supplier base and creation of new companies and SMME`s”. The key milestone is the fourth quarter of this financial year – the first quarter of 2011 – when the first three SMME tenants occupy newly constructed buildings. The IPAP2 paperwork notes the CAV, a registered company, will be the lead agent for this venture, with the DTI, the National Treasury and the departments of science & technology (DST), defence, public enterprises and public works in support.
The DTI also forsees SA producing advanced materials for the aerospace industry, this building, in part on an existing DST-led engagement with Airbus and Boeing for supply of aerospace grade titanium; aerospace components and materials and systems engineering (aeronautics).
The economic rationale is explained as an endeavour to build “a new and competitive titanium industry and a naturalfibre composites materials industry. This will take advantage of increasing global demands for green, light and strong materials.” The expected outcome is SA-owned advanced materials intellectual property as well as manufacturing contracts for a new industry base in titanium for SA companies with global aerospace aircraft manufacturers; an extension of titanium manufacturing into industrial applications in large, piped infrastructure such as oil rigs; and, manufacturing contracts for a new industry base in natural fibre composite materials to be used in interior parts and components (secondary structures) for aircraft manufacturers.
Key milestones include leveraging “patents under development to secure interest in supply contracts for titanium production and development of the titanium beneficiation for aerospace applications” by the last quarter of this calandar year and the finalisation “of the first prototype of the natural fibre project for Airbus application as funded by DST” by end-March next year.
The expected economic impact includes employment and investment:
- Employment: Titanium production with a twenty thousand ton plant in 2018 will generate 700 to 1000 jobs and higher projections if the titanium applications are extended to industrial applications. The job creation potential for the Natfibio DST intervention on natural fibre composites in partnership with Airbus will extend beyond manufacturing to the agricultural sector as the fibre is extracted from plant material.
- Investment: Investment in the 500-ton plant for 2013 is projected at R750 million and the commercial scale 20,000 ton plant is R4 billion. A critical mass of engineering capabilities is being established through the DST funded Titanium Centre of Competence. Investments are also at the R&D stage with technical performance blueprints provided by Airbus to the DST funded Natfibio Centre of Competence.
For this the lead department will be the DST, supported by the DTI and the departments of defnce, transport and public enterprises.
Full document at: http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=117330
Pic: Top shells for the Airbus A400M in production at DenelSaab Aerostructures. Archive picture.

domain: economics


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Welcome to the Short Story ENG3U Kelly WikiEdit
This is a wiki for my English class for the Short Story unit.
Authors for the StoriesEdit
This is a link to The Short Stories Page
This wiki has the two short stories that were analysed by Marcus L. and Christine T. Marcus did an analysis of the short story 1408 by Stephan King (53 pages) and Christine did an analysis of the story Day of the Butterfly by Alice Munro (13 pages). On their own respective pages there is an overview of the respective stories as well as the facts and the PACTS (lol joke!!) about each story. Hope you enjoy!!
To Breifly explain for thoses that dont remeber (or know) this is PACTS:


