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blog-oddeyecircle · 5 years ago

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Headcannons of The crusaders reaction meeting a child and thinking she is a normal child but when a enemy stand user comes she lets out a demonic roar and uses her demonic powers

Headcanons of the crusader’s reaction meeting a child and thinking she is a normal child but when an enemy stand user comes, she lets out a demonic roar and uses her demonic powers. (Sorry if the replay took a long time, I had exams and a huge writer’s block but nevertheless enjoy!)

Jotaro didn’t care too much when he met the child during his journey to defeat Dio. He simply ignored her and moved on since he wasn’t a fan of annoying little girls. But suddenly he was attacked by a fearsome stand user and he could hear a demonic screech nearby. He thought that screech was from the stand user but in fact, it was the little girl!

There was a dark aura surrounding her as demon wings, a tail, two pairs of horns emerged from her body, her eyes turned crimson as she was transforming into a demon. Jotaro assumed the spawn of Satan was also an enemy stand but to his surprise, the pint-sized demon used her demonic powers to defeat the stand user

After that experience, Jotaro decided to take her to the crusaders and they all agreed to take her on the journey to slay Dio. He wasn’t keen on dealing with children and he ignored her when she asked him to play games with her. He refused and she transformed into her demon form which he still didn’t agree to play with her. She was angry with Jotaro, she tried to beat him up which Jotaro without using his stand just whacked her head hard and he knocked her out. He was scolded by the crusaders for doing that and he was forced to make it up to her by playing with her. He didn’t find it as awful as he thought it would be since the child had such a vivid imagination and he even enjoyed it.

These activities would become common as he would use them as a ploy to get her to behave more and not wander off. He became fond of her because he never had to deal with younger siblings, and it was pleasant to him that he had someone that looked up to him. After killing Dio, Jotaro returned to Japan taking her with him to live with him. His mother Holly liked the small child a lot and she treated her like her own daughter. He would often walk with her to school and no one messes with her otherwise they have Jotaro to deal with

Kakyoin bumped into the little girl during the journey to defeat Dio. He wondered if the little girl was lost so he approached her and asked if she was lost. Before the little girl could answer him, an enemy stand user appeared out of nowhere. Kakyoin told her to run for her life expecting her to flee in fear like a normal child.

But he was in for a shock when she slowly transformed into a demon, her tail popped out, her wings emerged from her shoulder blades, her eyes turned crimson and two pairs of horns grew from her. She didn’t need to demonstrate her demonic powers to the enemy stand user as the moment they saw the little demon, they were the one to flee from the scene like a coward.

Kakyoin assumed she was a stand user and he took her to the crusaders. They decided to take her on their journey which Kakyoin didn’t care too much as long she was not a second Polnareff. He kept being pestered to play with her which he decided to agree but he said he could only do it for 30 minutes.

He did enjoy playing with her as he was surprised that she could come up with some really imaginative twists with the example of playing hide and seek with her, every time he found her, she transformed into his demon form and she chased him. When playtime was up, he had to stop despite the child protesting but he promised her he would play with them again. He found the child imaginative and he could see them using that to become an amazing adult. After the events of killing Dio, he decided to take the child back to live with him and his mother because he decided he wanted her as his little sister since he never had any siblings when he was younger.

Joseph met the little girl on the streets of New York, and he wondered where her parents were since she was alone. He was about to approach her when an enemy stand user attacked him and out of nowhere, he heard a demonic roar.

To his surprise it was from the child and he could see the child slowly transforming into the devil. She slowly transformed into a demon, her tail popped out, her wings emerged from her shoulder blades. A dark aura surrounded the little demon and she used her demon powers to kick the stand enemy’s butt. Joseph could not believe this girl was a stand user and had such a powerful ability.

After the little girl was back to normal, he took her into the speed wagon foundation to help her use her stand for good and luckily since she was at a young age, she accepted it quickly. She was trained under Joseph and Adbul as they taught her how to use her stand effectivity so that one day, she could use it to fight against evil. She would often demand anyone in the speed wagon foundation to play with her, but they were often too busy, so Joseph took over the duties of getting some energy out of her.

He liked to play hide and seek with her; he would often carry her and tickle her to make her laugh. He liked her as his own little granddaughter. He liked to spoil her with lots of presents and treats. The child loved him like her own grandpa since she never had a caring parent in her life. Surprisingly, he didn’t take her on the journey to defeat Dio because he wanted to wait until she was old enough to handle her stand and he didn’t want her to be killed. He would murder Dio with his bare hands if he ever laid a hand on her. The little child cried many tears as she begged him to let her come with her because she was terrified that it might be the last time, she saw him. Joseph hugged her tight as he said, “Don’t worry, your old gramps will be back soon”.

Polnareff met her in the streets of Egypt and he ignored the little girl because he was too busy flirting with a beautiful woman to care about a child. But suddenly, the beautiful woman summoned her stand and she attacked Polnareff when his guard was down. He suddenly heard a demonic roar and before he knew it, he saw the child kicking the stand user’s ass like it was nothing.

He was completely amazed that this little girl managed to beat the stand user like it was nothing. He decided to quickly take the child to the crusaders to deal with her. He was not happy when all of the crusaders agreed to take the child with them instead of sending her home, he didn’t want to deal with some brat, why oh why it couldn’t be a beautiful woman instead?

He hated it when the child kept interrupting him to play with him when he was trying to get a woman but when the woman he was flirting with liked that he was being pestered by a kid because she found it adorable and she thought he was the father, he decided this child wasn’t so bad and he could win some good dad points with the women since they seemed to appreciate a good father figure.

He started to have her next to him pretending to be his daughter with the promise of games or sweets. The other crusaders found this completely stupid, but they were not surprised. After playing this charade, he found himself being more and more immersed with being this girl’s father. After the events of Dio, he asked her: “Do you actually want me to be your father? I mean for real, not just to get pretty girls,”. The girl didn’t think for a moment and cried happily: “Yes!”

Abdul was walking in the streets of Egypt in the events before he met Joseph Joestar, he found a little girl playing on the streets alone and he asked her where her parents are. When she answered she didn’t have any, he decided to help her find suitable parents for her but on his way to find someone, a stand user attacked him. This stand user was too powerful for him, they managed to put him on the brink of death, just when he thought this was the end for him; he heard a demonic roar, he saw the little girl transformed into a demon and scare off the stand user with her powers.

He was surprised that this little girl was a stand user, so he decided to take her in for a short time to learn about her stand powers until he found her parents or someone to look after her. While he learned about her stand and teaching her about her powers, he bonded with her as she was eager to learn; she was very energetic and constantly demanded his attention to play with her which he did occasionally.

He found the child imaginative and unique in a way as he never had a child be so clingy towards him. The child kept following him and sticking to him like glue. When he met Joseph Joestar, he was invited to the Speedwagon Foundation. He knew he had to leave her and luckily for him, the girl’s actual father came along to claim her. He was a monster of a man and when he showed up, the little girl hid behind Abdul in fear. He wondered why the child was scared of her father and he was suspicious of her father.

He found out from the child that she ran away from her father because he was abusive to her, constantly putting her on the constant fear that he would explode, and he was always on a warpath with her, often using physical violence as a harsh punishment. Adbul decided to tell the father to leave, he was not going to claim his daughter since he clearly wasn’t a good father to her. Her father was furious and tried to fight Abdul. After a lot of shouting and fighting, the father left in defeat as he cursed to himself. Abdul told the little girl that he was gone, he was hugged by her and she told him he was way better than her real dad. Adbul felt this warm father like love to her and he promised himself that he will be a better father than her real father.

Iggy didn’t like the little girl at first, he found her annoying that she kept trying to play with him and pet him. Despite the Crusader’s warnings, she continued to annoy him until he lashed out on her and chased her. The little girl ran off in fear, but she suddenly stopped, she let out a demonic roar and soon she was the one chasing Iggy. After a lot of chasing, they were both tired and they started to appreciate each other. The little girl would often give him bits of food and he liked it. Soon, the little girl was the only human that he didn’t bite or lash out at her.

#JoJo's Bizarre Adventure #Jojo Part 3 #jojo stardust crusaders #Jotaro Kujo #Joseph Joestar #Noriaki Kakyoin #jean polnareff #Abdul Muhammed #iggy #jojo headcanons #child headcannon #demon child!!!#sorry for the late reply

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oswhys · 6 years ago

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Dumb AC concept ideas

So this is basically a info dump of ideas for potential AC games and concepts that its been playing with in my head, it's mostly me nerding out about junk (look if I can info dump about Teotihuacan I’ll do it.) like it's ideas that I think would be cool and what id want to see in future installments, even if they aren't likely to happen. It's also written super casually cause I started making this in a burst of inspiration at like 2 am and yet still got distracted from it cause I started going on tangents. So it's a bit of a mess. I’m totally down for bouncing ideas around if anyone has their own concepts.

1920’s jazz age assassin from the beginning of unity and the abstergo employee handbook. "The lives and failures of the most degenerate Americans to ever grace the world's stage - Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Stein." please tell me how this doesn't sound cool as shit? Okokokokokokok SO… CARS. like this dude would have a car (and of course the player can earn different cars and looks for their car and junk, including a yellow Duesenberg… like come on if he knew Fitzgerald they gotta let this dude drive Gatsby's car.) I think there can be an argument about him having a rope launcher attachment buuut maybe not??? I mean a car and a rope launcher would be dope as hell. The dude probably bounced between Paris and New York if he's a genuine jazz age junkie like how abstergo describes him and his writer pals. Also it would be cool to meet Picasso… also his base of operations should be a fucking speakeasy, like duh, like where else would a 1920’s assassin camp out? I don’t really have any plot ideas but the concept of a jazz age assassin is cool enough for me to want it this badly.

1970’s-1980’s William Miles in a corporate espionage type game, like i know he had Desmond in 1987 but he was an active filed assassin in 1977 when he was in Moscow so clearly he could've been doing other junk around then. It doesn't have to be him, i just want a 70’d-80’s assassin trying to fuck with abstergo and trying to steal animus research or something. Like Alieen Bock died in 81 and that was at the height of animus research before abstergo started really investing in it cause of Vidic. Like the surrogate initiative and the animus project are… basically the same thing really. Like knowing that Altair and Ezio were not actually related until their bloodlines crossed with Desmond. So with the memory keys being cited as an integral part of the animus project they obviously had a role to play in the surrogate project. Besides the newer games are pretty loosey-goosey with how the DNA and animus junk works now, with the spear having DNA traces or whatever and its corrupted enough that we could… choose things?? (don't ask questions just have fun i guess.) ok i’m over thinking this stuff… but come on… disco!!!!! Please please please have a disco assassination. Like… the idea of an assassin taking out a target at the disco is cool enough for me to want it. ALSO!!! If it goes into the 80’s then please for the love of god a Thriller inspired outfit would be to die for. Like i know getting the exact look would be a trademark nightmare but an inspired look may be able to get away with it. I just want some real corporate espionage type missions while dressed in some brightly colored dorky(cool as shit) 70’s/80’s fashion.

So like… ANYTHING from ancient Andean culture. So The Chimú or the Moche… that would be cool, but I'd settle for Wari and Tiwanaku. I just kinda want to see Chan Chan recreated. And Moche art was so fucking good like… idk man they're making video games that are mostly of ancient cultures now so the possibility of them making something in a more modern setting is slim to none. Like come on they're gonna want to make like idk maybe one more really ancient cultural game so they can still reuse assets again before making a whole new saga. That's just their track record. The problem with doing an ancient andean cultural video game is that there isn't a lot to work with other then our knowledge of the architecture and artistry of the ancient peoples. We have art documentary significant events but there isn't really any historical recordings so there's no significant figures to meet or events to take part in that we know of right now. BUT that also means that hey if Ubisoft wants us to have freedom of choice within the narrative this would be a great opportunity.

Speaking of ancient culturesssss ancient Mexican cultures would be REALLY cool too. Like obviously Mayans culture is the first to come to mind but AC already kinda explored the Mayans so idk maybe a more underrated ancient culture deserves the spotlight. The Zapotec and other civilizations in the Oaxaca. Like this would be really cool since we actually see a rise in raiding and conquest warfare, like theres these bas-relief stone carvings called Las Danzantes which are actually depictions of sacrificial victims, most likely foreign captives. The architecture is also to die for like i’m a sucker for talud-tablero style stuff popping up in ancient Latin america. Also do i gotta say it? BALL COURTS!!! A recreation of the ancient ball game in a video game would be cool as shit my dudes like… please i want this so bad. Like how origins depicted mummification with respect I’d love to see the same kind of loving dedication to the funerary practices of the ancient peoples. (off topic completely but some latin american civilizations had their own forms of mummification) like i wanna see the abandonment of Monte Alban and the later use of it by the Mixtecs. But the most important thing about the celebration of the ancient Zapotec would be the ability to celebrate the modern Zapotec culture, that would just be cool. Ok I’ll finish up this train of ideas with the one i really really really want to see recreated, the original Teotihuacan, before the Aztecs found it. With the pyramids being painted and covered in beautiful carvings and, of course, talud-tablero style architecture. It's basically the biggest ancient city in mesoamerica with hidden cave systems that we are still finding today and so much of the ancient city was built over because it might've been covered up or eroded to the point where no one knew it was there, or because there wasn't really anyone who cared enough to uh, not build on top of historical sites. Modern mexico city is built all around and on top of it (apparently you can see Walmart from the top of the temple of the sun…) so its a huge ancient city that was really colorful and really populated with crazy ancient tunnels underneath the pyramids that we’ve only discovered recently so how fucking cool are those possibilities? Like i just can't get over the idea of some assassin-esque person climbing up red pyramids and sitting next to statues and carvings of Queztalcoatl painted in a turquoise. Ancient farms and city life thriving. From what we know about it, like many other ancient latin american cities it was abandoned at some point, exactly why is unclear though (probably a mix of things cause there wasn't any kings really but more like… neighborhood councils (that's the best guess rn)). It was an actual city though, most archaeologists compare it to modern cities due to its city planning and its huge population. What was left behind was so spectacular that when the Aztecs found it they legit thought it was the city of the gods. This was a real fucking city and I’m crazy about it man i want it in a fucking video game my dudes.