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The research report below was written for the Asia-Europe Museum Network’s Mapping of Asian Collections Project. The project aims to use Google Maps to create an interface to map Asian museum collections in Asia and Europe.
This document aims to inform the project about technical possibilities and limitations, and:
- enable us to communicate more effectively with technical partners;
- save time and money;
- ensure the final product is accessible, useful and scalable.
It looks at the practicalities of implementing a Google Map embedded on the ASEMUS website with an interface that enables users to visualize locations of Asian collections by:
2. Preliminary Data
|Countries, Regions, Collection Types||Museums|
|>Collections from 19 Asian countries|
>20 Collection types, plus others
|Musee du quai Branly, Paris, France|
National Museum of Korea
National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden
Google’s Spreadsheet Mapper 2.0
- A powerful free Google tool for mapping up to 400 locations
- Six ready-made balloon designs to quickly create attractive placemarks
Google Docs Spreadsheet
- Gdocs integrates with the Spreadsheet Mapper 2.0
- Allows developers to easily change colors, features etc shown on maps to highlight themes more clearly.
- It addresses one of the key usability issues for mapping projects.
- Other Map Styling options
- Tracks visitors on maps enabling genuine assessment of the value/success of the project
- GA needs to be setup to track “Events” to obtain useful data
4. Working examples of Google Map projects
4.1 The World Justice Map has what I would describe as two layers. The first layer, as shown above, allows users to click on an organisation and an Info Bubble will popup. If the blue “Gov2u” link is clicked, it takes users to a page on the site describing the organisation.
The second layer is called “Data”. It draws on available data sets, e.g. the “Corruption Perception Index”. When the option is checked the map changes dynamically to show nations perceived to be corrupt in a darker color, and a lighter color if considered less corrupt.
After reviewing Google’s Spreadsheet Mapper 2.0 tool, I think the implementation of the Museum layer of this project (see 4.1 “first layer” World Justice Map above) is very straight forward.
The development of the second layer (See AnyPlace Map section example above), is more involved and would require expert advice to setup a good interface. Also see point 8 below.7. Considering Possible Additions in the Future
Informing developers that the map may be used to show other data sets in the future, would be time & cost effective.A three tab display could be used to map (See example below)
- Asian collections
- Museum professionals & expertise
- Mapping of museum-related projects & engagements across Asia & Europe
Ideally, it would be best to embed the map with full functionality into the ASEMUS site. This is quite difficult to achieve.
9. WordPress Plugins to embed Google Maps
Several free plugins are available to embed Google Maps in to the ASEMUS site:
10. 1 Animated Google Map Pins
At the 2011 Google IO conference, google introduced animations for map pins. The feature adds a small layer of interactivity which improves user experience.
10.2 Useful Videos
Google I/O 2011: Secrets and surprises of the Google Geo APIs
Google I/O 2011: Speedy Maps (How to optimize Google maps for speed)
Mapping with Google Spreadsheet Mapper 2.0
Google Earth Outreach YouTube Channel
What is Google My Maps and how do I use it?
10.3 Useful Links
Meeting for the Mapping of Asian Collections Project
Ubilabs: Google Maps API – Best Practices
Google Maps API Family
Using Spreadsheet Mapper 2.0 with Google Earth & Google Maps
Create a map from a published Google Spreadsheet
AnyPlace: a reusable platform for mapping and sharing history
PhilaPlace to AnyPlace: Building a Reusable Community Platform for Mapping and Sharing History
Creating an Online Digital Consortium for Historic Collections
Putting Museum Collections on the Map: Application of Geographic Information Systems
Google My Maps User Guide

domain: geography


Some smokers have switched to e-cigarettes or used them to stop tobacco fully, nonetheless, e-cigarettes, unlike FDA-accredited cessation therapies, lack an proof base that demonstrates their security and efficacy. Truth Initiative supports regulation that encourages the event of persistently less dangerous nicotine supply alternatives that enable people who smoke to give up tobacco altogether or swap utterly to a much much less harmful, properly-regulated product. One study reveals that product appeal, including flavoring, is likely to encourage smokers to attempt to use e-cigarettes to stop. More current research have instructed that younger e-cigarette users are four occasions more prone to start smoking cigarettes in comparison with their friends who don’t use e-cigarettes. It now seems that e-cigarettes could present their own distinctive health dangers, including to the respiratory and cardiovascular methods. Given the merchandise’ relatively latest introduction to the market, further research is required to judge the brief and long term health impacts of e-cigarettes. In 2019, the FDA allowed the primary kind of tobacco heating system to be marketed and sold in the U.S.
Hon said that utilizing resistance heating obtained better results and the issue was to scale down the system to a sufficiently small dimension. Hon’s invention was supposed to be an alternative choice to smoking. Hon Lik sees the e-cigarette as similar to the “digital camera taking up from the analogue digital camera.” The scientific community in US and Europe are primarily concerned with their possible effect on public well being. There is concern among public health consultants that e-cigarettes could renormalize smoking, weaken measures to control tobacco, and serve as a gateway for smoking amongst youth. The public well being community is split over whether to support e-cigarettes, as a result of their safety and efficacy for quitting Element Vape smoking is unclear.
Vapes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs), and e-pipes are a few of the many phrases used to explain digital nicotine delivery systems . You might have seen digital cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in stores, in advertisements, or being used. But e-cigarettes, while more and more well-liked, aren’t innocent.
Most Cancers Prevention Instruments
- Some individuals who give up smoking with a vaping device are continuing to vape after a yr.
- Vaping appears to be as efficient as nicotine substitute merchandise, though its potential adverse results similar to normalizing smoking haven’t been adequately studied.
- While some surveys reported improved quitting smoking, notably with intensive e-cigarette customers, several studies showed a decline in quitting smoking in dual users.
IQOS, produced by Philip Morris International , is now being sold in choose check markets by Altria across the nation. Notably, analysis has proven that twin use is not associated with reduced cigarette use, but somewhat increased publicity and poorer health outcomes than utilizing cigarettes or e-cigarettes alone. Read feedback and potential concerns from Truth Initiative on the IQOS utility. Truth Initiative will continue to observe patterns of use as the product turns into more widespread in the U.S.
Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist and inventor, who worked as a research pharmacist for an organization producing ginseng products, is regularly credited with the invention of the fashionable e-cigarette. But tobacco firms have been developing nicotine aerosol technology units since as early as 1963. Philip Morris’ division NuMark, launched in 2013 the MarkTen e-cigarette that Philip Morris had been working on since 1990, 23 years prior to Hon Lik creating his e-cigarette.
Created as a substitute for tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes are sophisticated mechanical devices designed to ship the identical highly addictive nicotine that’s in tobacco cigarettes, without the opposite dangerous effects of tobacco smoke. JUUL, the product, was introduced in 2015 and makes use of a proprietary blend of nicotine developed by the Juul staff. According to Bowen, Juul has a “bigger punch” as in comparison with different, similar products in the market owing to the fact that it accommodates 10 occasions as a lot nicotine as different e-cigarettes. He stated the concept behind the mix was to get rid of the need for smokers to go back to cigarettes after an unsatisfying expertise with vaping. While some e-cigarettes might help some people quit, the variety of products in addition to the variations in high quality and the lack of regulation make determining the potential of any specific product as a quit help tough.
Extra In Keep Wholesome
Hon stop smoking after his father, additionally a heavy smoker, died of lung most cancers. In 2001, he considered utilizing a high frequency, piezoelectric ultrasound-emitting element to vaporize a pressurized jet of liquid containing nicotine.
How Much Nicotine Is In Juul And Different E
In addition to e-cigarette merchandise, tobacco corporations have begun introducing tobacco heating systems or, as the industry calls them, “heat-not-burn” tobacco merchandise. These units work by heating tobacco as an alternative of burning it. Sometimes the tobacco is handled with a humectant like propylene glycol to produce an aerosol inhaled by the consumer. Manufacturers claim this supply methodology is substantially less harmful than conventional cigarettes, however present information on well being results of those devices are sparse and most of what has been printed has been by tobacco business scientists.


WASHINGTON (AP) — An analysis of government travel data says baby boomers have had a profound impact on transportation in the U.S.
The analysis, released Thursday by AARP, an advocacy group for older Americans, says boomers started driving at a young age and became more mobile than any generation before or since. Baby boomers are people born between 1946 and 1964.
Now, 8,000 “leading edge” boomers are turning 65 every day, and will continue to do so for the rest of the decade. That, too, could reshape the nation’s transportation picture.
How long they continue to work, whether they choose to live in their suburban houses after their children leave home, or whether they flock to cities where they are less likely to need a car, will have important ramifications for all Americans.
The latest installment in the joint AP-APME project examining the aging of the baby boomers and the impact that this so-called silver tsunami will have on society
Local journalism is essential.
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text:
Americans watched over 19.4 million years of streaming content in 2022, according to a new Nielsen report.
Bryan Kress January 26, 2023
Alex Young January 6, 2023
Eddie Fu November 7, 2022
Spencer Kaufman November 1, 2022
Consequence Staff October 21, 2022
The veteran star also reveals why he initially turned down the opportunity to guest-star on The Boys (and why he later said yes).
October 3, 2022
"But that's why with my platform, I want to spread positivity and love because I do not give hate back to people who give hate to me."
September 27, 2022
The Eddie Munson actor was also gifted a signed guitar from the band.
July 29, 2022
The metal legends showed clips from the Netflix series' heroic scene as they began playing the iconic thrash song.

domain: news


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Photo A Day, July—Week 4
Hello Internet! What a whirlwind these past 2 weeks have been… I had a wonderful time away in the northeastern states of Maine, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia and I can not wait to share with you all my photos!
While I try to catch up on life, here’s my last week of July’s Photo A Day’s along with the list for August!
And in case you missed it, I posted about my family’s trip to San Diego while my cousin and her family were in town… oh how I love this new addition to our family! I had the joy to photograph them again while in Maine, she’s just adorable!!