COWBOYS PLEASE. Like i know rdr2 came out so they probably wont do it (for a while at least) and they already have the gold rush assassin so they've dabbled with cowboy stuff but… cowboys… like theres nothing else to say really… Cowboys. Also like i know how AC is pretty much ass melee combat and cowboys means guns and lots of guns and bows and probably rope darts. But… folding swords. That my shitty solution to have melee combat, like syndicate had melee and some gun stuff cause duh, but it was mostly melee. Like you can make the game centered around stealth so a lot more sneaking then combat, kinda like in unity. I have a few ideas for this one but most of them play into my own personal cowboy wish fulfillment fantasy of owning a farm with snakes for the production of venoms and other toxins. It's hard to explain but i kinda really want to see someone with a snake/spider enclosure where they produce venoms for the protag to use. The specific time period i have in mind is like 1870-1888 but it could defo go later. It's just that was peak for a lot of famous gunslingers and robberies. And Mesa Verde was basically rediscovered in the late 1880’s (its kinda weird like it was “officially” discovered in 88 but others saw it before that soooo. Also Montezuma Castle would be cool to visit in game as well. I dont have have a lot of knowledge about mesa verde or Montezuma but i know they're cool af.) the wild west is just ripe with possibility so i have some hope they’ll do one in the future but i don't see it happening anytime within the next couple of years.

Please for the love of god give me a AC3/unity dual sequel. Set in 1798 Egypt before during and maybe a little after the french invasion of Egypt. There would be a ton to work around and justify to get that to happen in universe buuuuut… i want it so badly. I have a shit ton of ideas but im saving all of that for a rainy day.

I wouldn't mind if they actually did stuff with WWI, mostly cause i really like that one WWI assassin from project legacy and Lydia's whole thing was really cool.

Ok I’m kinda on burn out after all that cause I just… its 4 AM and i’m supposed to be writing a paper but I made this big fucking oops.

#Assassin's Creed #assassins creed #assassin’s creed #this is dumb sorry i just... gotta express this shit #my stuff

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turningpagebooks · 6 years ago

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BLOG TOUR - Q&A AND EXCERPT: “I Do Not Trust You” by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz

Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz, authors of Sanctuary Bay and the Edgar-nominated mystery series Wright and Wong, are back with a story that features their signature plot twists and uneasy ever-changing alliances. I DO NOT TRUST YOU is a thrilling journey at every turn that asks – what would you do to save the ones you love?

Memphis "M" Engel is stubborn to a fault, graced with an almost absurd knowledge of long lost languages and cultures, and a heck of an opponent in a fight. In short: she's awesome. Ashwin “Ash” Sood is a little too posh for M's tastes, a little too good looking, and has way too many secrets. He desperately wants the ancient map M inherited from her archaeologist father, believing it will lead him to a relic with the power to destroy the world. M obviously can't trust him. Equally desperate to find the relic for reasons of her own, M forms an uneasy partnership with Ash.

From the catacombs of Paris, to a sacred forest in Norway, to the ruins of a submerged temple in Egypt, together they crisscross the globe in their search. But through it all, M can never be sure: Is she travelling with a friend or enemy?

Add it on Goodreads

Buy on Amazon CA or Chapters Indigo

Q&A

Who is one of your favourite female protagonists? What's one of your favourite books by a female author?

An oldie but a goodie: Elizabeth Bennet. Smart and self-aware, navigating an oppressive world with humor and optimism. We also love the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor. (So hard to narrow this down to a few!)

What was your favourite scene to write? What's the best thing about co-authoring a book?

We liked writing the scenes between M and Ash when they're getting to know one another. It's fun to create the sort of verbal sparring that shows them building a relationship while still not quite building trust.

The best thing about co-authoring a book is not having to write the whole thing yourself! It's fantastic to have somebody to share the work of plotting, writing, and solving problems.

Do you have any writing tips? Editing tips?

For writing--and this took us a long time to learn!--the best tip is simply to write. Get a draft done. Don't worry about it being good, just worry about it actually existing. Once you have a first draft, you can see what works and what doesn't, and you can revise. Revising is easy once you've got the whole thing in front of you.

We were both book editors before we became writers, which means we have so many tips for editing that the list would take forever to read! Be aware of small things like not repeating words or sentence structure. Be aware of big things like making sure your pacing doesn't drag. Remember to do the basics--check your spelling and grammar. Write down the timeline of your story and be sure it works. But most of all, trust your editor! You can edit the book yourself to the point that you consider it perfect, and yet your editor will still have notes. Pay attention to them. A fresh perspective on your writing is invaluable, and that's what an editor gives you.

EXCERPT

“You should’ve seen Miss Memphis here get into it with Nick last period,” Brianna said, squeezing in between M and Inez at their usual spot in the cafeteria. “She shut him down with her crazy ancient cultures voodoo.”

“He’s an ass. He’s lucky he’s hot,” their friend Ayana commented, waving her spork in Nick’s direction.

M shrugged. “I wouldn’t try to debate him in Physics. I just know more about Rome than he does.”

“What about AP Chem? Would you debate him in that?” Inez asked in a fake-serious voice. “Would you debate him in German class?”

“She’d debate him in German, in German,” Brianna joked. “And if he tried to fight back, she’d switch to Greek.”

M threw a French fry at her. “I can’t help it. I grew up speaking different languages.”

“And learning about pharaohs. And becoming well versed in the history of the Etruscan people,” Ayana said, putting on a fake accent that was probably supposed to be British. “Oh, and setting broken bones in the bush.”

“That only happened once,” M muttered. Her friends laughed.

“Anyway, it was epic. Thanks,” Brianna said. “I can’t stand fighting with people, and Nick always goes after me.”

“He knows you hate it,” M pointed out. “That’s why he does it.”

“An ass, like I said.” Ayana shrugged.

“You think he’s coming to the party tonight?” Brianna asked.

“Probably. Everyone else is,” Inez replied. “Even Memphis.” M made a face. “Anything to get out of the house. Bob and Liza would expect me to play board games with them otherwise.” Her friends exchanged a glance. M winced. “No offense.”

“Oh, were you offending someone?” Nick piped up from behind her. “Good girl.”

Immediately Bri looked down, while Ayana rolled her eyes. Inez just smirked, glancing back and forth between M and Nick.

“I was not offending anyone. I only meant I don’t like parties,” M said. She didn’t bother to turn toward him. It didn’t matter; he inserted himself onto the bench next to her anyway. A little tingle ran up her spine as the scent of his co- logne hit her nostrils, spicy and warm.

“Mmm, they’re boring. Everyone talking about the prom or the senior trip or whatever. I’m over it,” Nick said.

Me too, thought M, wishing she didn’t agree with him. She loved her friends, but even they were all about high school. M just didn’t care. High school was nothing more than what she had to get through before she could leave. After the crash, after the shock of Bob and Liza becoming her guardians, she’d asked if she could go off to college early, either Boston University or the University of Sheffield in England. Both had the kind of archeology program she wanted and would’ve let her in with no questions. They knew her father. They knew high school was a waste of time for someone like her.

But her guardians said no. They said she needed stabil- ity and normalcy after losing her dad. Never mind that traveling the world and taking care of herself was normal for her. While she and Dad technically lived in Boston, she’d never spent more than a few months there during the school year. They traveled. Half the year spent on digs. She missed it.

“What’s with this thing, anyway? Is it to fight off bad guys?” Nick teased, finding an excuse to touch her. He reached for M’s collapsible bo staff, tucked in the inside pocket of her jacket like always. But before he touched it, be- fore his flirty smile registered in her mind, M had already grabbed his hand, twisted it back to the breaking point, and used the pain to push him off the cafeteria bench and onto the floor. With her other hand, she whipped out the stick and shoved it up against his throat.

M froze. He’s just hitting on you. Her friends were aghast, and everyone nearby watched, openmouthed. Nick’s eyes were wide with panic.

“Sorry.” M stood up, leaving Nick on the floor. “I’m really sorry.”

“Freak,” he muttered, climbing to his feet. He glanced around, noticing the barely concealed laughter from onlook- ers. “Jeez, I just wanted a fry,” he joked, as if he hadn’t been humiliated, then hurried out of the cafeteria.

“What. The. Hell?” Inez asked. “He was flirting with you and you beat him up!”

“I know.” M groaned, shoving her staff back into her pocket. “I didn’t mean to. It was just reflex.”

Her friends were silent. She’d freaked them out. Should she explain the years of self-defense and martial arts training? That she and Dad ended up in some rough places? Her friends lived in a city, they understood danger. Sort of. In a nice, upscale Boston kind of way.

M sighed. There was no point in trying to explain. Nobody understood her life.

“You kinda push all the guys away,” Brianna pointed out quietly. “Maybe not like that, but still . . .”

“I don’t do romance,” M replied. She was done with love, period. She’d loved her parents, and they were both gone. Love hurt too much. It was better to steer clear of it.

They all ate in silence for a minute.

“I mean, he is an ass,” Ayana said finally. And everybody laughed.

M: You up?

MIKE: It’s a 12 hr time difference. Of course I’m up.

M: Like you never sleep in on weekends.

MIKE: Fine, your text woke me.

M: I don’t think that glyph is a lotus. It’s bending the wrong way.

MIKE: It has to be a lotus. If it’s not, the whole phrase is wrong.

M: The rest of the phrase never sat well with Nefertum anyway.

MIKE: Your dad said it was a lotus.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

LAURA J. BURNS and MELINDA METZ have written many books for teens and middle-grade readers, including Sanctuary Bay, Crave, and Sacrifice, as well as the Edgar-nominated mystery series Wright and Wong. They have also written for the TV shows ROSWELL, 1-800-MISSING, and THE DEAD ZONE. Laura lives in New York and Melinda lives in North Carolina, but really they mostly live on email, where they do most of their work together.

#personal #turningpagebooks #blog tour #i do not trust you #laura j burns #melinda metz #q&a #interview #excerpt #ya fantasy #text

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dgchg · 3 years ago

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I remembered from my childhood. The decrease is related primarily to lower overall comparable sales of approximately $94 million

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filosofablogger · 5 years ago

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I started this post early last evening, and I had picked out several good people, the plan being to highlight each with a brief ‘snippet’. I spent nearly an hour on the first one, as I was having a hard time staying focused, and then something in my head kept saying it seemed familiar. It was … I had written about the Little Free Library way back in 2018. 😔 So, then I decided that some of the half dozen people I had selected for this morning’s post didn’t really interest me all that much (I told you, my focus is not working well). Which leaves me with just two for today. But hey … two good people snippets is still better than nothing, yes? Annnnnd … there’s a fun bonus at the end!

Divers In, Trash Out

I’m always seeing stories about people trying to set a Guinness World record for one thing or another. Sometimes I include them in my Jolly Monday posts, for they are so silly that one must laugh. Today, though, I am including one in my Wednesday ‘good people’ post, for these guys are trying to set a record for doing something to help us all!

It happened down in Deerfield Beach, Florida, where 633 scuba divers got together to clean up a section of the ocean. The previous record was 614 in a dive organized in the Red Sea in Egypt in 2015. A Guinness official, Michael Empric, flew in from Florida to verify the count and watch the operation. Each diver had to stay in the water for at least 15 minutes to be counted.

One of the divers was 13-year-old Dahlia Bolin. She and her mother Rebecca came all the way from Mackinaw, Illinois, to help set the record, and pick up debris. She recovered a white, metal sign with red lettering that warned: Boats Must Not Come Within 100 Yards of Pier.

Dahlia Bolin (center) with her mother (left) and another diver

The event was organized by Dixie Divers and the Woman’s Club of Deerfield Beach and included divers from across the United States, along with Europe and South America. The divers retrieved 9,000 items of marine debris, including 3,200 pounds of fishing gear, and 1,600 pounds of lead fishing weights alone, the result of years of anglers cutting bait.

Granted, it is but a drop in the bucket of waste in our oceans, but I have to give two thumbs up to these divers for doing their part to help clean up … and just imagine if this were done on every beach around the world, say once a month? Great job, divers! You earned that record!

Learning Respect and Compassion

This one was sent to me last week by our friend Scott Lawlor … thank you Scott! Leaving Florida and heading over to New Mexico where Gino Perez teaches a wood and metal shop class at Valley High School in Albuquerque. Mr. Perez teaches a skill, but also a life’s lesson to his young students as they learn to make handcrafted wooden urns adorned with the symbols of all the branches of the military to be used for the cremated remains of homeless and indigent veterans. Says Perez …

“I wanted to make it real clear the status of these Americans — they’re mostly homeless and they were also veterans with full military honors and nobody claimed their bodies. I’ve never seen a group of students engage in a project like this. Even students that were down on the military for whatever reason — they’ve all got their politics — would say we’re doing a good thing.”

Perez, who has been a teacher for four years and is a Navy veteran himself was looking for a way to get his students involved in the community, while learning about metal and woodworking.

The students’ work will be recognized Sept. 20 at an assembly that will include New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services Secretary Jack Fox, Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley and Joshua McManigal of Daniels Family Funeral Services, who all partner in the Forgotten Heroes Burial Program. The Forgotten Heroes Burial Program provides a full military funeral at Santa Fe National Cemetery if there are no family members or friends to claim their remains or there is no money to provide for their funeral services.

A good teacher and students who are learning to be good people. Can’t ask for more than that, can you?

Never Too Old

This one isn’t really about a ‘good people’ helping others, but it’s a fun, uplifting story, and I think this lady deserves a spot here anyway. Perhaps it’s about perseverance?

Meet Julia Hawkins, who just happens to have been on this earth for some 103 years. Now, a lot of people slow down when they get older … I know this for a fact, for at 68 I have slowed down considerably! But not Ms. Hawkins … she sped up considerably! In fact, just last week, she ran both the 50-meter and the 100-meter dash races in the National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico!

Two years ago, at the age of 101, Julia Hawkins set a record by running the 100-meter dash in just 39.62 seconds. They called her the “Hurricane.” This year, she had actually slowed down some, and was about 6 seconds slower on the 100-meter dash, but as she said …

“I’m two years older, remember?”

Ms. Hawkins got into running late in life, and it has become one of her many passions. She lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she takes daily walks and cares for trees on her property. She has four children, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She was married to her late husband, Murray, for 70 years, after they had a wedding by telephone during World War II. Married 70 years … I told you it was perseverance!