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The overall design market has taken a big hit during the recent recession. But for many owners, hard times have stirred increased interest in the more practical elements of sustainable design, such as energy efficiency. The ENR Top 100 Green Design Firms generated $2.85 billion in revenue in 2008 from projects registered with such green design programs as the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an increase of 63.9% over $1.74 billion in 2007.
More detailed information on the Top 100 Green Design Firms:
View complete list with revenue and market data.
Current Top Green Design Firms Story:
Owners Embrace the Practical Side of Green Design
Click below for earlier edition:
ENR Top Lists or selections from the directory databases are available on pressure-sensitive labels or computer printouts. Included are the principal officer's name and title, company name and address, and phone and fax numbers. Click here for information on purchasing mailing lists.

domain: design


text:
Thursday, September 11, 2008
In boxing, they call it a standing eight count.
The fighter gets hit with a punch that's not quite hard enough to send him to the mat. But it's enough to cause the referee to step in and stop the fight for eight seconds.
It's a welcome break, and it's what most investors need to take right now.
The stock market has pummeled both bulls and bears alike. And trying to trade this market has been like trying to go toe to toe with Lennox Lewis. You might last a round or two. But Lennox is going to win the fight.
Sure, the market rallied yesterday. And if you bought stocks at the end of the day on Tuesday, then you're happy with the results.
But who in their right mind did that? Most stocks sold off hard early this week, and there wasn't much action to encourage investment.
The stock market is not rational right now. Stocks don't go up or down based on fundamental or technical factors. They move at random.
And there's no sense to it.
So as a trader, buying or selling stocks right now is like stepping into the ring against Evander Holyfield in the prime of his career. It doesn't matter how good your jab is.
You can stick your chin out and take the punch. And maybe you can last the round. But most people will be down for the count.
Traders can't afford to suffer a knockout blow.
So when the match is out of hand, and what used to work doesn't work anymore, then traders need to step away from the fight and take a standing eight count.
A standing eight count gives you time to rethink your strategy, gain your composure, and figure out the best way to get back into the fight.
And for most traders, it's the right strategy right now.
Best regards and good trading,
Biotech still raging... ImClone hits new 52-week high on takeover offer.
China's down 65% this year and dropping... China Cablecom, Chalco, Gushan Environmental, Xinyuan Real Estate, China Digital TV, and China Direct hit new lows.
Total destruction in mining... big miners Cameco, Anglo American, Yamana, Southern Peru Copper, and Goldcorp at new lows.


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Beta Alanine SR Carnosyn® - 120 tabs
- Sustained Release
- 800mg / Tablet
- Easy Dosing
During short high intensity exercise, the muscles mainly use glucose as an energy source which leads to the formation of lactic acid. In its turn the lactic acid splits into lactate and hydrogen ions (H+). Contrary to what is often assumed, it is the accumulation of H+-ions, and not the lactic acid, which leads to muscle acidification. Initially the muscle can neutralize these H+-ions with the help of carnosine (= skeletal muscle buffer). However, as the effort progresses, the formed H+-ions will exceed the buffering capacity of the muscle, after which the H+-ions will start to accumulate. This process, better known as "the burn", ultimately causes reduced strength production and muscle fatigue, resulting in loss of performance.
Research, by e.g. Dr. Roger Harris, has shown that long-term intake of beta-alanine (e.g. CARNOSYN®) increases muscle carnosine stores. Studies in the same period also confirmed that beta-alanine supplementation increases the muscles buffer capacity which translates in enhanced exercise performance. A recent review also showed that these performance-enhancing effects mainly occur during short (0,5-10 min) maximum efforts. The minimum average dose of beta-alanine needed to achieve this performance improvement is set at 179 g. This corresponds to a daily intake of 3.2 to 6.4 g beta-alanine for a duration of 4 to 8 weeks. For maximum effect, a supplementation period of 10 à 12 weeks is advised. After that supplementation can be interrupted for at least 10 to 15 weeks, or a maintenance dose (± 1.6 g per day) can be used. In addition to enhanced performance during short high intensity exercise, long-term intake of beta-alanine has also been shown to improve sprint performance at the end of an exhaustive endurance exercise bout.
"6d BETA-ALANINE SR CARNOSYN®" contains 800 mg of beta-alanine per tablet. Studies have shown that the beta-alanine in the "6d BETA-ALANINE SR CARNOSYN®" tablets is more effective at increasing muscle carnosine stores because of the gradual release in the body, especially when the beta-alanine is taken with a meal. Thanks to these sustained release tablets, the annoying skin tingling (paresthesia) doesn’t occur, in most athletes, after ingestion of 2 tablets (1600 mg) at the same time. If a beta-alanine powder or "standard" capsules / tablets are used, symptoms of paresthesia already occur at doses starting from 800 mg.
In summary, the "6d BETA-ALANINE SR CARNOSYN®" is ideal supplement for all athletes that have to perform sustained high intensity efforts lasting 0,5-10 minutes. These types of maximal efforts occur in track and field events, rowing and swimming, but also during prolonged endurance events such as road cycling (e.g. steep climb or final of a race). Also, team sports athletes such as football players, who have to perform repeated high intensity sprints during a game, can reap the benefits of beta-alanine supplementation.
Take 3x2 tablets per day, preferably with a meal, from 6-12 weeks before the start of an important competition. After the loading phase, a maintenance dose of 2 tablets per day is sufficient.
After prolonged consecutive use an interruption of 10-15 weeks is recommended. Never take more than 2 tablets at the same time to reduce the risk of skin tingling.
Ingredients per tablet
800mg beta-alanine (as SR CarnoSyn®); bulking agents: hypromellose, corn starch, dicalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose; binding agent: hydroxypropyl cellulose; lubricant agent: magnesium stearate; anti-caking agent: silicon dioxide.