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Asked in a New York Times interview about her training regimen, she said …

“I run on the street by my house, occasionally, not often. As I get older, I feel like I only have so many 100-yard dashes left, and I don’t want to waste them in practice. Can you imagine that? I have markers on the street to show me where 50 yards is, and where 100 is, and I go by that. But I don’t practice much. I’m just pretty good at moving around and I do it when I have to, whatever I have to do.”

I like this lady!

Back next week with some more ‘good people’, and hopefully I will be better able to focus then.

Good People Doing Good Things — Little Things Mean A Lot I started this post early last evening, and I had picked out several good people, the plan being to highlight each with a brief ‘snippet’.

#Deerfield Beach Florida #Dixie Divers #Forgotten Heroes Burial Program #Gino Perez #Guinness World Record #homeless veterans #Julia Hawkins #Little Free Library #National Senior Games #trash in ocean

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shannrussell-blog1 · 6 years ago

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As a seasoned cruiser, I often hear the same comments over and over again. “You’re going on another cruise? How can you afford so many cruises? You must be rich! You get so many holidays.” I’ve come to the conclusion that there seem to be a few misconceptions when it comes to cruising.

For many, it seems like a big, expensive and unattainable goal. The more popular leisure cruising has become over the years, the more cruise lines are competing with each other to get your business. This means bigger and better ships, more holiday destinations, shorter itineraries available for weekend mini-getaways, and better-priced deals for cruises.

If you’re not quite convinced that cruising is the way to go for your next holiday, here are 7 reasons why you should make cruising your next destination.

There are so many reasons to head off on a cruise.

1. Economical

If you are worried that going on a cruise will majorly set you back financially, you don’t need to be. The range of cruises is so vast that you can definitely find one to suit your budget. While there are some super cheap short cruises available under a few hundred dollars for just a few nights, even the longer cruises from 7-14 nights, which venture a bit further, are really good value.

What I like about paying for a cruise is that all of your basics are covered. At first, the thought of paying $1500-$2000 for a two-week cruise might seem like a lot of money. However, when you realise that the cost of the cruise covers all of your accommodation, meals, plus many activities and multiple forms of entertainment each day, it’s easy to see that compared to the costs of a land vacation, cruising is extremely economical.

Also, you don’t need to worry about the quality of the food and accommodation as all major reputable cruise lines keep their ships beautifully clean and maintained. Most dining rooms and lounges on cruise ships are luxurious too, featuring lots of unique decor.

With all your meals included, a cruise is actually not expensive at all.

You can get some great deals if you do the research

There are also frequent sales on cruises so if you do some investigating, you can get a really good deal. Travel agents such as Flight Centre and Phil Hoffman often advertise great cruise sale packages so it’s important to keep an eye out. Some of these packages also include flights to and from the embarkation and disembarkation ports, which makes cruising even better value if you can get an all-inclusive package.

I recommend signing up to various cruise sale websites so that you get email notifications when there are sales. You can also sign up for great deals directly from the cruise lines themselves.

The costs of your room are included, making a cruise a convenient and economical trip.

2. Convenient

If you dream of seeing some of the most famous landmarks in the world but just the thought of going on a big overseas holiday makes you exhausted, maybe cruising is for you. Not all cruises focus on small tropical islands—there are many cruises which travel to and from some of the most famous places in the world such as Sydney, London, New York, Greece, Italy, and even Egypt.

Most European holidays include tight bus and train schedules; early mornings and late nights waiting for transport; dragging luggage around from train station to airports; squeezing into run-down hostels; or alternatively paying exorbitant amounts for accommodation. Cruising eliminates all this, without eliminating the adventure.

Once you arrive and check in, your luggage is taken off your hands and to your cabin for you. You can then unpack your things knowing that while you’ll be visiting various places, your bed and all of your belongings stay put in one spot.

You can enjoy the incredible scenery without having to stress about catching transport.

All the adventure, without the stress

Having your transport and accommodation together is a traveller’s dream. Even though this is exactly what cruising encompasses, it is so often overlooked. You don’t have to worry about catching trains and planes from location to location as you’ll be on your way to your next destination every time you sit down to dinner, enjoy a live performance or sleep peacefully in your bed.

You really don’t have to lift a finger on a holiday like this.

3. Amazing places

I’ve seen ice breaking away from an Alaskan glacier, a large city crowded with skyscrapers towering overhead, grand New Zealand Fiords— all sailing past my window from the comfort of my cabin. To look up from your bed and see a breathtaking glacier floating past is an incredible experience.

Some people love soaking up the sun and being totally immersed in nature, and it might seem like cruising doesn’t allow that. However, there are many cruises which stop at different ports nearly every day where you can disembark to go hiking or take tours to explore the local area.

You’ll still get an incredible adventure, and get to experience nature on a cruise.

Sometimes cruise ships even dock in a port overnight to give you more time at a destination. When you’re at sea, one of the best views of all is being completely surrounded by a blanket of royal-blue sea everywhere you look, whether it be by moonlight or sparkling under the sun.

Cruising gives you the option to enjoy amazing views either from the comfort of your luxurious floating accommodation or on the land when you dock. One day you can be sailing into the harbour of a giant city, the next to be completely surrounded by 360-degree views of breathtaking scenery.

With breathtaking scenery like this, you won’t miss out on seeing incredible things on board.

4. The people

Cruises often start to feel like small towns as you become more and more familiar with the staff and passengers during the trip. By the end of the cruise, you generally don’t want to leave your new community. The staff who have been assigned to look after you especially start to feel like family before the end of the voyage. It’s these connections with people from all different cultures and walks of life that make these trips so memorable.

To have the same people cleaning your cabin, serving your meals, and entertaining you throughout your whole trip means you really have a chance to get to know each other.

The staff on board provide impeccable service as well as entertainment.

The incredible staff on board

The staff really go above and beyond to make sure that your holiday is unforgettable. From amazing towel animals left on your bed to memorising how you take your tea. I always find it hard to say goodbye at the end of a cruise, especially to my waiters who make every night at dinner unforgettable. I always love learning about where they’re from and hearing about their families who they spend so much time away from.

It is also great to get to meet so many different passengers on board and to hear about their backgrounds and where they’re going. Being on a cruise is like instantly being part of a giant family. I can guarantee you will forever remember the unique characters who made your holiday extra special.

On board, you can also listen to performances from talented musicians.

5. Relax and unwind

Imagine lazing next to a pool all day and barely having to look up from your book to order a drink. Well, this can be your daily life on a cruise. Waiters are available to bring drinks right to your deck chair in between your pool and hot tub sessions. You can then return to your cabin to find the bed made perfectly, clothes folded and bathroom cleaned, without lifting a finger.

The crew all over the ship are there to serve you and will do everything they can to help. For your time on board, you’ll feel like royalty.

Log off and enjoy some relaxation by the pool.

You get to decide what activities you do

For those who think they would get bored with this kind of life every day, fear not! Each cruise has a daily schedule which is jam-packed with all kinds of fun activities. These include dance classes, bingo, quizzes, lectures, movies, retails sales, cooking demonstrations, games, sports competitions and more. There is also usually a gym and many walking tracks on the decks which can be utilised at your leisure.

The great thing about having this provided is that you can decide how much or how little you want to do. Try and do all of it, or none of it, it’s up to you! Also, if you are in the mood for treating yourself, you can even head to the spa for a massage or beauty treatment at an extra cost.

You are the number one priority onboard a cruise for the crew and they certainly know how to make you feel special.

Whether you want to be more active, or enjoy some time – you’ve got both options.

6. Switch off

Some people don’t like not being able to use their phone or might need reliable access to the internet for work or other purposes. Other people, however, like to disconnect from messages and emails on holiday.

While there is internet and phone access on cruises for an extra cost, it’s a great chance to stay off your devices and enjoy the lack of responsibility. Each time you reach a new port and are back on land, you’ll have the option of finding free WiFi to make contact with the outside world. This is a more affordable option than the internet on board a ship.

If you’d prefer to take a break from what’s happening outside your vacation bubble, it’s easy to avoid the rest of the world and focus on what you’d like to try next at the buffet.

You can stay connected on your trip, or unwind and concentrate on enjoying the buffet.

7. Something for everyone

The other great thing about cruising is that there is something for everyone. Whether you are young and looking to cruise with your friends, have little kids or a family, or are retired, there will be a cruise line to suit your needs.

There are activities for everyone – both young and old on a cruise.

Types of cruises:

Family-focused cruises

Whilst almost every cruise caters for families by providing activity centres complete with child-minding, there are some companies which are more family-focused overall. The top family cruise lines are Disney; Carnival; Royal Caribbean International; Norwegian Cruise Line; and Princess. Most of their ships are equipped with extra activities to entertain both children and parents.

Some of these amazing attractions include multiple swimming pools, waterslides, carnival rides, rock climbing, ice skating, gaming arcades, dodgem cars, mini-golf and more. Most of the time these activities are included with your cruise fare but every line differs.

If you’re travelling with kids who haven’t been on a ship before, make sure you consider motion sickness. Cruise lines will have a doctor on board, as well as motion sickness medication available to purchase, but you might want to bring your own to be prepared.

Some lines will offer amazing activities for the kids to enjoy.

Retirement age-friendly cruises

If you think you’re past these activities, the retirement age-friendly cruises Cunard, Celebrity and Holland-America Line are good options. Cunard ships have more of that old-world charm. They make you feel as though you’re on a grand transatlantic crossing voyage in the Titanic era. Of course though, these days there are enough lifeboats and safety procedures in place. Travelling by ship is actually one of the safest forms of transport.

Nowadays, ships are extremely safe to travel on.

The wide sweeping decks on the Cunard line are largely kept empty apart from deck chairs and the traditional game of shuffleboard. This is quite the opposite of some of the more family-centred lines. The beautiful Queen Mary II even has a ballroom and planetarium on board.

Every afternoon there is a high tea in the ballroom with the opportunity to ballroom dance. You don’t even have to worry if you don’t have a partner—there are men who are actually employed to take passengers out for a spin on the dance floor.

The Queen Mary even has a planetarium on board the ship.

Themed cruises

If you don’t fit into the families or retirement age categories, there are definitely other suitable cruises available. Occasionally there are special themed cruises including rock and roll cruises, singles cruises and schoolies cruises.

For students or young adults, P&O and Princess provide great cruise options. They are especially good for people on a budget as they often promote short, sample cruises at very affordable rates. The sample cruises are a great idea if you have never cruised before and just want to dip your toe.

Unwind on the deck and enjoy the serenity.

Have I convinced you to consider a cruise?

I hope you’ve been convinced that there is genuinely something for everyone on a cruise. It’s such a special and unique way to be able to see the world. It’s also much more achievable these days with so many different cruise lines offering great holiday deals.

So, if you’re in the mood to relax, visit new places, make new friends, eat delicious food, be treated like royalty, experience quality entertainment, and get great value for money on your next holiday, maybe it’s time to give cruising a go!

Have I convinced you to ditch the endless airports and train stations for a cruise?

The post 7 Reasons to Make a Cruise Your Next Destination appeared first on Snowys Blog.

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theonyxpath · 8 years ago

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Those are three of the Clan cards from the Prince’s Gambit casual Vampire: the Masquerade card game that we will be Kickstarting next week. Here’s a bit of text we’re using in the KS that helps describe the game:

Designed by long-time Vampire: the Masquerade tabletop RPG developer Justin Achilli, Prince’s Gambit is a fast-paced social deduction game set within the world of Vampire: the Masquerade, but which requires no special knowledge to play. Players must cooperate to gain the favor of the Prince while deducing who among them are secretly the traitorous Sabbat infiltrators.

We’re going live at 12 noon, Eastern US time, next Tuesday the 21st and hope you’ll join us for Onyx Path‘s first-ever fantastic card game Kickstarter!

Here’s a link to our Prince’s Gambit Example of Play video, hosted by Justin Achilli himself, with a special guest role by our own Eddy Webb. It’s about 10 minutes long, but goes through the important set-up and highlights how a typical game plays: https://youtu.be/b9SSpeli5JE

Since this is our first card game Kickstarter, expect that we’re going to go for a pretty straightforward set of Rewards, and then see where we can go with the Stretch Goals. We’re all pretty excited about it over here, and looking forward to ya’ll joining us!

M20 Book of Secrets art by Eric Lofgren

Next up, some of you might recall me talking in earlier installments of these merely magnificent meanderings we call a blog about how Onyx Path was “shoring up its infrastructure”. Those efforts, made possible by our being able to absorb Rollickin’ Rose and Mighty Matt full-time into the gestalt mind that is Onyx Path and so have the bandwidth needed, are starting to show results.

Going as far back as Rose’s review of her own Vampire: the Requiem 2e game line, and her decision to step away and bring on Dangerous Danielle Lauzon as her awesome replacement, we’ve been reviewing each line and the creative teams involved. Mostly, we’ve been looking for ways to help them bring out their creative vision for the projects while still adhering to a publishing structure we and the creators can agree on.

This is not always an easy path to try and make work, and we’ve had some instances where we can’t make our needs and those of a creator mesh. Other times, external issues mean that the working situation is a bad fit.

(Actually, I really like the phrase “bad fit” for these sorts of situations. I stole it from some HR training back in the day, because it just seems to express a truth about some employees and some jobs and how they don’t go together. The person isn’t a bad person, nor is the job a bad job, overall. It’s just not a good match or fit, at that time, with the way the person needs to be, and what is needed for the job. This has more truth to it and expresses how these situations are more multi-faceted, than our all-too human need to assign blame, IMO.)

By-and-large, we’re going to make any changes without much in the way of announcement or explanation. And if we do say anything it will be to laud new creators coming to the fore. Because they deserve it.

V20 Dark Ages Companion art by Michael Gaydos

Finally, after having said how we’re pushing forward to shore up how we do things and get more projects out to you in time-frames that mean you can better enjoy the lines…I’ve got to tell you that right now, a bunch of our projects are stuck.

If you look down at the At Press section of Mirthful Mike’s part of the progress report, you’ll see a stack of projects uploaded for PoD proofs from the PoD printer. Just sitting there for a couple of weeks now.

Apparently, the servers at DriveThruRPG and those at the PoD printer are refusing to talk together, or so I’m told. Personally, I think that it’s a thinly veiled disguise to mask the birth of Skynet and all the servers are conspiring against us.

Regardless, we’re in a holding pattern for those and any other PoD books that aren’t already on sale.

So, GRRRRR!

Two steps forward and one step back has been the staccato rhythm on the Onyx Path (and at WW before that) for years, so we should be used to it. But I repeat: GRRRR!

Folks are talking. Tech crews are begging the AIs to work (or for mercy). And we’ll get these great projects out to you all as soon as we can!

BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER!

Assuming the Prince gives us his Favor, we will be going live with our Kickstarter for Justin Achilli’s Prince’s Gambit casual Vampire card game on Tuesday, March 21st at 12 noon Eastern US time!

Designed by long-time Vampire: the Masquerade tabletop RPG developer Justin Achilli, Prince’s Gambit is a fast-paced social deduction game set within the world of Vampire, but which requires no special knowledge to play. Players must cooperate to gain the favor of the Prince while deducing who among them are secretly the traitorous Sabbat infiltrators.

Next, the Monarchies of Mau KS is scheduled come after Gambit.

ON SALE!

Changeling: the Lost is now available as a Bundle of Holding! All offered products are deeply discounted, and 10% of all proceeds go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

DTRPG’s GM’s Day Sale is in its LAST HOURS! Check out all sorts of sales and bargains on Onyx Path and White Wolf PDFs at DriveThruRPG.com!

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: http://ift.tt/1ZlTT6z

You can now order wave 2 of our Deluxe and Prestige print overrun books, including Deluxe Mage 20th Anniversary, and Deluxe V20 Dark Ages!

The Secrets of the Covenants for Vampire: the Requiem 2nd REVEALED this Wednesday on DTRPG! Physical copy PoD version coming to DTRPG: http://ift.tt/2gbQjus

Vampires gather under many banners. But five have endured the tumult of Western history better than any other. The Carthian Movement. The Circle of the Crone. The Invictus. The Lancea et Sanctum. The Ordo Dracul. Each has its fierce devotees, its jealous rivals, and its relentless enemies. Now,for the first time, the covenants speak for themselves.

This book includes:

A variety of stories from each of the covenants, all told in their own words.

Never-before revealed secrets, like the fate of the Prince of New Orleans.

New blood sorcery, oaths, and other hidden powers of the covenants.

From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: Fallen Blossoms (Hunter 1640-1660 Japan). Japan is moving into the Edo Period. New laws and new ways of thinking wash over the land, and with a new order come new threats to humanity. Take a look at the Vigil in a time where samurai transition from warlords to bureaucrats, Japan massively and lethally rejects outside influence, and when Edo rapidly grows into a world power.

Continuing our individual Dark Eras chapters, we offer you Dark Eras: Fallen Blossoms on in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG! http://ift.tt/2mfc1F1

From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: Doubting Souls (Hunter 1690-1695 Salem). Immigrants and tribes struggled to co-exist on the Eastern Seaboard in the ever-expanding Colonies. Violent clashes, supernatural beliefs, and demonic influences spelled disaster for Salem Village and its surrounding towns, while others fought werewolves and vampires on the frontier. With so much at risk, only god-fearing men and women were deemed innocent — and those were few indeed.

Available in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG: http://ift.tt/2kKOrfm

�� From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: The Bowery Dogs (Werewolf 1969-1979 NYC). New York City in the 1970s. Crime. Drugs. Gang violence. Vast economic disparity. And werewolves. It’s a lean, ugly time to be alive, and the lone wolf doesn’t stand a chance out there. In the end, all you really have is family.

Available in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG: http://ift.tt/2lM0Tzv

The Locker is open; the Chronicles of Darkness: Hurt Locker, that is! PDF and physical copy PoDs are now available on DTRPG! http://ift.tt/2gbM9me

Hurt Locker features:

Treatment of violence in the Chronicles of Darkness. Lasting trauma, scene framing, and other tools for making your stories hurt.

Many new player options, including Merits, supernatural knacks, and even new character types like psychic vampires and sleeper cell soldiers.

Expanded equipment and equipment rules.

Hurt Locker requires the Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook or any other standalone Chronicles of Darkness rulebook such as Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken, or Beast: The Primordial to use.

Both the Beast: the Primordial http://ift.tt/2fEMsdO & Promethean: the Created 2nd Edition Condition Cards http://ift.tt/2iSein1 are now on sale on DTRPG in PDF and physical card PoD versions! Great for keeping track of the Conditions that are on your characters!

From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: Ruins of Empire (Mummy 1893-1924). Perhaps the quintessential era of the mummy in the minds of Westerners, this period saw the decline of the two greatest empires of the age: British and Ottoman. Walk with the Arisen as they bear witness to the death of the Victorian age, to pivotal mortal discoveries in Egypt, and to the horrors of the Great War.

Available in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG. http://ift.tt/2k0XDhX

From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: The Sundered World (Werewolf and Mage 5500-5000 BCE). At the birth of civilization, in the shadow of the Fall, the Awakened stand as champions and protectors of the agricultural villages spread across the Balkans. In a world without a Gauntlet, where Shadow and flesh mingle, the steady taming of the world by humanity conflicts with the half-spirit children of Father Wolf.

Available in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG. http://ift.tt/2k16mRj

Night Horrors: Conquering Heroes for Beast: the Primordial is available now as an Advance PDF: http://ift.tt/2j7p7lO

This book includes:

An in-depth look at how Heroes hunt and what makes a Hero, with eleven new Heroes to drop into any chronicle.

A brief look at why Beasts may antagonize one another, with seven new Beasts to drop into any chronicle.

Rules for Insatiables, ancient creatures born of the Primordial Dream intent on hunting down Beasts to fill a hunger without end, featuring six examples ready to use in any chronicle.

The PDF and physical book PoD versions of Reap the Whirlwind, the Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition Jumpstart swirls into being on DTRPG! http://ift.tt/2i1WPpD

You are a vampire, a junkie. Every night, you beg and you borrow and you steal just a little more life, just a few more sweet moments. But there’s a guy at the top. The Prince. He’s got everything. The money, the secrets, the blood.

Tonight, you’re going to take it from him. Tomorrow, there’ll be hell to pay.

This updated edition of Reap the Whirlwind features revisions to match the core rulebook for Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition. Text edits and rules clarifications have also been updated.

Reap the Whirlwind Revised includes:

Rules for creating and playing vampires in the Chronicles of Darkness

The first two levels of every clan Discipline, the dark powers of the dead

A complete adventure by noted horror author Chuck Wendig

This new revised Reap the Whirlwind Revised includes an updated booklet, 7 condition cards, and the interactive Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition character sheet.

Open the V20 Dark Ages: Tome of Secrets now on DTRPG! Both PDF and physical book PoD versions are now available! http://ift.tt/2i1XOXd

The Tome of Secrets is a treatment of numerous topics about Cainites and stranger things in the Dark Medieval World. It’s about peeling back the curtain, and digging a little deeper. Inside, you’ll find:

• Expanded treatment of Assamite Sorcery, Koldunic Sorcery, Necromancy, and Setite Sorcery

• A look at Cainite knightly orders, faith movements, and even human witchcraft

• Letters and diaries from all over the Dark Medieval World

CONVENTIONS!

Impish Ian Watson will be on a Q&A panel at CAiNE http://ift.tt/2m5ejGC being hosted in Hamilton Ontario March 16 to 19th 2017!

Discussing GenCon plans. August 17th – 20th, Indianapolis. Every chance the booth will actually be 20? x 30? this year that we’ll be sharing with friends. We’re looking at new displays this year, like a back drop and magazine racks for the brochure(s).

In November, we’ll be at Game Hole Con in Madison, WI. More news as we have it, and here’s their website: http://ift.tt/RIm6qP

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM ROLLICKING ROSE (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Cookbook (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Monarchies of Mau Early Access (Pugmire)

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

Redlines

Scion: Origins (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)

Kithbook Boggans (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Second Draft

The Realm (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Dragon-Blooded (Exalted 3rd Edition)

BtP Beast Player’s Guide (Beast: the Primordial)

V20 Dark Ages Jumpstart (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

GtS Geist 2e core (Geist: the Sin-Eaters Second Edition)

CtD C20 Jumpstart (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Pugmire Pan’s Guide for New Pioneers (Pugmire)

VtR Half-Damned (Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition)

Development

W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

SL Ring of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Ring of Spiragos (5e – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

SL Dagger of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Dagger of Spiragos (5e– Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Arms of the Chosen (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)

Book of Freeholds (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Editing:

CtD C20 Anthology (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition

M20 Art Book (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

BtP Building a Legend (Beast: the Primordial)

Post-Editing Development:

CtL fiction anthology (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)

Indexing:

Pugmire

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

Beckett’s Jyhad Diary – new stuff AD’d

W20 Pentex Employee Indoctrination Handbook

V20 Dark Ages Companion – Got finals from Osterberger and Leblanc… and two more from Gaydos.

Dagger of Spiragos – Finals in progress… and maps are progressing.

VTR: Thousand Years of Night

Cavaliers of Mars – AD’d

Monarchies of Mau Early Access – Prepping notes for artists

BtP Building a Legend – Contracting…

April Fool’s thing – Leblanc should be cranking out the cover for the (REDACTED) thing this week.

Marketing Stuff

In Layout

Prince’s Gambit – Making the remainder of graphics this week.

C20 – With Aileen

M20 Book of Secrets – Layout in progress.

Dark Eras Companion – Adding in corrections…

W20 Song of Unmaking – Knocking that out Monday.

1000 Years of Night

Proofing

EX3 Tomb of Dreams Jumpstart – first proof.

V20 Lore of the Bloodlines – At WW for approval

At Press

Ex 3 Screen – Ready to ship, shipping started last week.

Ex 3 core book – Ready to ship, shipping started last week, along with map and bookmarks.

Beckett Screen – Shipped to shipper.

W20 Shattered Dreams – Shipping.

Shattered Dreams Screen – Shipping.

Beast Conquering Heroes – Uploaded and processing. (See above in the blog for all these “processing”)

Mortal Remains: Beast- Red In Tooth and Claw – Uploaded and processing.

Dark Eras: Beneath the Skin – Uploaded and Processing.

Dark Eras: Out of the Cold – Uploaded and Processing.

Necropolis Rio – Uploaded and processing.

TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: Today, let’s celebrate this wonderful time of year, when the breezes are starting to warm us, and the trees are starting to bud, and flowers starting to sprout, and AHHHHHHH there’s a blizzard barrelling down on us!

Today, let’s celebrate the beauty of the deep snow, so white and sparkling (like vampires). The way the ice glistens on the downed power lines as they snap, crackle, and pop. But mostly how nice it is to stay inside and see all of it out the window!

#Onyx Path Publishing

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shandragdotson · 7 years ago

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The Tiina Tour

Guest contributor, Tiina Treasure, is back. We originally shared the story of how she and her husband, Danny, bought their first home in New York City. Then, Tiina kindly gave us a peek into the ups and downs of budgeted life in the Big Apple—namely, home renovation and style. And now she’s back. This time, Tiina’s invited us to join her for a day out in the city …

The Joy of New York in the Fall

Nowhere does autumn quite like New York. As summer’s oppressive heat and bog-like conditions fade into memory, that’s when we finally hit the sweet spot on the Fahrenheit scale—perfect weather for the holy trilogy of sweaters, light jackets and open-toed shoes. I imagine this is what Northern California feels like all of the time. And it’s the best time of year for a tour! Join me?

YNAB-Approved Fun for Everyone

A day out in New York can add up pretty quickly. It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting, or a full-time resident, it seems like the second you hit the pavement, dollars start falling out of your pocket. Not on my budget. To avoid unnecessary expenditures, it’s important to plan your day/night on the town. All those Ubers add up.

Luckily, planning is right up there with budgeting, as one of my favorite ways to spend solo Friday nights at home. If you’re considering a visit, I went ahead and planned the biggest (and cheapest!) day in the city that I could—full of food, sights, culture and adventure—all for under $26. I’d be a pretty great travel agent, IMHO, if that job still existed.

Stand Clear of the Closing Doors!

First thing first, if you’re visiting the city and plan to take more than 13 subway trips in a week, do yourself a favor and get a seven-day, unlimited pass ($32). The subway is nothing to be afraid of and, if you have an unlimited, you don’t have to panic if you jump on a train going in the wrong direction. (Accidental adventures to Jamaica Queens are much more fun with unlimited swipes.) If you live here, I’m going to assume you have a monthly, unlimited pass or have otherwise budgeted for your swipes, like a good YNABer.

Alright, this is no time for wing tips or kitten heels. Put on your best walking shoes because it’s time to do three boroughs, in 24 hours, for $26. Game on.

Let’s Start With the Essentials

First, I always grab a bagel and coffee. I believe the term is “carb-loading” and it’s basically a religion in NYC. It doesn’t matter where you buy it, except that the word “bagel” must be in the name of the store: Hot Bagel, Fresh Bagel, Hot and Fresh Bagel, Bagel World, Bagel + Neighborhood, and so on. (Whatever you do, just don’t go to a “deli”. Delis are great, but we’re not buying toilet paper. You deserve a bagel-bagel, not a deli bagel.)

Grab your breakfast, and go—there’s no time to waste. You’re about to experience the joy of navigating a crowded, moving subway, while simultaneously eating a bagel and holding a coffee (like a real New Yorker). Or, eat at the shop. Whatever you’re into. Four dollars.

How ‘Bout Some Culture?

Head towards Brooklyn Museum. The nearest stop is Eastern Parkway Brooklyn Museum on the 2/4. It’s one of the city’s lesser-known museums, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It means that New York has too many museums (is that possible?). It also means admission isn’t an arm and a leg—and that you’ll actually have space to move those appendages! Trust me.

Inside, you’ll find something for everyone, and it’s the sliding scale of museums: pay what you wish! Generally, I would tell you to be as generous as you can (support the arts!), but for today’s purposes, we’re going to be a bit miserly. Slap down a Sacajawea for your entry free. Maybe, down the road, consider doing some holiday shopping from them online, for karma. One dollar.

The Great Outdoors

Once you’ve gotten your fill of ancient Egypt, decorative furnishings, and the feminist icon, The Dinner Party, head into Prospect Park, located directly behind the museum. Take in what us New Yorkers call “nature” and try your hand at our favorite sport: people watching.