domain: medical


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It’s okay, I won’t tell nobody
This has become one of my favorite write-ups each year. You know that game that you love, but others don’t even seem to know what it is? You rant and rave about how intricate the design is, or how beautiful the game looks, but no one seems to be listening? This post is about those games. Games that we loved, yet didn’t see much conversation about.
Hopefully you got around to playing the games we’ve mentioned in the past, like those from 2015 and 2016. If not, we’re here to add even more to your backlog.
Behold the Kickmen
Available on: Steam
This is what you’d get if you took someone with a vague notion of what soccer is and told them to make a soccer videogame. While some may look at a single-player off-brand soccer game as a confusing waste of time, consider that this is the same developer behind The Swindle and Ben There, Dan That! so there is some seriously great pedigree here.
It also answers the age-old question of “what, exactly, is offside?” Turns out, the offside penalty is on a seemingly random timer and will red card players caught in the no-go zone when the timer reaches zero. Oh, now it makes more sense. It’s best to approach this with no expectations because they’ll likely be dashed rather quickly. This is a sports game for the people who refer to every game as “sports-ball” and not-so-cleverly refer to a touchdown as a “home run” and vice versa.
Zodiac Mall Ball
Available on: itch.io
This one is sort-of-cheating, since it was released on December 30, 2017. A couch multiplayer (only) game with some great talent behind it, Zodiac Mall Ball brings together much of what I enjoy. It’s got rollerblade movement, pin collecting, and style.
Players compete to collect a token that spawns around the map and deposit it to the mall gods. However, it’s also possible to deposit that token for a badass pin, and who doesn’t like pins? I have a handful of meaningful pins on my backpack and am excited when I find another one that deserves “backpack status.” My recent pins are from my first marathon, my first time snowboarding, and a very thoughtful gift from a student of mine. I love looking at my backpack and reliving all these moments.
Oh, right, Mall Ball. Anyway, the pins don’t get you points towards winning, but they do act as upgrades to things like speed or jump height. It’s an interesting risk/reward system at play — Do you invest in your future with pins, or go for the point, a tangible progression point towards victory? It’s a great addition to any couch multiplayer night.
Available on: Steam, Humble
Don’t want to wait for Spelunky 2? Get Caveblazers. It scratches that same itch yet differentiates itself from Spelunky enough to avoid feeling too same-y. The premise is the same: descend through the enemy-laden levels, surviving by being careful and not making silly mistakes. Caveblazers, however, has more RPG-esque equipment you can find with damage numbers and modifiers, making every run dramatically different.
You’ve got melee, ranged, and magic attacks at your disposal, all of which can be changed and modified with equipment drops. You may find a weapon that inflicts bleeding, or a bow that fires three arrows at once. Spells are (generally) on a cooldown and can vary wildly in function. It controls like a dream and gets excitingly difficult rather quickly. Be careful though, this game will suck you in and completely dominate your free time once you get started.
Oh, and did I mention it has local co-op? Because it does! The quickest way to my heart, for sure.
Fidel: Dungeon Rescue
Available on: Steam
Fidel: Dungeon Rescue is a very particular type of puzzle game. It’s a tile-based dungeon crawler that reminds me of Desktop Dungeons but on a much smaller scale. When I first saw the game, I immediately thought it was Ernesto, a game that I put on my 2015 indies list. Turns out, it is the same developer and really, the same idea! It looks like maybe Ernesto might have turned into this?
Here, you play as a dog. There’s no more to that talking point — you play as a dog! Levels are small but require a lot of planning in order to effectively complete. As you travel among the tiles, your path is drawn behind you and there’s no going over a tile you’ve already been on. Luckily, you can undo and redo things quickly, which allows you to fix your mistakes — even upon death.