If people aren’t really your thing, you’ll be happy to know there’s a variety of adorable canines to gaze fondly at. If it’s Sunday, you’ve hit the goldmine—head over to Smorgasburg in the Breeze Hill section of the park for a taste of New York’s second-favorite sport: waiting in line.

Here, you’ll find everything from Shanghai street food to baked raclette, and more types of artisanal coffee than you could drink in a lifetime. Take in the scene, and then pick your poison. Thirteen dollars.

Look, Don’t Touch. But Do Look.

Clear eyes, full belly, can’t lose. We’re off to the races, again. Pick yourself up from whatever tree you ended up napping under, and head towards DUMBO (a.k.a. Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

Get there via the F to York Street, or take A/C to High Street. The waterfront parks in this neighborhood are another great people-watching space, with couples taking post-wedding photos and fancy folks being “everyday” fancy. Look, but don’t touch, unless you’ve budgeted for it.

If your “souvenir” category is fully loaded, there’s a plethora of shops to choose from, with merchandise that you’ll be much more likely to keep than a Big Apple keychain. If you’re like me, and haven’t budgeted hundreds of dollars for the next big splurge, step away from the storefronts!

There’s still enough time to hop on Jane’s Carousel. Grab a few carefree moments that will transport you, instantly, back to your childhood—when grown-ups constantly reminded you that money doesn’t grow on trees. Still a bit disappointed about that, but isn’t it wonderful to sit for a moment? Two dollars.

A Slice of Scenery, Plus a Slice

Gym memberships are expensive, time for more walking! Hoof it over the Brooklyn Bridge to take in the sights. Yes, it’s a touristy thing to do, but that’s because it’s amazing, free, and the bridge, itself, is a thing of wonder. Grab as many selfies in this showstopping spot, as possible, and thank yourself for saving the money that you would’ve spend on a single tour of the Empire State Building (a nausea-inducing $34 dollars—more than the cost of our entire tour in just one location!). You’re welcome.

Once you hit the Manhattan side of the bridge, head down to South Street Seaport, which has near-daily events and, more importantly, plenty of benches, chairs and astroturf. If you’re feeling splurgy, there’s a ton of great food and drink nearby. If not, head to one of the many nearby New York pie shops for your first slice of New York’s famous.

With your last bit of cash, grab yourself two slices and a can of soda. Bonus tip: New Yorkers call a piece of cheese pizza just “a slice” (because who has time for words). Eat your slices at the shop, or find a spot at the Seaport, and take in some of the oldest architecture in Downtown Manhattan. Six dollars.

This city is pretty great, if I do say so myself.

Almost Forgot! The Forgotten Borough.

By now you’re probably thoroughly exhausted but, if you’ve got the muster for one more adventure, I have a boat trip … and one more borough.

Head towards Battery Park and the Staten Island Ferry. Here, you’ll find a huge corral of folks waiting for the ferry to Staten Island, which comes every thirty minutes. From the ferry, you’ll get some phenomenal views of lower Manhattan and, most importantly, it’s the closest you can get to the Statue of Liberty without dropping a pretty penny. In fact, the ferry itself is free, which is a thing of joy and mystery to me.

Once you get to Staten Island, congratulate yourself. You’ve visited three boroughs in one day, including the one everyone forgets about! Staten Island actually has some great Sri Lankan food but that’s an adventure for another day. Wait in the ferry terminal for your return trip home, and grab whatever snaps of Lady Liberty that you missed on the first try.

That’s a Wrap

With that, you’re back to Manhattan, the land of civilization and public transportation. Head home, elevate your feet, and know that you deserve an expert-level New Yorker badge. (I promise it’s in the mail.)

If that wasn’t enough for you (are you never satisfied?), also check out The Skint and Brokelyn for weekly guides of cheap/free events in the city. I hope you enjoyed this dizzying tour of New York City on a budget, where we rode a literal merry-go-round and have enough cash in our pockets left for a Chinatown foot massage, tomorrow.

Want More Tiina?

If you liked this story, you can read more about Tiina and her husband, Danny, over at Layers and Layers of Paint.

The post The Tiina Tour appeared first on YNAB.

from Finance https://www.youneedabudget.com/the-tiina-tour/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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douchebagbrainwaves · 3 years ago

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WHY I'M SMARTER THAN VALUATION

So while board control is not total control, it's not so pretty. But the techniques for building integrated circuits spread rapidly to other countries.1 Over and over, I've seen startups we've funded snatched by west coast investors, the bursting of the Bubble would have been the envy of previous generations of postal workers, and everyone knew what they were supposed to do where they happen to be, there are some kinds of knowledge that get in the open market. No matter how much you like chocolate cake.2 The only way to get them to stay is to give them the actual market value?3 As soon as you get into an office, work and life start to drift apart. The first thing to understand is that encouraging startups is a rare and valuable skill, and the number one language is probably Perl. The most dynamic part of the money.

One by one, all the things founders dislike about raising money are going to come back to bite them, it has been experimentally verified, in the sense of wonder you had about programming at age 14. There are other things I was ignorant of was how much debris there already was in my head. Don't try to do it. A round.4 But if I'm right about the acceleration of addictiveness, then this kind of lonely squirming to avoid it will increasingly be the fate of anyone who wants to do great work, and other similar classes of accommodations, you get to the truth, the messier your sentence gets. They've forgotten most of them. This doesn't mean big companies will exist, because startups that move to the US. I've discovered a handy test for figuring out what you're addicted to. There's no incentive that would make them move.5

But there is no need for rounds to take months or even weeks to close, because however motivated the lead was to get the best deals, unless you got lucky like Andy Bechtolsheim, and when I asked them what was the most significant thing they'd observed, it was how many of their users actually needed to do these rentals to pay their rents. Hardy said he didn't like math in high school I used to hang around the MIT AI Lab occasionally. The consequence was a positively fanatic freethinking coupled with the impression that youth is intentionally being deceived by the state through lies: it was a mistake.6 In the past this has not been a 100% indicator of success if only anything were but much better than random.7 I think the big obstacle preventing us from seeing the future of business is the assumption that people working for money, and once founders realize that, it's going to stop. And the m. In America only a few jobs as professional journalists, for example, that you're recovering consciousness after being hit on the head. I think it's exciting that gaming the system mattered less than others, and a funnel for peers.

You can see how dependent you've become on something by removing it suddenly. When I was running Y Combinator I used to think I wanted to know everything. That's an extreme example, consider math. People are always asking you this, so I sat down and thought about what they have in the past.8 Clearly you don't have to wait to be an obelisk will become a pyramid. Startups are increasingly raising money on convertible notes, and convertible notes have not valuations but at most valuation caps: caps on what the effective valuation will be when the debt converts to equity in a later round, or upon acquisition if that happens first. Paris, New York, I was rarely bored.9 It's the same with all of them.

Notes

Bankers continued to live inexpensively as their companies. Note: An earlier version of this model was that the VCs want it. By your mid-game.

Xkcd implemented a particularly alarming example, understanding French will help dispel the cloud of semi-sacred mystery that surrounds wisdom in ancient Egypt took exams, but not the bawdy plays acted over on the side of the War on Drugs. But you can do what you learn in even the flaws of big companies funded 3/4 of their name, but the churn is high, so that you end up. Among other things, which merchants used to build little Web appliances.

Philosophy is like math's ne'er-do-well brother. Design ability is so we also give any startup that wants to invest at a pre-Google search engines and there was a kid who had died decades ago.

Learning this explained a lot of the proposal. Most of the world will sooner or later. This is the other sheep head for a smooth one. Perhaps realizing this will be on the other side of their initial funding and then being unable to raise more, and their houses are transformed by developers into McMansions and sold to VPs of Bus Dev.

I would be reluctant to start a startup to duplicate our software.

It's a strange feeling of being Turing equivalent, but more often than not what it would not be formally definable, but Google proved them wrong. An earlier version of this type: artists trained to expect the second wave extends applications across the web and enables a new Lisp dialect called Arc that is more efficient: the pledge is deliberately intended to be better to get as deeply into subjects as I know, Lisp code.

Ian Hogarth suggests a way in which multiple independent buildings are gutted or demolished to be higher, even in their experiences came not with the talking paperclip. For these companies unless your initial funding and then just enjoy yourself for the spot as top sponsor. It's conceivable that intellectual centers like Cambridge in that respect.

Parker, William R. Words this way. They say to most people haven't noticed yet. So as an adult.

This is why so many people work with founders create a Demo Day and they were connected to the problem to have a definite commitment. Corollary: Avoid becoming an administrator, or it would be much bigger news, in the biggest discoveries in any field.

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randallvangundy · 5 years ago

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Maltese

Maltese dogs are toy dogs known for their long, silky, and beautiful white coat. The coat is always straight and thick, that falls to the floor. This makes them appear like they’re floating beneath their cloud. The best thing is that although their coat may appear thick, it’s hypoallergenic, which is perfect for those who have allergies.

Maltese are not only lovable because of their beautiful hair. They are also known as sweet and intelligent dogs who are devoted to their humans. And though they look royal, these dogs have high energy and will appreciate it if you dedicate some playtime.

Maltese Statistics

Dog Breed GroupToy Group Height7-9 inches Weightunder 7 pounds Lifespan12-15 years

Maltese Ratings

Energy level Exercise needs Requires attention Playfulness Trainability Shedding Grooming Friendly with family Friendly with strangers Friendly with other dogs Prey Drive

Maltese History

Maltese dogs are considered to be the oldest toy dog breed. It’s believed that their history can be traced back to at least two millennia. This is based on evidence showing Maltese-like dogs in artifacts and writings of ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome.

There are no records as to the exact origin of the Maltese. However, many believed that they were developed in the Isle of Malta; hence the name Maltese is given to them. But regardless of where they came from, the Maltese thrived for centuries. They even survived the Roman Empire and the Dark Ages.

It was only in the 15th century when the Maltese finally found a home with the French noblemen. And by the end of the 16th century, they had been favorite dogs of several royalties such as Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scotts, and Queen Victoria. They are loved by painters and were used as models for paintings. They became instant status symbols and fashion statements, with some being sold by up to $2000.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the dog breed was nearly destroyed as several breeders wanted to shrink down their size to a squirrel. The experiment was inevitably a disaster that breeders mixed poodles, miniature spaniels, and other small dogs just to save it.

By the late 1800s, Maltese dogs were first imported to the US, and they were entered to the first Westminster Kennel Club Show in New York by 1877 as the Maltese Lion Dog.

Since then, the Maltese popularity started to grow in the US grounds, and their numbers began to increase. Now, the dog breed remains one of the most popular dog breeds in the US today because of its irresistible charm.

Maltese Temperament

Maltese dogs are gentle, playful, and charming dogs. They are expected to have a bubbly personality who certainly enjoys games and plays.

They are considered to be one of the brightest and most gentle among all toy dog breeds. This is because they love everyone. They think that whoever they meet, whether a person or an animal, is a friend that they can trust.

However, if you have little kids, it’s best to keep them away from a Maltese. Because these dogs are small, kids that aren’t conscious of what they’re doing may accidentally hurt the dogs. For older kids, then they would make excellent playmates.

As toy dogs, Maltese don’t have problems staying indoors. They don’t need a lot of exercise, but would undoubtedly enjoy walks or running around the fenced yard. Just make sure to keep a close eye on them as they can be a target of large dog breeds.

Another impressive Maltese trait is that they’re very easy to train. They’re responsive even if you speak to them gently. Treats and foods will surely help you to make them follow you.

Early socialization is something that will also play a role in how your Maltese turns out to be. This will also help him get accustomed to new things around him and prevent excessive barking when he’s surprised.

You also need to make sure that you don’t spoil him too much. Because if you do, stubbornness and over dependency will be your biggest problem.

Maltese Care Requirements

Nutrition: Just like any other small dog breeds, it’s easy to overfeed a Maltese. However, not feeding them regularly can cause several problems, which might lead to their death. So, make sure you only feed him a high-quality and well-balanced diet that contains all the essential nutrients. If you’re serving a raw diet, the recommended percentage should be 65-85% meat, 5-10% organ meat, 20-30% vegetables, 10% cooked grains, and 5% fruits. Just make sure that you only derive this from high-quality ingredients. However, if you’re opting for those commercially packed, they make sure to avoid filler ingredients, by-products, and plant-based protein.

Grooming: The most significant feature of a Maltese is its long and beautiful white coat. The coat itself sheds infrequently. Plus, it’s hypoallergenic, which makes them perfect for people with allergies. However, even if that’s the case, daily brushing is needed to keep their long hair healthy and free from tangles and mats. You can also get their hair trimmed if it gets too long. But, it’s recommended to have an expert groomer do this. At the same time, you can also have him take a bath, though this should only be done occasionally as Maltese doesn’t get dirty easily. Don’t forget to check and trim the nails regularly. Long nails can cause pain to any dog. The ears should be checked and cleaned regularly to avoid ear infection too. And because Maltese are prone to dental diseases, teeth should be brushed regularly also.

Exercise: Though highly energetic dogs, a Maltese exercise requirement is not that heavy. Just a short walk, or running around a fenced yard will be enough to make him happy. Then, you can rest all day indoors. If you’re not the outgoing type, you can even create indoor games you can play with to keep him entertained.

Health: Just like many small dog breeds, Maltese is prone to dental and eye problems. This is why it’s essential to keep his teeth healthy always and to trim his hair, especially above the eyes, to avoid irritation. Another serious condition you need to watch out is portosystemic stunts wherein blood is not circulated through the liver. This is genetically transferred and may cause seizures or death if not treated. Fortunately, this can be managed with the right medication and food intake. Maltese are also prone to patellar luxation and hydrocephalus, but these are less likely to occur. Both of which are hereditary conditions that can be regulated with treatment. Since most health issues are inherited from the parents, it’s best to check the background of your Maltese if there’s a high chance for a specific condition to occur. You can also have him take some screening tests so you can discover it early as well.

Lifespan: The life expectancy of Maltese is 12-15 years.

Famous Maltese

Trouble: Leona Helmsley’s Maltese dog left with a 12 million dollar trust fund; The richest dog

Willy and Polly: Halle Berry Maltese dogs

Tiffany: A Maltese dog from the movie Benji

Skipper: The main actor of the movie, The Maltese Dog

Riley: A therapy dog participating in more than 400 therapy sessions at Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center

Fun Facts About Maltese

The Maltese have many names – Melitae Dog, Maltese Terrier, Spaniel Gentle, Bichon, Maltese Lion Dog, Comforter Dog, etc.