If I have any gripe, it’s with the ghost that shows up after you take too long. Similar to Spelunky, this is put in place to keep players on an invisible time limit. I do wish I had infinite time to think of the best solution, but I guess that’s the game; it might be too easy without a time limit. Regardless, Fidel is just the type of game that I love to hop into whenever I’m feeling the need to solve some beautifully crafted puzzles.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Available on: PlayStation 4, Steam, Xbox One
Price: $39.99 (Steam), $49.99 (consoles)
When I was in high school, my friends were always playing a game where if you could sneak up on someone from behind and get them in a headlock before they realized you were there, you win. This game is basically that, except you do it with three people at a time, coordinated across a battlefield. And you also usually stab the guy when you’re done.
It’s real-time stealth tactics, and it’s so satisfying when everything is executed perfectly. Each of the five different characters has different abilities. When they all come together simultaneously, it’s like a symphony orchestra of death.
Mages of Mystralia
Available on: PlayStation 4, Steam, Xbox One
Most games treat magic like a black box. You read a scroll, or you learn an ability, and then all you need to do is press a button and poof, magic. Mages of Mystralia gives players component behaviors for spells and allows those behaviors to be combined and permuted in order to produce a unique spell. It’s the most hands-on spellcrafting in video games.
The adventure in which that magic is used is a fairly standard (good) Zelda-like, but the real star is in the puzzle solving through creative spell production. Occasionally, one can bypass an area in ways that weren’t originally intended, because it’s possible to imagine a spell, set the right runes, and have it do what you wanted it to do.
Available on: Steam, Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One, iOS, Android
Price: $9.99 (Android) $19.99 (everything else)
For years, fans of Nintendo’s stranger side have pined away for a funny, sad, heartfelt little game that is full of surprises. It takes place in a little town that exists in its own little world, far removed from the niceties of conventional society.
That may seem like a disadvantage at first, but that separation from the culture at large is what keeps the village so pure. Eventually, that purity is spoiled by the wild ambition of an egomaniac who’s passion for technology leads to the corruption of everything. By the time all is said and done, sibling will turn on sibling, a beloved parent will meet their end, and the very fabric of reality will be frayed beyond recognition.
I am, of course, talking about Mother 3, but everything I just said applies in equal measure to Thimbleweed Park. The latest point-and-click adventure from genre co-creator Ron Gilbert is a no-brainer purchase for fans of LucasArts classics like Monkey Island, Maniac Mansion, and Zak McKraken, but it also has a lot to offer for fans of Nintendo’s most pined after RPG. It’s no surprise then that FanGamer, a group made up of Earthbound fans, would go on to create the official Thimbleweed Park box art and related merchandise. This one ended up flying under the radar for a lot of people, but it’s a safe recommendation for fans of imaginative comedy games.
Available on: Steam, Switch
GoNNER technically came out in 2016 but I didn’t play it until it was released on the Switch in 2017, and it’s become one of my favorite procedurally generated 2D action platformers ever. It’s less stressful than Spelunky, while offering just as much replayable joy and opportunity for high skill play. It’s also got the wall jump of Mega Man X, the satisfying shotgun of Metal Slug, the organic exploration of the original Metroid, and the Squigglevision of Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.
If the game looked like a 1920’s cartoon, I have no doubt that it would have become a Cuphead-style hit, and I’m sure that there are still millions of people out there who would love GoNNER, were they to just give it a shot.
Available on: 3DS eShop, Mobile
You might argue choosing a game that originally released in 2014 for mobile for this list isn’t exactly fair and that I should instead be writing about the wonderful River City: Rival Showdown that quickly found its way into the bargain bin after it launched this past fall. Well, I would be but I only just received Rival Showdown so I’m not quite ready to gush about it as a whole. But Drancia Saga, which released to mobile more than three years ago and in Europe in 2016 on the 3DS, is one I’ve been meaning to gush about since last Spring.
Developed by Skipmore, Drancia Saga is a single screen action RPG that has me guiding a character back-and-forth, automatically attacking enemies as they go. The gameplay is stupid simple as I only have to worry about pointing my character in the right direction and jumping when necessary.
But in that simplicity is something engrossing. Drancia Saga plays like an arcade game I would have sunk rolls of quarters into growing up. Chaining attacks – that is, killing enemies without taking a hit – while dodging obstacles and projectiles requires skill and solid hand-eye coordination. I don’t need a lot of time, however, as the game only has eight levels. But with multiple playable characters – including Gunman Clive – and a high-score to chase, I always find a reason to come back to it whenever I had five or ten minutes of free time.
It’s not going to be anybody’s GOTY, but if they made a much more extensive sequel I’d be all over it in a heartbeat.
Old Man’s Journey
Available on: Steam, Mobile
Price: $7.99 (PC), $4.99 (Mobile)
Being on Destructoid, I have the unique opportunity to give smaller games a chance to shine with my reviews. When I saw the press release for Old Man’s Journey, I was compelled to give it a shot. It looked beautiful and the description sounded like something right up my alley. Some cursory research revealed only one other website had reviewed the title, so I knew what my mission was!
What I didn’t expect was for the game to blow me away. It certainly isn’t the greatest puzzle game ever conceived, but its effective use of imagery to convey a story without any dialogue really impressed me. I also just plain like low key puzzle adventures that test my mental fortitude more than my trigger finger.
Checking out SteamSpy, it looks like only around 15,000 people played the game, so chances are you didn’t try this. I would implore you to give it a look on either PC or mobile as the game is something I still think about from time to time.
Robo Panda Z
Available on Steam
Rakuen is a story about a young boy that lives in a hospital, who one day becomes capable of visiting the magical lands of his favorite book – and the journey he sets out on to have his wish granted.
What follows isn’t your standard RPG-Maker title. Developed by Laura Shigihara (the composer of To the Moon‘s soundtrack), Rakuen isn’t just a trip through mysterious lands. it’s a warming comedy, a lesson in empathy, and an allusion to certain major, real-world events. All tied together by a wonderful soundtrack. Given Shigihara’s work on To the Moon, you can expect the “feels” to flow freely, and without remorse.
Am I recommending it because one of the storylines involves bears? No, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Bears are wonderful.
(And while you’re at it, go play Finding Paradise – the follow-up title to To The Moon. I’m technically not allowed to recommend it because I haven’t played it, but screw it, go buy it, you’ll enjoy it, and cry your goddamn eyes out)
Tooth and Tail
Available on: Steam, PS4
I knew Tooth and Tail would do it for me from its first trailer. Pocketwatch Games’ real-time strategy title — in the vein of games such as Starcraft and Command & Conquer — is a scaled-down war sim telling the story of an ugly revolution set among countryside critters.
Taking class warfare elements ala Les Miserables, four cut-throat factions — all of whom are convinced their cause is “just” — battle it out for control of the ritualistic “Feast”, a lottery to decide who sits atop the food chain. Each faction, whether wealthy aristocracy or gutter-dwelling pauper, show elements of hypocrisy, jealousy and betrayal as they fight it out on the countryside battlefields.
Unlike some RTS titles, players do not control units. They instead control the faction leader, taking to the field themselves and guiding the grenade-tossing skunks, sharpshooting vixens and air-bombing owls. Though the gameplay is easy to pick up, the Story Mode is dang tough, but tells an intriguing tale of political upheaval, featuring a cast of dark-but-amusing characters. When you’re done having your furry little ass kicked by the CPU, you can go online and fight it out with other players. The Tooth & Tail mechanics generally keep online games fast-paced, so you don’t have to worry about settling in for a wrist-snapping two-hour war.
Tooth and Tail is a great time-killer, with nice artwork, a fantastic score and gameplay that’ll have you tearing down walls and overthrowing your oppressors in no time. Just try to remember where you came from when you do…