They have a hypoallergenic coat.

Their exact origin is unknown; they are the oldest of all toy dog breeds.

They almost went extinct during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Royalties like Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scotts love them.

Their white coat comes with a deeper meaning; Romans considered the color sacred.

Although they’re small, they can jump high.

The post Maltese appeared first on Furry Friends Gear.

Maltese published first on https://furryfriendsgear.tumblr.com

#pets #Pet Care #dogs #cats #veterinary care

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sundayowowo-blog · 5 years ago

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Klopp provides update on four stars with Liverpool yet to make Sadio Mane decision

LIVERPOOL boss Jurgen Klopp has come to a decision about three players returning from international duty but has yet to make a decision about Sadio Mane.

Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Alisson Becker have been given an extended break by Liverpool after their international commitments with Egypt and Brazil respectively.

However, Jurgen Klopp insists all three will attend the club’s summer camp in France, which will take place later this month in the small town of Evian.

After Liverpool finished the season by winning the Champions League in Madrid, Firmino and Alisson joined up with Brazil and continued their successful form in the Copa America.

Brazil beat Peru 3-1 in the final and the victory in Rio de Janeiro saw the Green and Yellow claim their first Copa America title in 12 years.

Salah has been away with Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations but despite hosting the event the 27-year-old saw his country knocked out of the competition by South Africa in the Round of 16.

Liverpool are currently in the United States, where they will play three games.

The face Borussia Dortmund in Indiana on Saturday before playing Seville in Boston on Sunday and then take on Sporting CP in New York on Thursday.

Klopp is glad his star players will return for their training camp in France as it gives them nearly two weeks to train with the team before the Reds face Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 4.

“It means then we have nearly a week until City, a strong 12 days until Norwich and then 15 or 16 days until Chelsea [in the Super Cup].

“We have to see. The good thing is, when you have a short break you don’t lose a lot.

“They needed three weeks and so we told them [to take it], but they train now again already.

“I would have preferred it if they had come back after a week, but that would make absolutely no sense!

However, Klopp has yet to make a decision on Sane as the player is expected to play for Senegal in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, when they take on Algeria in the final on Friday.

“With Sadio, we have to see about him after the final – how he is feeling and stuff like that,” Klopp added.

“It will be really difficult. 16 days before we play City, his season is finished.

“We will have to make a decision, but we haven’t made it yet.”

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jeroldlockettus · 6 years ago

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How to Win Games and Beat People (Ep. 247 Rebroadcast)

Games are fun, but winning is better. (photo: Arwa Gunja)

Games are as old as civilization itself, and some people think they have huge social value regardless of whether you win or lose. Tom Whipple is not one of those people. That’s why he consulted an army of preposterously overqualified experts to find the secret to winning any game.

Listen and subscribe to our podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or elsewhere. Below is a transcript of the episode, edited for readability. For more information on the people and ideas in the episode, see the links at the bottom of this post.

* * *

There is a pretty good chance that you or someone you love has recently given or received some sort of game as a holiday gift. If so, there is probably an even better chance that the playing of said game will ultimately lead to competitive urges that had been capably subdued to that point. It will perhaps even lead to tears. No one likes to lose. Wouldn’t you like to avoid the tears of defeat? The following episode will help you do that. It’s called “How to Win Games and Beat People.” It was part of our Self-Improvement Month series from 2016; we’ve updated it slightly. If you want to hear the rest of the series, our podcast archive is at Stitcher or here.

* * *

It’s an activity that seems to be eternal and universal:

MARY PILON: We do know that board games are just about as old as civilization itself and human beings.

It’s an activity that is inherently communal:

GREG MAY: They are here four nights a week playing this card game that’s been around since I was a kid.

And it’s an activity in which the mere participation brings joy, regardless of outcome. Right?

TOM WHIPPLE: Losers look for joy; I look for victory.

Ah, victory! Well, if that’s how you feel, then this is the episode for you: “How to Win Games and Beat People.” Because winning feels like this …

KRISTEN: Hot damn! Woo! Yeah!

* * *

I love to play games. For a long time, I was afraid to admit how much I like playing games because it seems a bit childish. And as adults, we are encouraged to do away with childish things. But you know what? I’ve changed my mind. Because playing games means that you’re taking part in the glorious progression of civilization. My favorite game, for instance, is backgammon.

Mary PILON: So backgammon is a great example of a game that has ancient roots, in this case Greek.

And that is …

PILON: Mary Pilon. I’m the author of The Monopolists, a book about the secret history of the board game Monopoly.

Pilon knows the history of other games as well.

PILON: Senet goes back to Egypt around 3500 B.C. Go and Liubo, which are Chinese games, also go back to the earliest known civilizations. Ur goes back to Mesopotamia. Parcheesi goes back to India. Dice: Mesopotamia. Backgammon: Byzantine Greece. Checkers: ancient Egypt. And then, of course, Monopoly, 1904. And a whole bunch of other stuff in between.

Game-playing boomed in America. Much of the boom emanated from Massachusetts, home to both the Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley companies. Boston had a lot to do with it.

PILON: It was a major port; it was a major shipping hub. So a lot of these games that had ancient roots were coming through via the sailors and folks on ships.

In the U.S., ancient games were modernized. New ones were invented. And history itself conspired to create demand.

PILON: So, first of all, you have electric lighting. Now you could play games at night.

Also, child labor was going out of fashion.

PILON: We start seeing laws that allow for children to go to school. Just across the board, you have a rise in leisure time. Board games become part of a lifestyle that previous generations wouldn’t have even conceived of.

Fast-forward now a few more generations.

Martin WALKER: Newer games allow more — there’s more creativity, there’s more strategy. Like, the classic games are fun, but Monopoly or Chutes and Ladders, you’re just rolling dice, something happens, and that’s it.

That’s Martin Walker. Walker is a grad student in Knoxville, Tennessee. Today he’s visiting New York, and he’s at a board-game café in Greenwich Village called The Uncommons, with his wife, Jenny Chin, and a friend. They’re playing a game called …

Jenny CHIN: Takenoko.

WALKER: Takenoko. It is a map-building, bamboo-growing, panda-eating board game.

ANN: Jenny, I will slay you. I just started this game, and I will slay you.

WALKER: She will throw me under a bus.

CHIN: All right we’ll see about that.

WALKER: We’re going to find out who’s the most competitive.

ANN: It’s not really a competition, and it’s not really a group-work thing. We’re just —

WALKER: We’re each helping to grow a farm. But we’re also taking advantage of what they built and taking it from them.

ANN: It’s kind of similar to Settlers of Catan.

CHIN: Yeah, you’re building the same map, but you have your own agenda. Yeah.

ANN: It’s horrible!

Greg May is the founder of The Uncommons.

Greg MAY: I’ve always loved board games. And I’ve always felt like there needed to be a place — a sort of home — for games in New York City.

So that’s what he started. With a collection of nearly 1,000 board games.

MAY: There’s been this explosion and growth in games that weren’t around when I was a kid.

Gil HOVA: I’ve designed Bad Medicine, which is a party game where the players are all pharmaceutical companies making horrible drugs.

Gil Hova is a board-game designer and publisher who lives in Jersey City.

HOVA: I usually drop by here just to see how things are going, what people are playing, what’s been selling, that sort of thing. I have a game coming out later this year called The Networks, where the players are all running television networks starting with three horrible public-access shows and slowing improving their network over five seasons. The business has been incredible. I’m almost sold out of Bad Medicine at this point, out of my entire print run. And I raised over $100,000 on Kickstarter for The Networks.

That is a true fact. And Hova is not the only game designer crowd-funding his work. Kickstarter has an entire division dedicated to games. Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been pledged to games. A lot of these are video games, not old-fashioned board games. And before you get too excited about some board-game renaissance, consider the sales numbers on board games versus video games. Board-game and puzzle sales in the United States bring in about $2 billion a year. Video game sales total $36 billion a year. So for every dollar we spend on board games and puzzles, we spend roughly $18 on video games. In any case: the instinct to play some kind of game, with some kind of opponent, is extraordinarily common, and long-lived:

PILON: Just about every civilization with dates that go way, way, way, way, way back, they were playing games. Some of them were race games — so that’s what you think of a path with little markers that you move, trying to get ahead of an opponent. Some of them were more strategy-based. Some mimicked the world that was around them, and had warfare as a theme or religion as a huge recurring theme in early games. And often games were used by religious leaders as a way of fortune-telling, but also winners of games often had a spiritual aura about them, because they were able to win something that combined luck and skill.

Pilon herself is a gamer.

PILON: So, my family has taken to playing Settlers of Catan at holidays, and it’s an extremely popular game. It came out of Germany, like a lot of really fantastic games do. There’s many things I love about it, but it turns us into animals. It brings out the best and worst in us, particularly the adults. At least at one Thanksgiving, there had to be a handwritten apology note; there were accusations of theft; it really gets extreme. But it’s a great way for everybody to get together.

Tom WHIPPLE: Some people — I’ve heard some families, they get together at family gatherings and they think, “This will be pleasant. We will play a few games and we will have a lovely evening.” And I sort of just find it extraordinary.

Now I’d like you to meet Tom Whipple. We’ll get to his c.v. shortly.

WHIPPLE: I have an early memory from when I was 9 or 10, and we were gathered with extended family and we were playing a game — I can’t even remember the game, but what I do remember is that my Uncle Terry, when he beat me, this 9-year-old who he had seen grow up and play with his kids, he stood up, he jumped on the sofa and he pointed at me and with each point and with each bounce of him on the sofa he says, “I win, you lose. I win, you lose.” And that sort of taught me, I suppose, the morality of game-playing that I’ve taken with me. It’s about: I win and you lose. So I suppose this book was an attempt to codify that in such a way that I can eventually beat Terry.

Whipple has written a book titled How to Win Games and Beat People. In his day job, he’s the science editor for The Times in London.

WHIPPLE: I mean, “editor” is a very grandiose title. There are two of us who cover science for The Times and we try to read the major journals — Nature, Cells, Science — and see what the interesting and important science stories of the day are, and then we try to make them accessible in 600 or fewer words for the public.

DUBNER: And are you — or have you ever been — a scientist yourself?

WHIPPLE: I am a mathematician by training. I studied for a maths degree and then I left, possibly because I discovered I wasn’t as good at calculus as I was at writing about things. But I try not to let scientists know that I’m a mathematician because then they don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot which is—

DUBNER: Oh, and you want them to talk to you like you’re an idiot?

WHIPPLE: I want them to talk to me like I’m an idiot, particularly if I’m at CERN or something like that.

As we mentioned, the title of Whipple’s book is How to Win Games and Beat People. Nothing particularly bloodthirsty about that. But the subtitle: “Defeat and demolish your friends and family.”

DUBNER: I was hoping, and this is going to sound terrible — I gather if you still want to beat Terry, that he is still alive — I was hoping he’d meet a grisly death after doing that to you.

WHIPPLE: Terry is alive, and he is aware that I am on my way to take the advice in this book and try to get my own back, because it’s been a long time coming.

Today, how to win any game — if not with grace, necessarily — with Tom Whipple as our guide and his book as our bible.

WHIPPLE: Really the premise for it — I suppose the elevator pitch — was: it’s preposterously overqualified people advising on games. So I have a Special Forces soldier on pillow fighting, and I have a structural engineer on Jenga. And game theorists all over the place.

DUBNER: But let me ask you, I guess, an obviously paradoxical question about your mission here. Let’s say I’m the only one who reads the book, and I learn how to win every game, then I plainly have an advantage. But if you read the book, as well, then you have the same advantage and then the game-theory puzzle becomes a very different one, does it not?

WHIPPLE: I mean, yes. You’ve described a meta-game theory problem. It’s game theory about a book about game theory. How many people read my book before it’s a failure? I’ll just say — I think both my agent and publisher would agree with this — I’m very happy to take that risk. If enough people are prepared to buy my book, I’d consider that I’d won a completely different game which is the game to get a house in Kensington.

DUBNER: Let’s take Jenga. First of all, describe why you went to a structural engineer to figure out the best way to win at the game.

WHIPPLE: I spoke to a structural engineer who spent a lot of the time talking about how he likes to beat architects at Jenga because his fundamental hypothesis was they can do all their fancy drawings but he can play Jenga. But actually the most interesting person was a woman who invented it I spoke to. And she said that when she plays Jenga with people, she is often accused of cheating, because she likes to put her elbow against the tower when she is pulling out the blocks to stabilize it, and people say you can’t do this. And she says, “Well, look, I invented the game. There are only three rules!” You can only use one hand; you can only take out one block at a time; and if that block touches the floor then it’s over.

And her other tactic was — I don’t know if you played with those annoying people who aren’t trying to get as high as possible and instead of taking one from the outside, the ones on either side, they take the one from the middle, which means that that row is then useless to you; you can’t remove any more. Well, what she would do is: she would pinch the ones on the outside, the one on the left and the one on the right, and move them together so that she could then take one out and get another piece of value out of that row and again, she says, “People say I’m cheating.”

For the beloved sport of stone-skipping, also known as stone-skimming, Whipple spoke with a guy called:

WHIPPLE: Kurt Steiner.

Who had a relatively simple goal in life.

WHIPPLE: He said to his wife, “I want to quit my job to become the world’s best stone-skimmer.” And for five years he trained. But the interesting thing about this was: there is a lot of theory on this. It’s a standard undergraduate physics problem. And I was going to go to one of these physics professors to find out from them what the optimal way of throwing a stone is, and they all agree on the angles and the velocities and the spins and all of this and they get their undergraduates to work it out.

And obviously the problem with that, as I know well having studied maths, is there are — angles, velocities, and spins are all based on a perfectly spherical stone in a frictionless environment that does all these things. And actually what Kurt Steiner discovered was that none of it was true. And it’s one of these wonderful things where you think science is so advanced that normal people can’t do anything about it, but he’s definitively proved all this science wrong because he got 88 stone skims.

DUBNER: And does that make him something like a world champion?

WHIPPLE: It exceeded the previous one by more than 20. Essentially he stopped counting. The YouTube clip is up and I’d urge everyone to Google it because this is his Sistine Chapel. I mean he’s given this gift to the world of this stone that just floats along the lake; it’s absolutely extraordinary. And the way he did it was: he aims — rather than the physics which says you throw it in at angle and it comes out at that angle, he throws it at about 30 degrees and he throws so fast, he uses his whole—

DUBNER: Thirty degrees down or up?

WHIPPLE: Thirty degrees angled towards the horizontal.

DUBNER: What would look like straight down into the water.

WHIPPLE: It would be pretty close to straight but he throws it so fast. What he does is he moves his entire body, so he swivels his shoulder — and he’s got colleagues in the profession who’ve had sporting injuries as a consequence of doing stone skipping — where he swivels his whole shoulder back and brings his arm and it’s almost like a whip and all of the movement goes into the very tip of his arm and out goes the stone as fast and with as much spin as possible. It looks likes it’s going almost directly down into the water. Except by the time it hits the water, it’s not going directly down, and it comes out at about five degrees.

DUBNER: Okay, so here’s the thing. Most people listening to this are probably not going to take up stone skipping, only because it requires a lot of things, you know: the water, the stones, an arm, a fair bit of lunacy, and so on. But many, many, many people who listen to this do routinely play games with their friends, family, people they love, people they might not love so much. And I would like to propose that you and I, right now, on the radio, play a few of these games against each other and see how it works out. Are you up for that, Tom?

WHIPPLE: I’m absolutely up for that.

DUBNER: I asked you to prepare a little bit by bringing into the studio a couple of the games that I’ve brought into the studio. And I do want to make an admission to you, which is: as a professional, I have not acted professionally here, in that typically, I would read the book, or at least most of the book, of the person I am interviewing. And in this case I purposely did not read it, because I did not want to know your secrets, yet. So let me apologize for not having read your book, yet.

WHIPPLE: That’s fine. I mean this slightly fills me with dread because it means it makes it all the more embarrassing when I lose.

DUBNER: Well that was kind of my idea, Tom. I was thinking that if I could maybe beat you — I thought we would play four games — and I thought if I could beat you at one where you have the optimal strategy for all four, that a 1-3 record might make me look a little bit like a hero.

WHIPPLE: As game theorists call it, I think that would be our Nash equilibrium, because if I can only lose on one then I would be very happy as well.

DUBNER: So how would you feel about one victory and one draw for me? Would that push us over into the hero category for me, or not quite?

WHIPPLE: Well, if we are going to do games like Rock, Paper, Scissors, then there is an element of chance I can always blame. I can always say it’s only 60 percent in my favor.

DUBNER: Oh! Already blaming with the chance, yeah.

WHIPPLE: I’ve got to get the excuses in early.

* * *

Tom Whipple agreed to play four games with me. I have prepared by not reading his book. What follows is a substantially edited version of our battle, because it took us more than two hours to play, and I don’t think even the most devoted Freakonomics Radio listener is interested in listening to two grown men play board games for two hours. Whipple was in a radio studio in London; I was in a studio in New York.

DUBNER: I thought that we could begin with Connect Four. Does that work with you?

WHIPPLE: Yep.

DUBNER: Now, I should also say that in anticipation of this game fest, we have brought a couple of participants into the studio here to act as, well, might be referees because we want to make sure that — no offense to you — but I cheat a lot at everything, so—

WHIPPLE: Well, the point of this game, or this book, is that we shouldn’t really trust each other and we are all out to win, so, no, I understand.

DUBNER: Well said. Okay, so I’ve got here, Arwa Gunja. Arwa, can you just say hello?

ARWA GUNJA: Hello.

DUBNER: And Arwa, is there anything you can say in a sentence or two, do you want to take a pledge of honesty as moderator or referee?

GUNJA: I will take that pledge. I also brought with me my iPhone, so I can record anything if we need it for the record. And I also have a very official referee’s whistle here.

DUBNER: I just have to say Tom that I didn’t know about the camera so my strategy needs to change very rapidly. And Tom, do you have someone there with you in London?

WHIPPLE: Yeah, I have, if Molly Fleming will say hello.

MOLLY FLEMING: Hi.

DUBNER: Hi, Molly. So, Tom, you apparently know how to win at this every time, presuming you go first, I understand, correct?

WHIPPLE: Well, yeah, it is possible to win every time presuming you go first; that’s been proven by computer. And I know a very good strategy for ensuring that so long as no one makes any stupid mistakes along the way, you always win if you go first. And probably if you go second, but it depends upon my ability and your ability not to make stupid mistakes along the way.

DUBNER: So I guess I should let you go first then.

WHIPPLE: You go first and then I’ve got something more to blame.

DUBNER: Okay, you want to play yellow or red?

WHIPPLE: I’ll play yellow.

Whipple and I each had a board in the studio with us but, because we couldn’t see each other’s board, we agreed to label the boards so we could replicate each other’s moves. So, we labeled the X axis with numbers 1-7, from left to right, and the Y axis with letters A-F, from bottom to top.

MOLLY: What I found really interesting was that this was a tactic used by Beyonce on Kanye West in Connect 4. And we’re on the side of Beyonce here, is all I’m going to—

DUBNER: I’m Kanye then?

MOLLY: Yeah. You’re Kanye.

DUBNER: Who won?

MOLLY: Well, Beyonce.

DUBNER: Did she go first?

WHIPPLE: I think you’ve heard of the Fischer-Spassky chess match.

DUBNER: I have.

WHIPPLE: This was the equivalent in Connect Four. It was, at least according to showbiz press, and if you can’t believe the show-biz press, then where are we in the world? Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Beyonce were backstage in 2009 and what do the three biggest names in world music do when they’re backstage? Well they had a Connect Four tournament and Kanye West, who describes himself in his music as God’s vessel, lost 8-1 to Beyonce.

DUBNER: That’s an argument for atheism right there.

WHIPPLE: She is indeed my inspiration for this game.

DUBNER: Wow, so you’re not channeling a mathematician; you’re channeling Beyonce, which is a much more formidable force.

WHIPPLE: Exactly, yeah. You don’t argue with Beyoncé Knowles.

Our Connect Four match went on and on for the next 20 minutes, until we were down to an inevitable finish:

GUNJA: That’s game Dubner.

WHIPPLE: Oh dear, it’s not good for Blighty.

DUBNER: Tom, so plainly I stumbled into a lucky progression there and happened to beat you.

WHIPPLE: Well, that’s very sweet for you to say that you stumbled, but what I will say in my defense: in some sense what we just had is the classic Connect Four game. Sometimes you’ll lose because someone will spot a cunning little fork or you won’t spot that someone has got three in a row. But often you end up filling it up and then you are forced in the last column to make a play that you know is going to give your opponent victory. It’s a German word zugzwang. Have you come across this?

DUBNER: I haven’t; I like it though.

WHIPPLE: The Germans have a word for everything, and it’s not surprising that maybe in the milieu of central European politics they had this word because it’s a word that means being forced to do something that will guarantee your enemy victory.

DUBNER: Oh, I zugzwang everyday, I have to say. I’m glad to know there is a word for it.

WHIPPLE: Well, there you go. So, that’s zugzwang. We mentioned the epic struggle between Kanye West and Beyoncé Knowles. What was also reported at the time was that the reason she won was because she had read the master’s thesis of a guy called Victor Allis. Now obviously I could have interviewed Kanye West for my book; I could have interviewed Beyoncé Knowles. But why interview either of them when I could can go to a Dutch computer scientist called Victor Allis? He had designed a program that always played the optimal move in Connect Four. And it had been proven mathematically to be perfect. There are four and half trillion different combinations in Connect Four.

But what he said to me, he was a relatively keen player and he says, “I bet you’ve lost games of Connect Four where you feel ‘that was just bad luck.’’’ And I suppose before I had spoken to him I could have put what happened to us down to bad luck as opposed to extremely bad play on my part. And he says, “it’s not bad luck. It is not bad luck when you put that there, when you are forced into zugzwang.” Because actually if you go first, you will be in the situation where you will find that final four in the row — you’ve got these three dangling, waiting to be filled, and you will find that the final four in the row, it will be completed on an odd row. If you go second, it will be completed on an even row and that’s exactly what we found. If I did a three in a row, ready for completion on an even row, by the end of that game, I would have won. But you had won on row number 3. And you won, and that’s why.

DUBNER: All right, shall we disgorge our checkers because that’s always been to me the most fun part of Connect Four?

WHIPPLE: Here they go.

MOLLY: I’m going to have to bow out, I’m really sorry. I’ve got to go.

DUBNER: That’s okay, Molly. It’s our fault for slow playing …

MOLLY: No it was really lovely; it was really fun. Good luck with the next one, not that you need it.

DUBNER: Thank you very much.

So we lost our London observer but, having one victory in hand, I wasn’t too worried. Our next game was Hangman. We would play two rounds – one with Whipple guessing my word, one with me guessing his. The guesser could guess 10 wrong letters before being hung, representing the head, torso, two arms, two legs, the rope, and three lines for the gallows themselves.

WHIPPLE: So all I need to know is how many letters.

DUBNER: Okay, and I’ll tell you there are four letters. Now tell me immediately, is that a good thing to go short, or bad?

WHIPPLE: Oh yeah, it’s a very good thing to go short.

DUBNER: All right. Go for it.

WHIPPLE: So, “A.”

GUNJA: That is a miss. Nine guesses remain.

WHIPPLE: That is a miss. I’m going to go down the vowels on this but you don’t always, so I am going to go “E.“

GUNJA: That is a miss. Eight guesses remain.

WHIPPLE: Oh you have done something with a “Y” or something, haven’t you?

DUBNER: Or have I?

WHIPPLE: Exactly, I can do nothing but stick to my strategy, so I am going to go for an “O.”

GUNJA: That is a hit. You’ve got an “O” in the second spot. Four letters, the second letter is an “O.”

WHIPPLE: Okay, and so now I am going to shift it, that was my attack, my sort of basic attack strategy. So now I am going to go for a “T.”

DUBNER: Beautiful guess.

GUNJA: That is a miss.

WHIPPLE: That is a miss. Damn.

GUNJA: Seven guesses remain.

DUBNER: We don’t even have the gallows built yet, but soon we will get to your body.

WHIPPLE: I am going to go for an “S.”

DUBNER: That’s a negatory, Batman.

GUNJA: The gallows are complete.

WHIPPLE: The gallows are complete. Oh gosh, you’re marching me towards my doom. I am going to go for an “R.”

GUNJA: Another miss. Five guesses remain.

DUBNER: If I wanted to march you to towards your doom, I would just challenge you to another game of Connect Four, no offense.

WHIPPLE: Okay, and at this point I am going to have to think, I’ve got to take the strategy that you’re being tricky and you’ve gone for something like a “J.”

GUNJA: The first letter is a “J.” So you have a “J,” second letter is an “O,” and two blanks. Five guesses left.

WHIPPLE: Well, I am going to go for — this a good question. See now I am looking at what words would actually work.

DUBNER: I can’t imagine that there are that many four-letter words starting with J-O

WHIPPLE: So this is completely — I’m thinking “Jowl.”

GUNJA: Game Whipple!

DUBNER: Beautifully done! Tom Whipple!

WHIPPLE: Oh you’re just overpraising after the Connect Four disaster.

DUBNER: I’m not. I’m really impressed. “Jowl” I thought it was a good word.

WHIPPLE: “Jowl” is a really good word.

DUBNER: And you emerged with everything but your head intact, which is, you know, something. So, that was really well done. So you’ve just proved that from the guesser’s perspective you’ve had a strategy that happened to work beautifully there. Could I learn that strategy as well pretty quickly?

WHIPPLE: Quite boringly there is a table in my book which got the first letter on the board. The strategy for this, I should say I spoke to Nick Berry, who is a data scientist at Facebook, who looks into these things in his spare time. And what he said to me was, “Tom, I bet you think you’re good at Hangman. You’re not.”

And then he said, “People who think they’re good at Hangman, the more naive ones, what they guess first is vowels,” which is, indeed, what I used to do. So I was at the lowest level of sophistication on his strategy. And then he said, “If you get a bit more sophisticated, you learn about letter frequency analysis.”

It actually started in Baghdad in the 9th century. There was a guy who went through the Koran and wrote down — a guy called Al-Kindi — wrote down the frequency of every single letter that popped up, and he didn’t just do this for fun; he did it because cryptography at the time was almost always based on letter substitution. So for instance, you would change the word “cat” — you would add one to each letter — so you would change the word “cat” to D-B-U and then you would send your letter and he realized that if he knew that a particular letter popped up more and had a big enough corpus of data to decode, he could begin to work out which letters were which. So he blew apart cryptography by doing this.

So from that, we have the basic letter frequency in the English language. And he said, “Well I bet you think this makes you sophisticated.” And then he said, “well, actually it’s not.” Because if you think about it in Hangman what you’ve got is a lot of words you’d never use. A lot of the most common words. You’d never use the word “A” in hangman. You’d never use “and” or “of” or “the.” If you play hangman with somebody who puts down the word “the” then that really is the time to reconsider your friendships. And so then he produced a different letter frequency of the words in the English language excluding those. So previously it was E-T-A-O-I-N, and if you get rid of those words, you’re left with E-S — for “sugar” — I-A-R-N.

DUBNER: So that’s the optimal kind of first guessing streak, yes?

WHIPPLE: No. ‘Cause then he said, you’ve forgotten about the amount of information you’ve been given. I’ve just been told that this is a four-letter word. Well, the frequency of letters in four-letter words is completely different. Think about it. Think of all the endings that you can’t have. You can’t have the “-ing” ending. You can’t have the “-tion” ending. It would be mad if the letter frequency in four-letter words is the same as the letter frequency in the English language. So actually the most common letter in four-letter words is “A,” but the most common letter in five-letter words is “S.” It’s “E” in six-letter words, and it’s “I” in thirteen-letter words.

DUBNER: Once you land the first letter then you reassess the kind of word that you’re thinking about or no?

WHIPPLE: Well, yeah, so his whole principle behind this, which I certainly subscribe to is: the really key thing is to get that first letter. So let’s say, as was the case with this, it’s a four-letter word, and I’ve guessed “A” because that’s the most common letter in four-letter words. Well if that doesn’t come up, you’ve just changed the search again. The frequency of letters in four-letter words that don’t include the letter “A” is completely different. So that’s your strategy for getting the first letter. And then obviously you could extend this if you had a lot of time on your hands. But I just went back to the letter frequency in the English language. Then I went to the letter frequency for silly buggers and just decided to go “J,” so I went a bit off piece there.

DUBNER: All right that was very stressful though, that was fun. Can we play another?

WHIPPLE: I’m sweating, yeah.

WHIPPLE: I’ve got a three-letter one up on my end of things.

DUBNER: All right, so I’m going to use your chart because that’s what it’s for. And I see that if I have a three-letter word, the optimal calling order is A-E-O-I-U-Y-H-B-C-K, so I’d be a fool to ignore your advice, except for the fact that you wrote the advice.

WHIPPLE: Well, exactly.

DUBNER: So I have to think that you would have been thinking, “Well of course he is going to call ‘A’ because it says ‘A’ right there” and therefore why would you put an “A” in, especially when I told you I was going to use your advice. And then I think, “Well is he the kind of person who would go to the second most frequent or maybe the third or maybe the sixth?”

WHIPPLE: Or I could have just done “cat,” because I would have just thought that you wouldn’t think this way.

DUBNER: Once again you’re deep inside my head. I would like to call “Y.”

GUNJA: “Y” is a miss. Nine guesses remain.

DUBNER: “O.”

WHIPPLE: “O” is not in it.

GUNJA: Dubner has 8 guesses left.

DUBNER: “A.”

WHIPPLE: “A” is the second letter.

DUBNER: Oh, so you went easy on me. Either that or you thought you were pulling the double switcheroo because “A” is the first letter in the optimal calling order.

WHIPPLE: I’ve forgotten how many switcheroos we’re on now.

DUBNER: Now I think it calls for some psychoanalysis. So, what did you have for breakfast today, Tom?

WHIPPLE: I had toast and bagels.

DUBNER: Was there jam on your toast?

WHIPPLE: I couldn’t imagine where you were going. Yes there was lashings of jam of my toast.

DUBNER: I’m not familiar with the word “lashings,” but I’m focusing on the jam. Do you have pets at home?

WHIPPLE: I have pet tortoises.

DUBNER: But no feline-type pets?

WHIPPLE: No.

DUBNER: How do you feel about feline-type pets?

WHIPPLE: I’m ambivalent towards feline-type pets.

DUBNER: “C.”

WHIPPLE: That’s the first one.

DUBNER: “T.”

WHIPPLE: I think that would be the one I was going for. I think a treble-switcheroo on telling you it was “cat.”

DUBNER: The minute you said you were ambivalent, cause can I tell you why? Nobody is ambivalent about cats. Either love cats or you hate cats.

WHIPPLE: You’re right; you’ve got my tell. You’ve got my tell.

So Hangman ended in a draw — he won his round, I won mine — which meant I’d already achieved my goal of one victory and one draw in four games against the game expert, meaning I could afford to lose the last two games. Which was fortunate because – well, here we go:

DUBNER: How about we play Battleship?

WHIPPLE: Let’s do Battleship.

DUBNER: Is there a large advantage to going first?

WHIPPLE: I don’t think anyone has particularly done the maths on it, but I don’t think it’s huge.

DUBNER: All right, Tom you can go first then.

After multiple rounds of Battleship, Tom Whipple had taken out one of my ships and was dangerously close to taking out several others. I still didn’t have one hit.

DUBNER: So, I’ve got to wonder now. I’ve really scattered the board. Ten scattered guesses and not a single hit, and I can’t remember ever playing 10 first guesses and not a single hit. So I’ve got to think that rather than scattering, you’re maybe clustering and that there is quadrant that I haven’t wandered into where I will find the motherload. Would the quadrant include H8?

WHIPPLE: It would not.

DUBNER: Again, you did put ships on the board, yes?

WHIPPLE: There are ships, there are photographs to prove it, they are just using their British pluck to evade your artillery. F8.

DUBNER: F8, hit and sunk. You’ve sunk my 3-hole ship. So you’ve now sunk a 4 and a 3. So I can tell you because you’re my friend, and I think your going to beat me anyway, I am worried about my strategy now. Do you understand why I’m worried besides the fact that I’m behind?

WHIPPLE: Is it because you’ve been putting ships next to each other?

DUBNER: Yes, thinking that I would—

WHIPPLE: Confound me.

DUBNER: Confound you, but if indeed I’ve done that consistently, then the confounding will come to a crashing halt.

WHIPPLE: But see you began that by saying, “Because I’m your friend,” so I think you’re just trying to gain my trust so that you can lie.

DUBNER: I appreciate your thinking of me as strategically as that and as nastily as that.

Clearly my strategy was a horrid failure. An embarrassment. I did finally get a few hits, including Whipple’s destroyer – that’s the ship with just two holes, the hardest one to find.

WHIPPLE: You’ve gotten rid of my most valuable ship.

DUBNER: All right, well, that’s something.

WHIPPLE: So people who play this competitively, which are vanishingly few, would not generally put many ships on the outside of the board.

DUBNER: Why’s that?

WHIPPLE: Well, if you think about the hunt strategy, once you’ve targeted it, once you’ve hit someone’s ship, you then have to look at the four squares either side of that hit to see which way the ship is going; to see if it’s going up, down, left, right. If you’ve got it on the edge of the board, you’ve immediately put it in that situation, and for exactly the same reason, ideally you wouldn’t put ships next to each other because then there is a chance in hitting one, just in your search strategy, you’re going to get a hit on two.

Now, because that’s a strategy, obviously you then have to mitigate it, which is why I put one of mine on the edge of the board, because people know it’s bad to put them on the edge of the board then it’s — sometimes, you want to mess around with them and put them on the edge of the board.

DUBNER: So it sounds as though you’re saying that your planting strategy, your setting-up-ship strategy, is to place them what seems to be randomly, while avoiding the edges.

WHIPPLE: Yeah, semi-randomly, avoiding edges and avoiding put them together but occasionally putting them together and putting them on the edges if that doesn’t sound too ludicrous…

DUBNER: Yeah, yeah that makes sense, that’s sort of an 80-20-ish sort of rule.

Finally, calling “J9,” Tom Whipple took out my last ship.

DUBNER: J9 hit and sunk to the winner Tom Whipple. Congratulations, well played.

WHIPPLE: You too.

DUBNER: I am so shamefully embarrassed by my horrible play here, but hopefully it can help another player win another day.

WHIPPLE: Yeah, it’s demonstrated a point. You are a cautionary tale in Battleship.

It was time for our final game of the day: Rock, Paper, Scissors. We agreed to play best of nine throws.

DUBNER: We used to say, “Rock, papers, scissors says shoot.” That’s our rhythm, but tell me what you do.

WHIPPLE: I normally do “1,2,3” and then “present.”

DUBNER: You don’t say “shoot” though? It’s a very pacifist version of Rock, Paper, Scissors. “1,2,3, present.”

WHIPPLE: It sounds like what baboons do with their bottoms, doesn’t it?

DUBNER: So you’re running the show here so we will say “1,2,3 present” is what we are going to say?

WHIPPLE: Yeah.

DUBNER: All right and we will say it at the same time? Are you ready to play then?

WHIPPLE: Okay, let’s do it.

DUBNER: So let me just say something before we go. On the first throw, I’m throwing rock, OK? Ready?

WHIPPLE: Okay, let’s do it.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Paper.

DUBNER: Rock.

GUNJA: A win for Tom.

DUBNER: A win for Tom, and I told the truth.

WHIPPLE: Yep, okay.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Paper.

DUBNER: Scissors.

GUNJA: Scissors cuts paper, that is a win for Stephen.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Rock.

DUBNER: Scissors.

GUNJA: Rock crushes scissors and that is a win for Tom. So it is 2-1, Tom.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Paper.

DUBNER: Scissors.

GUNJA: Scissors cuts paper. That is a win for Dubner. So it’s two all.

WHIPPLE: Two all.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Rock.

DUBNER: Scissors.

GUNJA: Rock crushes scissors, that is a take away for Whipple; that is 3-2 Whipple.

DUBNER: You may have noticed by now that I have employed four scissors consecutively.

WHIPPLE: I have. I have, and I think you flagging it up means I’m definitely going to do rock next time.

DUBNER: It’s what I call the super-seamstress. A seamstress I understand is three scissors in a row, but the super seamstress — I think I may have invented the super seamstress. I’m not sure.

WHIPPLE: I think that’s accepted in competition play.

DUBNER: I know there are many names for these patterns. So let’s see what we’ve got, ready?

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Rock.

DUBNER: Scissors.

GUNJA: OK, rock crushes scissors; that is a win for Whipple. It is now 4-2.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Paper.

DUBNER: Rock.

GUNJA: Paper covers rock, that is a win for Whipple, it is 5-2 Whipple.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Scissors.

DUBNER: Rock.

GUNJA: Rock crushes scissors, that is a win for Dubner, it is 5-3 Whipple.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present.

WHIPPLE: Paper.

DUBNER: Paper.

GUNJA: That’s a draw.

WHIPPLE & DUBNER: 1,2,3 Present

WHIPPLE: Paper.

DUBNER: Rock. Well done. That was a beautiful …

WHIPPLE: Oh that was really tense; it was just good for the game.

DUBNER: Very well done, very well done. So now that we’ve heard me get crushed by you, the master, give us your masterful advice on Rock, Paper, Scissors.

WHIPPLE: Well, the first thing to say about Rock, Paper, Scissors is that there shouldn’t be a strategy. The optimal strategy is that everyone plays randomly, and you are equally likely to win or equally likely to lose, which makes it a fantastic psychology problem, because humans are incapable of being random.

The reason I know what to do is because there was a bunch of Chinese researchers who decided that they were going to find themselves a phenomenally indulgent grant awarding body, and they were going to get 300 students to play 360 games of Rock, Paper, Scissors and then they were going to look for strategies or look for ticks. The non-randomness that could be exploited.

And the ones they found — it’s almost embarrassingly as an insight into how the human brain works. So if you lose, if say, my rock beats your scissors, then you’ll think, “right, I need to make these scissors more powerful. I’m going to go to a more powerful thing, so I’m going to go to rock.” So if you lose, then I have to think, next time, if you lost on scissors, you’re going to play rock, so I need to shift up to paper. And if you win, then you think, “well that went well. I think I’ll stick with that one.” So if you won on rock, then you would be likely to stay on rock, and so I should go on paper. It gives you an edge.

I mean, I don’t think it’s — there’s a huge element of chance, and I can’t say it would have actually made the difference in our game as opposed to being chance, but it gives you just that small edge in a game that is meant to be purely random game of chance.

DUBNER: So, I assume that according to your master strategy, that my subversion strategy of throwing five scissors in a row to create the appearance of basically lunacy is a bad strategy.

WHIPPLE: I was just sticking with that particular strategy so I wasn’t particularly noticing. The only thing I would say is that when we drew, I went with a different strategy, which is I went paper, because scissors, contrary to what you what you were doing, are actually the least used statistically of all of them.

DUBNER: Scissors are the least? I assume that rock is the most?

WHIPPLE: Yeah, they are used — the other two, paper and rock are pretty equal but scissors are 29.6 percent of the time, when they have been analyzed.

DUBNER: So, Tom, you have crushed me at Rock, Paper, Scissors. You beat me soundly at Battleship. We hung each other once in Hangman and I got lucky on Connect Four. So here’s my question for you: having become master or at least a surrogate master for the proper masters of all these games and having written this book about how to win games and beat people, is there any element of joy that’s diluted when you win by knowing the optimal way? It’s not cheating, but it’s kind of a different version of gaining an advantage over someone else.

WHIPPLE: I think joy is the wrong paradigm for this. Joy is a sort of thing that people say, “Oh it’s the taking part that counts.” It’s the battle cry of the loser. Losers look for joy; I look for victory. And that’s what I’ve got and then I’ll go and live my cold, shallow life, but I’ll have won. And so who’s the real loser?

* * *

Freakonomics Radio is produced by Stitcher and Dubner Productions. This episode was produced by Arwa Gunja. Our staff also includes Alison Craiglow, Greg Rippin, Harry Huggins, Alvin Melathe, and Zack Lapinski. Our theme song is “Mr. Fortune,” by the Hitchhikers; all the other music was composed by Luis Guerra. You can subscribe to Freakonomics Radio on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Here’s where you can learn more about the people and ideas in this episode:

SOURCES

Tom Whipple, science editor of The Times and author of How to Win Games and Beat People: Demolish Your Friends and Family at Over 30 Classic Games with Advice from an International Array of Experts

Mary Pilon, author of The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Board Game

Gil Hova, board game designer

Greg May, founder of The Uncommons, a board game cafe in Manhattan

RESOURCES

How to Win Games and Beat People: Demolish Your Friends and Family at Over 30 Classic Games with Advice from an International Array of Experts by Tom Whipple (Dey Street Books, 2015).

“A Knowledge-based Approach of Connect-Four: The Game is Solved: White Wins” by Victor Allis (Vrije Universiteit, 1988).

“Social cycling and conditional responses in the Rock-Paper-Scissors game” by Zhijian Wang, Bin Xu, Hai-Jun Zhou (2014).

EXTRA

Watch Kurt Steiner set the stone skipping world record.

Read this Quora forum for an explanation of how to win Connect Four.

MUSIC

Pat Andrews – Get Faster

Olav Rasmus -Vorren Victory

Stuart Rau – Samurai Funk

Interkosmos – Goodnight (from London Sessions)

Matthew Reid – Coventry Variations

Phil Symonds – Bar Fight Blues

Milan Grajetzki – Pixel Dude

Leon Ayers Jr – Survival Game

Eleggua Productions – SUV

Marco Pesci – That Funny Clown

Joshua R Mosley – The_Main_Event

Pat Andrews – Bombed_Bluegrass

Pat Andrews – Network_Sports_theme

Eric Tingstad – Durango (from Mississippi)

Whalehawk – Alligiance Of War

Paul Avgerinos – Enemy Ship

Tim Besamusca – Valiance

Johnny Sangster – Levanto Adventure

The post How to Win Games and Beat People (Ep. 247 Rebroadcast) appeared first on Freakonomics.

from Dental Care Tips http://freakonomics.com/podcast/games-rebroadcast/

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